Henry Alworth Merewether (1780–1864) was an English serjeant-at-law, Town Clerk of London and author.
He was eldest son of Henry Merewether of Calne, Wiltshire; his brother Francis (1784–1864) was rector of Coleorton. He was educated at Reading School under Richard Valpy, was called to the bar 5 May 1809, was created serjeant-at-law 25 June 1827, and became king's counsel with patent of precedence in 1853.[1]
Merewether practised on the western circuit with success. He was appointed recorder of Reading and was attorney-general to Adelaide, Queen-dowager. He received the degree of D.C.L. from the University of Oxford on 12 June 1839.[1]
Elected town-clerk of London on 23 June 1842, over William Pritchard, Merewether then became high bailiff of Southwark. By accepting this appointment he lost a good income at the bar. He resigned the office of town-clerk on 10 February 1859, and died at his family seat, Castlefield, near Calne, Wiltshire, on 22 July 1864, at age 83.[1]
Merewether's major work was The History of the Boroughs and Municipal Corporations of the United Kingdom (1835), written with Archibald John Stephens, and published in three volumes. He also wrote:[1]
Merewether was twice married, and left several children. His eldest son, Henry Alworth (1812–1877), was recorder of Devizes and a bencher of the Inner Temple. His youngest son was Sir William Lockyer Merewether.[1]