Richard Bligh (1780-1838), chancery barrister, son of John Bligh and a cousin of Admiral William Bligh, was educated at Westminster School and Trinity College, Cambridge. He graduated B.A. in 1803 and M.A. in 1806. He was called to the bar by the Society of the Inner Temple on 1 May 1807 and was admitted to the Society of Lincoln's Inn on 17 November 1826. He became an equity draftsman at the chancery bar. He was a hard worker, and had a fair amount of practice in his profession; but a considerable amount of his time was taken up by reporting in the House of Lords, in which business he was engaged for several years.