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Gavin Simonds, 1st Viscount Simonds

Gavin Turnbull Simonds, 1st Viscount Simonds, PC (28 November 1881 – 28 June 1971) was a British judge, politician and Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain.

The Viscount Simonds
1953 photograph of Simonds by Sir Cecil Beaton
Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain
In office
30 October 1951 – 18 October 1954
Prime MinisterWinston Churchill
Preceded byThe Viscount Jowitt
Succeeded byThe Viscount Kilmuir
Personal details
Born28 November 1881 (1881-11-28)
Reading, Berkshire
Died28 June 1971(1971-06-28) (aged 89)
Westminster, London
NationalityBritish
Political partyConservative
Alma materNew College, Oxford

Background and education edit

Simonds was born in Reading, Berkshire, the son of Louis DeLuze Simonds and his wife, Mary Elizabeth Turnbull. They were members of a well-known Berkshire family of brewing magnates (see H & G Simonds Ltd). He was educated at Winchester College (where he was later a Fellow, and Warden from 1946 to 1951) and at New College, Oxford.[citation needed]

Legal and political career edit

Simonds was called to the bar in 1906, and appointed a King's Counsel in 1924.[1] He was elected a Bencher of Lincoln's Inn in 1929 and was Treasurer from 1951. He served as a Judge of the Chancery Division of the High Court of Justice between 1937,[2] when he was knighted,[3] and 1944. In the latter year he was appointed a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary,[4] sworn of the Privy Council and created a life peer as Baron Simonds, of Sparsholt in the County of Southampton.[4]

Simonds remained a Law Lord until 1951, when Winston Churchill appointed him Lord Chancellor. He was holder of the office at the time of the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, adding a major ceremonial role to his judicial one.[5]

In June 1952 he was made a hereditary peer as Baron Simonds, of Sparsholt in the County of Southampton.[6] This was his title until 1954, when he was created Viscount Simonds, of Sparsholt in the County of Southampton.[7] He again served as a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary from 1954 to 1962. He was also High Steward of Oxford University from 1954 to 1967, and High Steward of the City of Winchester from 1951.[citation needed]

The Shaw v DPP case edit

In 1962 Simonds achieved some notoriety in the case of Shaw v DPP,[8][9] where the House of Lords created what was, in effect, a new criminal offence of "conspiracy to corrupt public morals". He declared:

"In the sphere of criminal law I entertain no doubt that there remains in the Courts of Law a residual power to enforce the supreme and fundamental purpose of the law, to conserve not only the safety and order but also the moral welfare of the State, and that it is their duty to guard it against attacks which may be the more insidious because they are novel and unprepared for".

Lord Reid was the only dissenting judge, saying:

"Parliament is the proper place, and I am firmly of opinion the only proper place, (to pass new laws). Where Parliament fears to tread it is not for the courts to rush in".

Family edit

Lord Simonds had three sons who all predeceased him. Robert Francis Simonds died in infancy; John Mellor Simonds (1915–1944) was killed in action at Arnhem in 1944, and Gavin Alexander Simonds (1915–1951) died as a result of illness contracted on active service in East Africa in 1951. Consequently, the hereditary barony and viscountcy became extinct on his death in June 1971, aged 89.[citation needed]

Arms edit

Coat of arms of Gavin Simonds, 1st Viscount Simonds
 
 
Crest
An ermine Proper resting the sinister paw upon the astronomical sign of Taurus Sable and holding in the mouth a trefoil slipped Or.
Escutcheon
Tierced in pall Azure, Gules and Vert three Trefoils slipped Or
Supporters
On either side an ermine Proper each charged on the shoulder the dexter with an hop leaf and the sinister with a bezant.
Motto
Simplex Munditiis [10]

References edit

  1. ^ "No. 32928". The London Gazette. 18 April 1924. p. 3205.
  2. ^ "No. 34377". The London Gazette. 5 March 1937. p. 1486.
  3. ^ "No. 34379". The London Gazette. 12 March 1937. p. 1640.
  4. ^ a b "No. 36481". The London Gazette. 21 April 1944. p. 1841.
  5. ^ "ROYALTY - CORONATION OF ELIZABETH II". Bonhams.
  6. ^ "No. 39584". The London Gazette. 27 June 1952. p. 3520.
  7. ^ "No. 40313". The London Gazette. 29 October 1954. p. 6124.
  8. ^ Shaw v DPP [1962] AC 220 House of Lords
  9. ^ "Shaw v DPP". e-lawresources.co.uk. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  10. ^ "Simonds, Viscount (UK, 1954 - 1971)". www.cracroftspeerage.co.uk. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
Political offices
Preceded by Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain
1951–1954
Succeeded by
Peerage of the United Kingdom
New creation Viscount Simonds
1954–1971
Extinct
Baron Simonds
1952–1971

gavin, simonds, viscount, simonds, gavin, turnbull, simonds, viscount, simonds, november, 1881, june, 1971, british, judge, politician, lord, high, chancellor, great, britain, right, honourablethe, viscount, simondspc1953, photograph, simonds, cecil, beatonlor. Gavin Turnbull Simonds 1st Viscount Simonds PC 28 November 1881 28 June 1971 was a British judge politician and Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain The Right HonourableThe Viscount SimondsPC1953 photograph of Simonds by Sir Cecil BeatonLord High Chancellor of Great BritainIn office 30 October 1951 18 October 1954Prime MinisterWinston ChurchillPreceded byThe Viscount JowittSucceeded byThe Viscount KilmuirPersonal detailsBorn28 November 1881 1881 11 28 Reading BerkshireDied28 June 1971 1971 06 28 aged 89 Westminster LondonNationalityBritishPolitical partyConservativeAlma materNew College Oxford Contents 1 Background and education 2 Legal and political career 2 1 The Shaw v DPP case 3 Family 4 Arms 5 ReferencesBackground and education editSimonds was born in Reading Berkshire the son of Louis DeLuze Simonds and his wife Mary Elizabeth Turnbull They were members of a well known Berkshire family of brewing magnates see H amp G Simonds Ltd He was educated at Winchester College where he was later a Fellow and Warden from 1946 to 1951 and at New College Oxford citation needed Legal and political career editSimonds was called to the bar in 1906 and appointed a King s Counsel in 1924 1 He was elected a Bencher of Lincoln s Inn in 1929 and was Treasurer from 1951 He served as a Judge of the Chancery Division of the High Court of Justice between 1937 2 when he was knighted 3 and 1944 In the latter year he was appointed a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary 4 sworn of the Privy Council and created a life peer as Baron Simonds of Sparsholt in the County of Southampton 4 Simonds remained a Law Lord until 1951 when Winston Churchill appointed him Lord Chancellor He was holder of the office at the time of the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II adding a major ceremonial role to his judicial one 5 In June 1952 he was made a hereditary peer as Baron Simonds of Sparsholt in the County of Southampton 6 This was his title until 1954 when he was created Viscount Simonds of Sparsholt in the County of Southampton 7 He again served as a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary from 1954 to 1962 He was also High Steward of Oxford University from 1954 to 1967 and High Steward of the City of Winchester from 1951 citation needed The Shaw v DPP case editIn 1962 Simonds achieved some notoriety in the case of Shaw v DPP 8 9 where the House of Lords created what was in effect a new criminal offence of conspiracy to corrupt public morals He declared In the sphere of criminal law I entertain no doubt that there remains in the Courts of Law a residual power to enforce the supreme and fundamental purpose of the law to conserve not only the safety and order but also the moral welfare of the State and that it is their duty to guard it against attacks which may be the more insidious because they are novel and unprepared for Lord Reid was the only dissenting judge saying Parliament is the proper place and I am firmly of opinion the only proper place to pass new laws Where Parliament fears to tread it is not for the courts to rush in Family editLord Simonds had three sons who all predeceased him Robert Francis Simonds died in infancy John Mellor Simonds 1915 1944 was killed in action at Arnhem in 1944 and Gavin Alexander Simonds 1915 1951 died as a result of illness contracted on active service in East Africa in 1951 Consequently the hereditary barony and viscountcy became extinct on his death in June 1971 aged 89 citation needed Arms editCoat of arms of Gavin Simonds 1st Viscount Simonds nbsp nbsp Crest An ermine Proper resting the sinister paw upon the astronomical sign of Taurus Sable and holding in the mouth a trefoil slipped Or Escutcheon Tierced in pall Azure Gules and Vert three Trefoils slipped Or Supporters On either side an ermine Proper each charged on the shoulder the dexter with an hop leaf and the sinister with a bezant Motto Simplex Munditiis 10 References edit No 32928 The London Gazette 18 April 1924 p 3205 No 34377 The London Gazette 5 March 1937 p 1486 No 34379 The London Gazette 12 March 1937 p 1640 a b No 36481 The London Gazette 21 April 1944 p 1841 ROYALTY CORONATION OF ELIZABETH II Bonhams No 39584 The London Gazette 27 June 1952 p 3520 No 40313 The London Gazette 29 October 1954 p 6124 Shaw v DPP 1962 AC 220 House of Lords Shaw v DPP e lawresources co uk Retrieved 6 February 2022 Simonds Viscount UK 1954 1971 www cracroftspeerage co uk Retrieved 6 February 2022 Political offices Preceded byThe Viscount Jowitt Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain1951 1954 Succeeded byThe Viscount Kilmuir Peerage of the United Kingdom New creation Viscount Simonds1954 1971 Extinct Baron Simonds1952 1971 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gavin Simonds 1st Viscount Simonds amp oldid 1211202712, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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