In Brief December 17

Middle Temple
Northern & North
Eastern Circuit
Societies' Annual Dinner
Congratulatory
Dinner at Middle
Temple
Thomas Harrison
Architect
Liverpool Bar
Cricket Club
December 2017

FROM THE LEADER
In Brief
Published in April, August &
December
Editor
Elliw Roberts
St Johns Buildings
24-28 St John Street
Manchester
Tel: 0161 214 1500
elliw.roberts@stjohnsbuildings.co.uk
Deputy Editor
Simon Rowbotham
Deans Court Chambers
24 St John Street
Manchester M3 4DF
Tel 0161 214 6000
rowbotham@deanscourt.co.uk.
Leader of the Circuit
Michael Hayton QC
Deans Court Chambers
24 St John Street
Manchester M3 4DF
Tel 0161 214 6000
Adminstrator
Susan Chisholme
Deans Court Chambers
101 Walker Street,
Preston PR1 2RR
DX: 713291 PRESTON 11
Telephone: 0161 660 3848
susan.chisholme@northerncircuit.org.uk
Published on behalf of the
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Leader’s Column
Michael Hayton QC, Leader of the Northern Circuit
By the time this edition of In Brief
reaches you, December will be
well and truly in full party flow. It
is always a long run into the
Christmas break and I hope all of
you are coping.
No doubt the 2018 will throw out
new challenges; nothing seems to
be easy these days. A new fee
scheme is on the verge of being
announced for defence criminal
cases and the Manchester Civil
Justice Centre is to be used as a
pilot court for the Flexible
Operating Hours scheme. No
doubt both will bring their own
worries and concerns. Please do
feel free to express your views
and ideas to me, so that I can
communicate them onwards to
those at Bar Council and
elsewhere who can influence,
even in small ways, how these
things come into effect.
Since my last message to you all
we have endured a Summer and
Autumn with some sad
departures from our judiciary.
Lost to retirement are Stuart
Baker, Philip Butler, Pamela
Badley and Jeff Lewis. Rumours of
Judge Lewis still being part heard
into December in his last case are
purely apocryphal, I can assure
you. Their new found freedom
will be filled with golf, cruise
ships, yoga and gardening. We
wish them long and happy
retirements and thank them for
their sterling service on Circuit
over many years. Sadly, Liverpool
lost two of its best in the former
Recorder, William “Bill”
Wickham, and Adrian Lyon.
Judge Lyon’s untimely death was
particularly tragic coming far too
early for such an able lawyer and
such a good man. Both eulogies
saw packed out courts to say
farewell to popular figures,
although the shows were
somewhat stolen by the
impromptu address from Judge
Wickham’s widow, Elizabeth,
who spoke movingly and
amusingly in equal measure
about Bill’s time at the QEII.
As the summer term drew to a
close my excellent Junior, Harriet
Tighe heaved a mighty sigh of
relief and handed over her high
and honourable office to her great
friend, Colette Renton from 15,
Winkley Square. Hardly had
Harriet concluded her sigh when
news began to circulate about
another extraordinary year of
appointments on Circuit and her
work began again, this time in
real earnest. 25 November saw
large numbers of Circuit decamp
to Middle Temple Hall for a
simply splendid evening of
congratulation and celebration.
Three new High Court Judges in
Yip, Knowles and Moulder Js,
were joined by Circuit Stalwart
Holroyde LJ and, of course,
Baroness Hale enjoyed her sixth
congratulatory mess upon her
appointment as President of the
Supreme Court. As I remarked at
mess, she has milked her success
somewhat but she now has
nowhere else to go so barring
some sort of farewell tour. It is
easy to become a little
complacent as to just how
extraordinary the Circuit’s record
has been in recent years in
relation to senior judicial
appointments. My first phone call
in my capacity as Leader was to
the then Senior Presiding Judge
who remarked that the Northern
Circuit had “more than its fair
share” of membership in the
senior judiciary, a comment I
challenged saying we had
precisely our fair share of such
appointments. The stark reality is
that no other circuit can compete
with us in this particular measure
of success and our numbers do
stand out upon even a cursory
glance down the lists. We are
rightly proud of our record and
this year’s honorands were as
deserving as their predecessors
and, no doubt, further success
will follow them. it was a
splendid night, made so by
Harriet and Colette’s very
considerable endeavours, for
which I take this opportunity to
thank them again, and I fully
anticipate seeing you all at a
similar occasion next year.
The new year will see Circuit
graced by a new Junior Presiding
Judge. As Davis J takes on the
mantle of Senior Presider, his
current role will be filled by Sir
Ian Dove. Dove J, like Davis J, is
a circuiteer, but, again like Davis
J, of the Midland Circuit variety
rather than of the North. This will
be the first time in some years that
neither presider will be home
grown. However, we could
hardly have hoped for a better
pairing. Sir Ian has already spent
some time on Circuit where he
was very well received and we
are fortunate to be in a position
where we will be seeing more of
him for the next two years. We
can only hope that the upturn in
the fortunes of his beloved Aston
Villa keep him in merry mood
throughout his time with us. If we
are pleased with the new arrival,
we are of course desolate, well
mildly sad anyway, at the
departure of Turner J. His four
years as a Presiding Judge of
Northern Circuit have raced by
and we will all miss his obsessive
micromanagement and his
insistence in the chairing of long
committee meetings that go well
into the night. His reward for four
exemplary years on his own
Circuit is to spend most of next
term either actually in Sierra
Leone or dealing with group
litigation from that country. It is in
no way surprising that he is being
entrusted by the powers that be
with such delicate and complex
work. We all wish him well in the
next stage of his career.
Well enough of my musings. I
wish you all the very best for the
festive period and hope you all
have a prosperous and successful
2018. I look forward to seeing
many of you at mess and at all the
many Circuit events and
gatherings that will soon be filling
your diaries.
Fond regards
Michael Hayton QC,
Deans Court Chambers
2 In Brief

EDITORIAL
From the Editor
Elliw Roberts, St Johns Buildings
As we fast approach 2018 the time has come to reflect on what has
been another eventful year on the Northern Circuit. On the 25
November the Circuit celebrated the appointments of The Rt. Hon.
The Baroness Hale of Richmond DBE, The Rt. Hon. Lord Justice
Holroyde, The Hon. Mrs Justice Knowles DBE, The Hon. Mrs Justice
Yip DBE and The Hon. Mrs Justice Moulder DBE and photos of the
dinner held in their honour at Middle Temple Hall can be found at
page seven of the magazine.
There are, of course, several others who also deserve our
congratulations in this edition: congratulations are due to HHJ John
Edwards, HHJ Simon Medland QC, HHJ Gary Woodhall, HHJ
Andrew Berkley and HHJ Stephen Eyre QC on their appointments to
the Circuit Bench. At the same time we congratulate HHJ Jeffrey
Lewis, HHJ Stuart Baker and HHJ Philip Butler on their retirement.
We wish all our Judges the best of luck in their pastures new.
Since our last edition, on the 17 June 2017 the Circuit gathered to
thank the previous Circuit Leader Andrew O'Byrne QC at a dinner
at the Manchester Art Gallery and photos of the event have kindly
been provided by HH David Lynch below. In addition, Iain
Goldrein QC has accepted an invitation to an Honorary
Professorship at Nottingham Trent University and has further been
elected as Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Charity the
Cornerstones Foundation and invited as a member of the Advisory
Board of Distinguished Peace Builders.
The Circuit thanks Harriet Tighe of Deans Court Chambers for her
service as Circuit Junior and we welcome Colette Renton of 15
Winckley Square as the new Circuit Junior- thank you, Colette, for
taking up the mantle!
My personal thanks also goes to all those who make this magazine
possible. Thank you to all our contributors who generously take the
time to write articles for us: I am indebted to you. Thank you also to
our wonderful publisher, Julia Baskerville, to the Circuit Officers, the
Circuit Remembrancer HH David Lynch and Circuit Administrator,
Susan Chisholme. Finally, of course, thank you to all our readers.
As courts and chambers increasingly become “paperless” we here at
In Brief are piloting our own paperless project this Christmas. This
edition we are sending our readers both a digital and paper copy of
the magazine. Should you enjoy our digital copy and prefer to
receive only the electronic version from now on, please do let me
know at Elliw.Roberts@stjohnsbuildings.co.uk. To those who prefer
a hardback to a Kindle: do not
worry, unless we hear otherwise
you will continue to receive a
paper copy as well as the new
digital copy!
All your contributions are
gratefully received and should
you wish to contribute to our
next edition please send your
articles to the above email
address by 11 March 2018. I
look forward to reading them!
Finally, I wish you all a very
merry Christmas and a
prosperous new year.
See you in 2018!
Elliw Roberts
St Johns Buildings
In Brief
Needs You
Has your Chambers featured
in the Legal 500?
Do you have something to
share with other members of
the Circuit?
Have you taken part in a
specialist Bar event?
Have you participated in an
interesting or unusual case?
Do you have a new Tenant?
Have you raised funds for a
local charity?
Share your news with other
members of the Northern
Circuit.
All members’ contributions
to In Brief warmly
welcomed.
Please send your article (and
photos with captions where
appropriate) to the Editor,
Elliw Roberts
elliw.roberts@stjohnsbuildings.co.uk
Photographs should be
provided in the highest
resolution possible to ensure
good reproduction
Deadlines for 2018
11th March for April 2018
10th July for August 2018
11th November for Dec 2017
Photographs kindly provided by His Honour David Lynch

CIRCUIT NEWS
avid Lynch was born and educated in
DLiverpool. He retired in January 2005
after a career in the Law spanning 50 years
from solicitors’ office boy to Circuit Judge.
He tried family and criminal cases in
Liverpool and sat on the Mental Health
Review Tribunal at Ashworth Hospital. He
was the Liaison Judge to St Helens
Magistrates and Liverpool John Moores
University. More often than not, when
sitting on the Bench he had with him two
law undergraduates. In recognition of his
services to legal education he was made an
Honorary Fellow of Liverpool John Moores
University in 2003.
Having spent eight years on the
original work and three years on this
supplement, David Lynch has been
appointed a Visiting Research Fellow of
LJMU with a view to the publication of his
doctoral thesis on the formation of United
States Law in the Early Republic.
Photographer Christopher Lynch
Welcoming the Chester Bench and Bar
joining the Northern Circuit at Grand Court
and Election Night at the Adelphi Hotel,
Liverpool on 20 July 2007.
NORTHERN CIRCUIT
DIRECTORY (1876 – 2004) SUPPLEMENT 2005 – 2015
HIS HONOUR DAVID LYNCH
NORTHERN CIRCUIT
DIRECTORY 1876 – 2004
SUPPLEMENT 2005 – 2015
HIS HONOUR DAVID LYNCH
his supplement adds to the 3,417
TNorthern Circuiteers recorded in the
main work between 1876 and 2004 by
introducing over 400 members elected since
2005 and by updating many original entries
as the result of apppointments, retirements,
deaths and other significant events. It is
hoped that the text is enlivened by humorous
anecdotes and over 500 photographs.
Front cover photographs
Lady Hale DBE
Sir Brian Leveson P
Lord Justice Ryder
Mr Justice Burton
Mr Justice Peter Smith
Mr Justice Openshaw
Mr Justice King
Mr Justice Barling
Mr Justice Holroyde
Mr Justice Spencer
Mr Justice Globe
Mr Justice Turner
Mr Justice Stewart
Mrs Justice Patterson DBE
Mr Justice Hayden
Mr Justice Edis
Mr Justice Gilbart
There are copies of His Honour David Lynch's Northern Circuit
Directory Supplement 2005-2015/16 are still available for sale at
£10 from the following locations:
The Circuit Office at Dean's Court Chambers, Preston.
Dean's Court Chambers, Manchester
7 Harrington Street Chambers, Liverpool.
Alternatively His Honour David Lynch will post out copies for
£14.50 (including postage and packing). If you would like a copy
posted to you please contact him at LynchD516@aol.com.
The supplement updates changes to those in the main work and also
contains biographical details of all those elected to the Circuit over
a 10 year period with many photographs of the new members.This
Middle Temple Northern & North
Eastern Circuit Societies' Annual Dinner
On18th November 2017 150 members of Middle Temple and their
guests gathered in Leeds for the annual joint dinner.
The guests of honour included Master Treasurer Lord Dyson, Lady
Dyson and Sir Christopher Rose, the President of the Northern
Circuit Society. 11 Northern Benchers were present and, most
importantly for the future of the Inn and the Bar, so were 30
students. It was not all wining and dining as, before the dinner,
Master Gilbart gave a talk to thestudents on the dos and don'ts of
advocacy from the perspective of the barrister and the judge.
Next year the dinner will be held on 24 November in Manchester.
substantial hardback volume is available at a modest price because
it has been subsidised from the sale of all 1250 copies of the original
Directory 1876-2004. Sales of the supplement have resulted in a gift
from the Circuit to the Barristers Benevolent Association of a sum
just short of £1,000.
Any supplement requires the main work. There are no more
Directories available (and it is unlikely that more will be printed)
however, His Honour Judge Lynch has generously agreed to make
available the original Directory on the newly revamped Circuit
website (www.northerncircuit.org.uk). This is for the benefit of those
who only own the supplement but may also assist those who have
the Directory in gaining access to its contents when the book is not
immediately to hand.
TECBAR Marshalling Scheme
2017–2018
For the first time this year, thanks to the kind assistance of the
Manchester TCC Judges, HHJ Stephen Davies and the newly
appointed HHJ Eyre QC ( who we are delighted to welcome to
Manchester), TECBAR is now able to offer marshalling in the
Manchester TCC in addition to the established scheme in the
London TCC.
The aim of the scheme is to enable junior barristers who are
interested in developing a practice in technology or construction law
to spend up to a week ( although 2/3 days may be more appropriate)
with TCC judges during pupillage or in the first few years of tenancy.
Whilst the scheme was in the past aimed primarily at pupils, it is
now recognised that the most experience is at least as beneficial (if
not more so) during the early years of practice. Applicants must be
either TECBAR Members or current or future pupils of a TECBAR
member.
Marshals spend up to a week in the Manchester TCC reading papers
in the judge’s chambers, hearing submissions and evidence from the
bench and discussing the matter with the judge thereafter. Subject to
timetabling, it is intended that each Marshall will spend time with
each of the Judges sitting in the TCC. This presents a great
opportunity to learn all about the workings of the TCC and will
undoubtedly assist career development.
Applications are invited by email to
asinger@kingschambers.com
Photograph kindly provided by His Honour David Lynch
4 In Brief

CIRCUIT NEWS
Women in the Law
Women in the Law Manchester hosted another fantastic event
on the 9th November 2017 which focussed on career
progression and launched the Women in the Law UK mentoring
programme.
The conference was open to both men and women and was
attended by solicitors, barristers and students alike. The event
was designed to encourage and support the next generation of
lawyers and to enable practitioners, junior to senior, to learn
from one another.
The event was held at Lincoln House Chambers who also kindly
sponsored the event alongside the Criminal Bar Association.
The inspiring panel of guest speakers at included Her Honour
Judge Baxter; Her Honour Judge Landale; Lisa Roberts QC and
Attorney General of the Northern Circuit; Miss Recorder
Brandon of 9 St John Street; District Judge Philip Barnes of 9 St
John Street; and Andrew Gregory, solicitor at Leonard Curtis
who each discussed their own career paths and answered
questions from a keen audience.
For further information about forthcoming events please visit
www.womeninthelawuk.co.uk or if you would like to attend the
next Women in the Law UK event please email Lisa at
womeninthelawuk@gmail.com or book now on Eventbrite.
Upcoming events include the “New Year, New You” health and
wellbeing event at Kings Chambers on the 11th January 2018,
the “We all need more money” financial health check seminar
on the 8th February 2018 the annual dinner on 8th March 2018
(with guest speaker Lady Hale DBE).
Women in the Law UK was established in 2012 and its intention
is to inspire all women and men who believe in gender diversity
in the law. Women in the Law UK supports the work of
organisations who are endeavouring to improve diversity in the
law including the Association of Women Barristers, Urban
Lawyers, the Association of Women Solicitors Manchester,
WILLondon, Merseyside Women Lawyers Group, Yorkshire
Women Lawyers Group and UK Association of Women Judges.
To find out more about the organisation, membership and their
events please visit www.womeninthelawuk.co.uk.
J. WIPPELL & CO LTD
Legal & Clerical Outfitters Since 1789
Providing a Specialist Service for
Members of the
Northern Bar
Wippell’s Manchester branch stock a wide range of
legal wear including gowns, shirts, elasticated and tie
legal bands, lay and wing collars, studs and legal falls.
The Commanderie de Bordeaux a Manchester has
been enjoying and promoting the wines of Bordeaux
since 1988. Dinners, wine tastings and visits to
Bordeaux take place at regular intervals. If you would
like further information or you are interested in
joining the Commanderie please contact Rachel
Wedderspoon on 0161 955 9000.
To order call us now on
0161 834 7967
All major debit and credit cards accepted.
Manchester Branch
9-21 Princess Street M2 4DN · Email: wippell@btinternet.com
Opening Times: Monday – Thursday: 9am-5.15pm
Friday: 9am-5pm · Saturday: 10am-5pm
www.wippell.co.uk
Like us on Facebook.
In Brief 5

LEGAL UPDATE
Evidential importance of the permanence
Report and the Record of Decision
Re S-F (A Child) [2017] EWCA Civ 964
Court of Appeal - Ryder (P), Gloster VP and Burnett LJ
Many practitioners may have missed the relatively brief judgment
given on 12th July 2017 that was atimely reminder of the need to
ensure that any proposal for adoption should – if it is to have weight–
be supported by social work opinion that is derived from a welfare
analysis relating to the child.
Rather than reiterating the Re B-S mantra the appeal highlights a
point of good practise that can be easily missed.
The Appeal
The matter was heard in June 2017 and was concerned about
whether the judge at first instance was wrong to prefer long term
fostering instead of adoption. The local authority proposed that there
be a time limit search of six months for an adoptive placement, with
a contingency plan of long-term foster care. The parties were in
agreement that there should be direct contact between the child
and the parents, and the Children’s Guardian recommended that an
adoptive placement should be sought that could facilitate direct
contact. The local authority appealed the Court’s decision to refuse
to make a placement order. No new issues of law or principle were
raised and on that basis the issue on appeal was straightforward.
The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal and held that, in the
circumstances, it could not be said that the judge had been wrong in
the balance in reaching the conclusion that he had arrived at.
Further, it was highlighted that the evidence upon which the judge
was asked to make a decision about the placement order application
was limited.
Implications for Practitioners
The Court of Appeal made clear that “[T]he proportionality of
interference in family life that an adoption represents must be
justified by evidence not assumptions that read as stereotypical
slogans. It added that whilst a conclusion that adoption would be
better for a child as opposed to long-term fostering may well be
correct, an assumption as to such a conclusion was not evidence
“even if described by the legend as something that concerned
identity, permanence, security andstability”. (para.8)
Once again, the Court of Appeal reminds practitioners that the
proposals must be properly supported by a social work opinion
derived from a welfare analysis relating to the child and, if
appropriate, the conclusion of empirically validated research
material could be relied upon in support of the welfare analysis.
However, caution is sounded about the often-used process of
thecitation of other cases to identify the benefits of adoption as
against long-term foster care.
The Court reiterated that this is “no substitute for evidence and
advice to the court on the facts of the particular case”. (para.9)
Newly Qualified Solicitors &
Newly Called to the Bar Barristers
Civic Ceremony
Thursday 11 January 2018
Manchester Town Hall, Albert Square, Manchester M60 2LA
Manchester Law Society and the City of Manchester want to congratulate all newly qualified
solicitors and barristers newly called to the bar by welcoming them to the profession with a Civic
Ceremony at Manchester Town Hall.
We invite Solicitors that have qualified and Barristers called to the Bar, in the past 18 months, to
mark this milestone in their legal career by attending the ceremony in Manchester Town Hall at 3pm
on Thursday 11 January 2018.
Certificates will be presented by the Lord Mayor of Manchester and President of Manchester Law
Society and the ceremony will be followed by a reception with drinks and canapés.
Order of Events
15:00 Tea and coffee upon arrival
15:30 Ceremony begins
16:15 Reception with drinks and canapés where there will be the opportunity for
photographs with the Lord Mayor of Manchester and President of Manchester Law
Society
The ceremony is a unique opportunity for the newest members of the legal profession to celebrate
their success as well as acknowledge the friends and family who have supported them on the way.
Each newly qualified solicitor or barrister will be able to bring up to 2 guests with the option of
further guests should numbers permit. Tickets cost £25.00 +VAT per person for NQ Solicitors,
Barristers and guests alike.
Please note that places are booked on a first come, first served basis.
The dress code for those receiving certificates will be business attire (no expensive gown hire
necessary!) and a high quality photography service will be available for all those attending the
ceremony to commemorate the occasion by purchasing a professional portrait, a photo of the
presentation on stage during the ceremony or a photo with your family or friends.
Cost to attend:
NQ Solicitor/Barrister place £25.00 + VAT (£30.00), Guest place £25.00 + VAT (£30.00)
Price includes light refreshments and certificate.
To book your place please complete and return the form overleaf or email
CarlaJones@manchesterlawsociety.org.uk
As stated in the judgment (para.11), the permanence report and the
Agency Decision Maker’s record of decision contain the required
analysis and reasoning that would be necessary to support an
application for a placement order. However, many practitioners for
all parties in care proceedings will no doubt relate to a situation in
which ‘Section P’ of their bundle is characterised by the absence,
rather than abundance, of documentation – these two documents
being amongst the absent. Practitioners will no doubt be aware that
the permanence report must contain, inter alia, an analysis of the
options for future care of the child and why adoption is the preferred
option, as per reg.17 of the Adoption Agencies Regulations 2005 (in
England) and reg.17 of the Adoption Agencies (Wales) Regulations
2005 (in Wales).
Both the permanence report and ADM record of decision are
disclosable documents and should be available to be scrutinised by
the children’s guardian and are susceptible to cross-examination. It
was noted by the Court of Appeal that neither of those documents
were available for the judge at first instance, thus good practice had
not been adhered to. Little wonder, then, as to why the judge was
placed in a difficult position of being asked by the local authority to
grant a placement order when the evidence in support of such a
draconian order had not been properly put before the judge.
Any proper analysis of the available options was going to be
impossible without the missing documents.
Local authorities should ensure that the necessary disclosable
documents relating to the placement order application are filed and
served prior to the Issues Resolution Hearing and the drafting of case
management orders should take this into account. To do otherwise
could give rise to the real risk that the Court will not grant a
placement order, even if it would be correct to do so, without the
supporting evidence being in place. It is not for the judge to search
for the evidence that adoption is what is required for a child.
Neil Owen-Casey
St Johns Buildings
6 In Brief

CIRCUIT NEWS
Congratulatory Dinner at Middle Temple
Saturday 25 November
On the 25 November members of the Northern Circuit and beyond gathered at Middle Temple Hall to celebrate and
congratulate the appointments of The Rt. Hon. The Baroness Hale of Richmond DBE, The Rt. Hon. Lord Justice
Holroyde, The Hon. Mrs Justice Knowles DBE, The Hon. Mrs Justice Yip DBE and The Hon. Mrs Justice Moulder DBE.
The Rt. Hon. The Baroness Hale of Richmond DBE enjoyed her sixth congratulatory mess upon her appointment as
President of the Supreme Court and the Circuit also honoured the appointment of The Rt. Hon. Lord Justice Holroyde
to the Court of Appeal, the appointment of The Hon. Mrs Justice Knowles DBE to the Family Division of the High
Court and the appointments of The Hon. Mrs Justice Yip DBE and The Hon. Mrs Justice Moulder DBE to the Queen’s
Bench Division.
The black tie event was appropriately spectacular and marked an historic occasion for the Circuit. We at the
Northern Circuit can be rightly proud of the extraordinary achievements of our colleagues and look forward to many
more successes to come.
Past Junior Harriet Tighe who organised the event with
the current Junior Colette Renton
The Rt. Hon. The Baroness Hale of Richmond DBE,
The Rt. Hon. Lord Justice Holroyde,
The Hon. Mrs Justice Knowles DBE,
The Hon. Mrs Justice Yip DBE
The Hon. Mrs Justice Moulder DBE
Christine Bispham & HHJ Gregory
HHJ Penna, Jacqueline Wall & HHJ Tyler
Photographs kindly provided by His Honour David Lynch
In Brief 7

EULOGY
Eulogy for HHJ Elizabeth Rylands
The eulogy was given by HH Julian Hall,
a former Recorder of Oxford.
I would much rather not be here to-day. For the last two and a half
years we had all hoped that the prayers that were said, the candles
that were lit, the persistent treatment by the wonderful team of
doctors and her own spirit would pull Lizzie through, but it was not
to be. So we are here, of course, to mourn her death, but also to
celebrate her life which she lived to the full. I was very touched when
she asked me to speak to you, though we did not know the day; but
she had a very characteristic instruction which followed the request.”
Mind you, no blubbing!”
You will have known her answer to many different names. Lizza,
Elizabeth, Sis, Miss Rylands, Your Honour. I knew her as Lizzie and
I hope you will forgive me if I stick to that.
First the formalities. Her Honour Judge Margaret Elizabeth Rylands
was born in Cheshire into a large Catholic family. Her father chose
the family home to be within walking distance of the convent school
in Alderley Edge where she went with her sisters, and of which she
would later become a governor. Then she studied law at Bristol
University and was called to the Bar by The Middle Temple in 1973.
She joined our Chambers at 601 The Royal Exchange, Manchester
then headed by Andrew Gibb, and was a pupil of Richard Clegg .
The grant of her tenancy was a formality and she then practiced in
Manchester. She was made an Assistant Recorder in 1998 and a
Recorder in 2000. The Chambers dissolved in 2008 and she then
went to 18, St John Street. In December 2013 she was appointed to
the Circuit Bench and moved to the Western Circuit.
When she joined 601 she became one of a group of very clever
young barristers, all with different talents, but who became firm
friends as well as colleagues. The Bar was more relaxed in the 1970s.
Alongside their work they teased each other, creating bogus briefs
which purported to send them to nonexistent courts on fruitless
missions and they laughed with each other. All became, in the eyes
of the world, successful. One High Court judge, five Circuit Judges,
including Lizzie, and an eminent silk. He said to me, “Weren’t we
lucky to have such a start.” And, he added, “Lizzie was everybody’s
favorite.” She it was, when the Chambers folded 20 odd years later,
who refused to let the moment pass without a celebratory wake. The
dinner was memorable and I realized afterwards that I had known
everyone round the table for at least 30 years. Lizzie promoted such
a bond of friendship.
What about her legal career?
I have already mentioned her and her colleagues. All were jobbing
barristers practicing the common law as generalists. All would have
said that they did not get as much work as they would have liked and
Lizzie was no exception. But they persevered and the work came in
with Lizzie in time focusing on family work, becoming an active
member of the Family Law Bar Association and its Manchester
correspondent and photographer.
However, practicing the law in Manchester was not, by any means,
her only interest. At an early time when others were trying to
consolidate their burgeoning work, she went off to Brussels to do a
‘stage’ or pupillage in the commission. She retained that interest and
enjoyed being a member of the Bar European Group. Then there was
one Summer when she would arrive in Chambers on a Monday
morning having spent the weekend sailing back and forth across the
Irish Sea racing to Douglas and Dublin. I do not think the phrase
work life balance had been invented by then but she was conscious
of the importance of the latter.
Her final clerk told me that “she was a pleasure to clerk”. To me that
is shorthand for saying firstly that she was good at her job and also
that she was no prima donna, that she was prepared to help out other
members of Chambers and keep their solicitors happy too. That
would be entirely in character. She was on the Bench as a Recorder
for too long and as a full time Circuit Judge for too short a time. I
would say that the Lord Chancellor could justifiably have promoted
her many years earlier. To serve as a part time judge for 15 years is
too long.
Her time on the Western Circuit was very short, hardly a year. Her
brief there was to try family cases. They need compassion and
common sense as well as the intellectual capacity to deal with the
arcane complexities of Private International Law. She had all those
qualities. I have spoken to someone who appeared in front of her
often during that year. He said she was utterly courteous, very
thorough and completely fair. She had a phrase she often used, “Let’s
go down the line” ensuring that everyone had their say. He also said
that it was the only time he had known an extempore judgement,
starting at 2 and finishing at 6 to be interrupted by a tea break.
She moved to the West but she still loved the Northern Circuit. She
loved its characters. She followed peoples’ careers, their lives, their
misfortunes, their good luck and their appointments and yet I would
not count her as being gossipy. She just loved to know and she
passed on that knowledge usually with a sympathetic comment or a
hilarious laugh at life’s twists.
She was at one and the same time the most gregarious of people and
the most private. It was typified for me when someone else who knew
her from the legal world said to me that she did not know anything
about her brothers or sisters. They were as she put it, in a separate
file. I feel the same way, knowing her well in the world which we
shared but quite ignorant about many other facets of her life.
But this I do know. Her Catholic faith was extremely important to her.
She was regular attender at the Red Mass in Westminster Cathedral at
the start of the legal year and she was a committee member of the
Thomas More Society. She could not have ended her life at anywhere
more appropriate than at the Residencia at St. Peter’s, effectively her
home for the past 18 months. The quiet serenity of the community of
nuns was a balm to her and the chapel which plays a pivotal role
there and is physically at the centre of the building was all important.
At my last meeting with her she said that the daily Mass at 8.15 was
what got her out of bed however weary she felt. And weary and
battered she must have felt after such prolonged and invasive
treatment. Did she complain? Not to me, nor to anyone as far as I
have been able to find out. She was amazingly and unfashionably
stoical about it all. She was not one for letting it all hang out. I trawled
through her emails to me during this time and found these two
extracts which reveal her attitudes and which will probably ring
chords with you too. “All that is needed is a few prayers to St Jude
and I am feeling quite at peace about it all.” And then by contrast
“Off to the wig shop tomorrow. So I might get a grey bun and look
about 96 when I next see you.”
She herself was never grey nor dull, neither in what she did and said,
she was engaging and charming, nor in how she looked. With her
mass of dark hair and her striking clothes she gained attention, but
not in a ‘look at me’ sort of way. Her clothes, colourful and eye-
8 In Brief

EULOGY
catching came sometimes, she might confess, from nowhere more
exotic than Knutsford market.
She was a good listener too. Many of us turned to her for advice and
received good counsel. Her networks of friends were such that she
could put people in touch with others who might be able to solve the
problem.
A few vignettes to remind you of her spirit of enterprise and fun.
She shared a room with Giles Wingate-Saul and when they came to
redecorate it Giles overrode her good taste, and the woodwork was
painted green. The decorators finished it on a Friday afternoon. She
came in to Chambers on the Saturday, saw the result, was horrified,
phoned Giles, persuaded him to come in, bought some paint and the
pair of them then repainted all the woodwork white. Monday
morning came and the decorators arrived to continue their work in
another room and asked how the green was. She had to explain what
she had done but being Lizzie there were no hard feelings.
She was, of course, an Italophile, loving and knowledgeable about its
art and opera and being fluent in the language. As I mentioned earlier
she had shown an interest in European law and the Bar European
Group. She, with Tim Mort and Gerald Barling, were in Rome for a
meeting. One morning she dragged them round seven little known
churches able to comment expertly on the paintings they saw. They
then ended up in the Sistine chapel having got there inexplicably by
some back door and had the place to themselves, lying on their backs
on the floor to admire the famous ceiling. To this day Tim has no idea
how it all happened.
She was a member of the team Bob Scott assembled to bid for the
Olympics to come to Manchester. The bid failed, of course, but the
attempt involved having meetings in exotic or faraway places. We
will never now know quite what went on in the hotel lift in Acapulco
when she found herself alone with a Mexican general. Whenever she
told the story she just collapsed with laughter.
Before the days of mobile phones she once rang me from Carlisle to
wish me Happy Birthday. It had been the day of the High Sheriff’s
lunch party. She told me later, without further explanation, that when
she rang she had been sharing the telephone kiosk with the Chief
Constable of Cumbria. Yet, in these and other incidents which might
be thought of as racy there was an innocence in the way she talked
about and dealt with them.
I know that after this service you will share many memories of her of
which I know nothing. For example I do not know her nephews or
nieces but for them she must have been a favorite aunt. There will be
many other aspects of her life of which I am unaware but which are
important to you. However I feel sure you will agree with my final
sentences.
If we were in trouble, she gave help freely and without fuss.
When she came into a room we smiled.
When she laughed we laughed with her and she with us.
She brought light and warmth into our lives.
We miss her and will go on doing so but thank her for a splendid life
shared with us.
Julian Hall
31.5.2017
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In Brief 9

CHARITY & CHAMBERS NEWS
Kings Chambers raises over £3,000 for the
Wood Street Mission
Kings Chambers has held its annual fundraiser for the Wood Street
Mission Christmas Appeal raising over £3,000.
Barristers, clerks and staff donated clothing, gifts and food to the
charity which supports disadvantaged children in Manchester and
Salford.
Wood Street Mission is a Manchester based children’s charity that
supports underprivileged children in Manchester and Salford, by
easing the impact of poverty on families. Last year the charity gave
new toys and food to over 2,000 families and 4,500 children
nationwide.
Its Christmas Appeal aims to give children suffering through
poverty gifts and food so they can have a positive experience
celebrating the festive period regardless of their circumstances.
For the past five years Kings Chambers has supported the charity’s
Christmas Appeal and the Wood Street Mission’s Easter Project
which gives Easter eggs to children who would not normally
receive them.
Debra Andrés, Chambers Director at Kings Chambers said:
“Supporting local charities such as Wood Street Mission is a huge
part of our ethos and we are delighted to support the charity’s
Christmas Appeal again this year.
“The charity’s Appeal is a fantastic initiative that helps
disadvantaged children enjoy the magic of Christmas, making it a
positive experience for them and their families.
“As always, the support shown by the members and staff of Kings
Chambers has been tremendous. The charity’s Christmas Appeal is
a particularly worthy cause, which we are always delighted to
support.
Oriel Chambers relocates to
prestigious new offices in Preston
Nationally renowned and leading Barristers’ set, Oriel Chambers has
relocated its Preston base to The Light Building, having signed a long
term lease.
The Light Building on Walker Street is a prime city centre development in
the heart of Preston’s commercial district, located within just a few
minutes’ walk of the County, Crown & Magistrates Courts.
Oriel Chambers Preston opened in 2008 and was previously based at
Ribblesdale Place, Winckley Square.
The relocation to the new office space will enable the Chambers to
enhance its reputation for providing exceptional legal services and build
upon its presence in Preston and throughout the wider region across
Merseyside, Lancashire and Cumbria.
Oriel Chambers is one of Liverpool’s longest established Chambers and
continues to operate from its Grade I listed headquarters on Water Street,
Liverpool.
Chambers’ Director, Sarah Cavanagh, says: “Over the past few years, our
Preston Chambers has enjoyed a period of sustained market growth,
during difficult economic times.
Moving to the new, bespoke and modern premises enables us to provide
high specification facilities to greater support our members, staff and
client base, whilst keeping overheads to a minimum.”
Over the last 52 years, Oriel Chambers’ members have offered advice,
advocacy and drafting of the highest standard to the legal community,
both locally and nationally. Its services are provided through eight
specialist practice groups, Civil, Commercial & Chancery, Employment,
Family, Criminal, Regulatory, Mediation & Travel Law, by its expert
members.
Oriel Chambers, The Light Building, 99 Walker Street,
Preston PR1 2QT.
DX 710053 Preston 10
01772 254 764
sarah.cavanagh@orielchambers.co.uk
www.orielchambers.co.uk
10 In Brief

HISTORY
Thomas Harrison – Architect
Engraving of Skelton
Bridge Lancaster with
the castle and priory
church in the
background
Chester project and he left Lancaster, never to return, to concentrate
on supervising the works at Chester. Building at Lancaster was
suspended for some years partly as a result and also because a
shortage of funds, however the buildings were subsequently
completed to Harrison’s designs.
At Lancaster, in addition to designing the Crown Court and Shire Hall,
Harrison’s works included the building of the Keeper’s House, the
female felons’ prison and the male felons’ prison, and there were
numerous improvements to the existing buildings.
Following the recent inclusion of Cheshire into the Northern Circuit
practitioners of the Circuit have the pleasure and privilege of
conducting some of their cases in what are probably the two finest
courts still in use in this country, at Chester Castle and Lancaster
Castle. It may not have been appreciated that these lovely courtrooms
were designed by the same man, Thomas Harrison (1744-1829), one
of the most famous and respected architects of his ti me.
Whereas at Lancaster the work was to be done within the existing
confines of a mediaeval castle, at Chester the works were more
extensive and the classical buildings were built to create the
impressive range we know today. Pevsner wrote: “What he (Harrison)
has achieved here is one of the most powerful monuments of the
Greek Revival in the whole of England”.
Harrison was born in Richmond, Yorkshire and little is known of his
early life, but he made his name as an architect in the northwest of
England where he settled in Chester. The son of a carpenter, his talents
were spotted by Sir Lawrence Dundas, a Yorkshire landowner and
businessman, who sent him to study in Italy. In Rome Harrison created
a design for Pope Clement XIV of the piazza near the Porta del Popolo
for which he was presented with a gold and silver medal by the Pope
who also ordered that his name should be added to the members of
the Academy of St. Luke, an association of artists, with a seat on the
council.
W
W
Lancaster Castle – the Shire
Hall in 1814
Chester Castle in about 1860
Lancaster Castle – the Shire Hall in 1814 Chester Castle in about 1860
There are many other examples of Harrison’s work in the northwest,
particularly in Chester – he was appointed Cheshire County Architect
in 1815. These include Watergate House and the Northgate. In
Liverpool he designed the Lyceum Club (most recently occupied by
Lancaster Castle – the Shire the Hall Co-operative in 1814 Bank on Bold Chester Street), Castle one of in three about gentlemens’ 1860 clubs
designed by Harrison in the area, the others being the Portico Library
in Manchester (still an independent subscription library) and the
Commercial Coffee Room in Chester, now the Chester City Club, the
only one of the trio to continue to operate as a club.
Part of Harrison’s design for the Piazza del Popolo
On his return to England Harrison won a competition in 1782 to
design a bridge over the River Lune at Lancaster, Skelton Bridge. This
was the first major commission of his career, and the last one was also
a bridge, the Grosvenor Bridge at Chester, still the longest masonry
single arch bridge in the United Kingdom, which was completed four
years after Harrison’s death, officially opened by Princess Victoria in
1833.
In 1788 Harrison was appointed to redesign parts of Lancaster Castle
and at about the same time he was appointed to remodel Chester
Castle. Lancaster Castle was to be rebuilt in a Gothic manner, but at
Chester the design was in the Grecian Doric style. The carrying out of
two major works at the same time resulted in a conflict of interest.
Harrison received an irate letter demanding his full commitment to the
I have always admired the court buildings at Lancaster and Chester
and was proud to have the court at Lancaster Castle under my wing
when I was Recorder of Preston. I very much hope that the current
iconoclastic ideas of the Ministry of Justice and HMCTS to replace
courts with “hearing centres” are consigned to the rubbish heap where
they belong and that an appreciation that Her Majesty’s Courts
deserve to be located in dignified and impressive buildings, as our
forebears understood, will prevail. It would be a tragedy to cease to
use such splendid courts as those designed by Thomas Harrison,
described by his biographer as “almost, if not quite, the first
architectural genius in the kingdom”.
Finally members of the Northern Circuit who are in Chester may enjoy
visiting another Harrison building, because the house he designed for
himself is now a popular bar and restaurant, close to the Crown
Court, known as “Architect” at 54, Nicholas Street. Thomas Harrison
died in 1829, at the age of 85, at this house then known as St. Martin’s
Lodge.
His Honour Anthony Russell QC
In Brief 11

COLLECTED RAMBLINGS
The Collected Ramblings of a
Disaffected Northern Circuiteer
Part 9:
Although Brexit means Brexit, apparently, none of us at Northern
Quarter Chambers still has the foggiest what this means, or whether
we should prepare for a hard Brexit or a soft Brexit. This cropped up
recently at a Chambers meeting. One of the items on the agenda was
how we invest the surplus Chambers Expenses that we carry forward
each year. The fact that we have a surplus at all came as something
of a surprise to most of us, although from the reaction of the PI boys,
you’d think we’d just had a confirmed outbreak of the Ebola virus in
Chambers. Of all the qualities that the PI department has (and as I
write this I am desperately trying to think of some), financial acumen
isn’t one of them. They have always struggled with the difference
between earnings and receipts, particularly CFA earnings, which as
we know, only exist in the minds of the very wealthy. Anyway, talk,
not unnaturally, turned to investment strategies, and at an
appropriate interval I happened to mention that as the Chief
Investment Officer of the Wigan Law School, I operated a substantial
surplus using an investment algorithm. I don’t know why I said this,
because certain aspects of it weren’t entirely true. Nor did I have any
idea what an investment algorithm was. I’d heard it mentioned on
the Today programme on Radio 4 one morning when I was driving
into Chambers, but as usual I was concentrating more on Mishal
Husain than the bloke she was interviewing. The upshot is that I
have now been tasked with future-proofing the Chambers surplus;
the funds have been paid into an account in my name; and I am
expected to report to the Chambers Management Committee with
performance data every month. This should be interesting, especially
with Christmas coming up.
*****
It is well-known that most barristers have a degree of self-belief that
surpasses the rational. Undeterred by our failed attempt at cycling up
Mont Ventoux, Team NQC has now decided to enter a team in the
New York Marathon. This is a running race. I know, because I’m in
it. Fortunately, I have learned some harsh lessons from the Mont
Ventoux fiasco. I know where New York is and I think I know what
to expect because when the topic came up over the Chambers lunch
table recently, a couple of our young female junior tenants both
volunteered that they had also run some 5ks. This got me thinking.
Five thousand metres is only just over three miles, so at a decent
walking pace, I can get this done and out of the way in less than an
hour.
*****
One of the most infuriating developments in recent years has been
the surge in popularity of what is, rather inelegantly, known as
‘rankings’ at the Bar. We never used to have them, but now it is as
if our very lives depend on them. Management at Northern Quarter
Chambers takes them very seriously indeed, and we operate a threeline
whip to ensure that we prostitute ourselves to max effect with
our solicitor clients in order to extract every ounce of gratitude for
the fee reductions we have been forced to offer them. This is in line
with thegeneral philosophy at the Bar that we now spend more time
preparing for work, than actually doing it. We are not alone of
course. A quick glance at other Chambers’ websites suggests we are
locked in some sort of rankings war with members’ CVs now
dominated by comments ranging from the banal to the frankly
ridiculous. Silks, who are not normally known for their vanity, are
very good at this. Indeed, some of them should stop being Silks and
go out on the stand-up circuit. Naturally gifted for thinking outside
the box, I have come up with a novel approach. Since no-one ever
actually reads the various ‘Guides’ from which these rankings are
meant to derive their authority, I have decided to make up my own
comments, and have now described myself as “Probably the best
barrister in the World”. No point in faffing about. Our PR/Marketing
person was a bit iffy about this at first, but job security is important
these days, so she has decided to publish it.
*****
As you can imagine, a top-notch set like Northern Quarter Chambers
operates a sophisticated pupillage scheme, attracting only the very
best. In the old days, we used to take on Polytechnic graduates, like
me. Not so nowadays. Those duffers don’t get a look-in. Today, we
only take on people who are astoundingly brilliant, on paper. This
year we have been blessed with two such pupils, who were unveiled
recently in a formal ceremony which, as usual, began in Chambers,
then adjourned to the pub. Traditionally, pupils have come in all
shapes and sizes. These days they only come in one: expensive. But
with our new investment strategies in place, funding is no longer an
issue. Like most youngsters, Jez and Libby (apparently their real
names) converse in a sort of student-speak, referring to members as
‘you guys’ and Chambers as ‘this place’. Fortunately, they have
been assigned to the PI and Family departments, who have a certain
degree of flexibility when it comes to professional standards. When
asked why they had applied to Norther Quarter Chambers, Jez
responded by saying we had probably the best barrister in the world.
You could have heard a pin drop. I froze to the spot. My head
remained rigid but my eyes darted from side to side, waiting for the
inevitable fall-out, but there wasn’t any. Miranda, our Head of
Chambers, saved the day by saying we had a few of those, and we
all laughed. Our PR/Marketing person caught up with me afterwards
and said I was a chump. That’s what you get with Polytechnics.
*****
In a rare moment of respite from the cut and thrust of the Chancery
Bar, I curled up recently in front of our first log fire of the year,
clutching my copy of Cut-Throat Defence (Kindle edition only,
unfortunately), and listening to something my children call Spotify. I
had what can only be described as a disturbingly prescient moment.
I had a vision of an ancient Greek warrior in a white track suit and
flip-flops, running an awfully long way, and all I could think of was
MARATHON. Just at that moment, my headphones blared out the
Mike Rutherford classic, “All I need is a miracle”.
__________________________________________________________
John Knott is a member of Northern Quarter Chambers. He is
probably the best barrister in the world, an investment strategist, and
now a marathon runner.
12 In Brief

FOOD & WINE
One Foot in the Grapes
Journalist Jane Clare offers some wine advice for the
festive season...
Christmas is simply the best excuse to push the boat out and try some
wonderful wines. I’m excited now, just thinking of crunches of sweet
parsnip, huddles of sprouts, my favourite lemon-dashed, herb-mottled
stuffing … oh, and the turkey. All of those flavours will be demanding
my attention and then wine will add another layer of complexity for my
palate. Which wine to choose?
Gosset Grande Reserve NV
My Christmas dilemma was eased when I was
invited to a wine pairing Christmas lunch and it
would be rude of me not to share some ideas
with you.
Our festive occasion began with the most
wonderful champagne, Gosset Grande
Reserve NV (RRP £45-£49, widely
available including Selfridges and Harvey
Nichols) from the oldest house in
Champagne. It had a classic brioche nose,
dappled with sweet spice, and shivers of
fine, elegant bubbles delivered citrus
flavours with an elegant biscuity backbone.
I carried my champagne to the table and it
sipped seamlessly with our starter of marinated
salmon, Dorset crab in pink pickled ginger and
lemon dressing. It wasn’t meant to be the wine star of
the show; I’ll now introduce you to a sauvignon blanc and an Australian
white blend.
Seresin Estate Sauvignon 2015 (£14.99, winedirect.co.uk) This is a
lovely sauvignon blanc and it isn’t one of those heady New Zealand
wines which grapples with your senses. The reason is there is 11 per cent
semillon in the blend, which calms everything down and brings a touch
of Old World order to this New World wine. It has tropical and citrus
aromas, with some classic gooseberry notes and a delicate creaminess.
McHenry Hohnen Amigos White 2012 (£15.99, winedirect.co.uk) This
was a wow with the crab and salmon. It is a blend of chardonnay,
marsanne and roussanne from the Margaret River region. Murray
McHenry and David Hohnen are brothers-in-law, with Hohnen having
a fantastic pedigree as founder of the iconic Cloudy Bay winery. This
wine wants you to sit up and notice it … and I did. It has notes of
peaches, nuts and waxy lemons with a heartbeat of minerality.
Over to the main event, the traditional turkey and
trimmings. I always opt for a pinot noir with my
Christmas lunch and so I was very much
open to new ideas.
Viu Manent ViBo Vinedo Centenario
2013 (RRP £16.99, oddbins.com) A clue
to this wine is in its name - the grapes
are grown in vineyards planted over 100
years ago in Chile’s Colchagua Valley.
Old vines are the wise things of the
vineyard. They don’t produce lots of
grapes, but the ones which are harvested
Viu Manent ViBo Viedo
Centario 2013
have a special concentrated quality. It is a
blend of 51% cabernet sauvignon, with malbec and
a dash of petit verdot. It is intense with blackcurrants but there is an
element of mint, of freshness, of complexity, of subtlety, which didn’t
overpower my plate.
Jane Clare is a journalist who has followed her heart with
the launch of One Foot in the Grapes - writing about
wine and offering fun, immersive, informal and
informative wine tastings.
The former editor and creative editorial director first
began writing about wine 10 years ago and is now
published in more than 30 newspapers and lifestyle
magazines across the UK.
Jane is a member of the Circle of Wine Writers and is
studying for the Wine & Spirit Education Trust diploma.
She can be found as One Foot in the Grapes on social
media and online; or contact Jane on 07795 121 003 or
email jane@onefootinthegrapes.co.uk
Vidal-Fleury Cairanne 2012 (RRP £13.50, also Oddbins) Shiraz takes the
blending lead in this Côtes du Rhône Villages red, with grenache and
mourvèdre following along on the coat tails. It is bold with black and red
berries, but earthy and herbal too, which contrasts nicely with the
powerhouse fruit. Oh, there was spice (and all things nice) which gave
a good bit of extra bite.
Finally, if you want some inspiration for cheeses, how about a Beaujolais
wine, Henry Fessy Brouilly 2015 (RRP £12.99, Waitrose) Beaujolais is
great with many cheeses because it is fruit-forward and light in body. It
offers a raspberry medley with the cheese and doesn’t demand a palate
battle.
For your pudding? Well one of my favourites is Madeira and Blandy's 15
YO Bual (RRP £25, also Waitrose) I love the story behind Madeira,
which is a fortified wine and aged under heat. Centuries ago it was
discovered that wines were “cooked” when shipped across the heat of
the equator and were much better for it, not just in flavour but in
robustness. The underlying notes of nuts, raisin and caramel are perfect
for your Christmas pudding and hard cheeses.
Have a wonderful Christmas
In Brief 13

CIRCUIT NEWS
Regional Bar Mock Trial competition 2017/18
On Saturday 4th November, Minshull Street Crown Court hosted
the regional heat of the bar Mock Trial Compeition 2017-18.
The winning team was Wilmslow High who are through to the
final for the fifth year in a row. The student participators, and
next generation of barristers, were;
Barristers: Amelia McDonald, Emily Short, Evie Smith, Lauren
Phillips, Charlie Keller
Witnesses: Ella Sankey, Sophie Lawlor, Caitlin Medcalf, Oliver
Warner, Juliet Cook, Charlie Keller
Ushers/Clerks: Oliver Warner, Callan O’Brian, Abi Gallop
They were mentored by their teacher Deborah Roussak and Huw
Edwards of Exchange Chambers
The Regional Co-ordinator for the event was Sally Penni who
thanked the Judges HHJ Steiger QC, HHJ Nicholls, John
Broadley, Louise Brabdon and Simeon Evans and all the
barristers, the new court manager, Beverley Harrison, her team
of volunteer ushers and the security staff at Minshull Street
Crown Court.
The schools are indebted to the volunteers from the Bar and the
judiciary who give their time to mentor the students and if you
want to become involved in the North West lease contact the
programme coordinator, Rory Tredwell at the Citizenship
Foundation (bmt@citizenshipfoundation.org).
Northern Circuit Golf
The annual match between the Bar and Bench representing
Manchester
- and -
Liverpool & Preston
to contest
The Sir William Morris Trophy
will take place at Wilmslow Golf Club on Sunday, 21st January
2018
The format will be stableford with the best 3 scores from
Manchester and Liverpool & Preston counting.
The Carlisle Cup will be presented to the best individual score
The Graham Morris Putter to the runner up.
All members of the Northern Circuit having a handicap are
welcome.
Annual Northern Circuit
Rugby and Hockey Weekend
The Northern Circuit will be hosting the Irish Bar
for the annual rugby and hockey fixtures the
weekend of 5 May 2018.
For further information on rugby fixtures please
contact James Paterson@
Paterson@deanscourt.co.uk
For further information on hockey fixtures please
contact Harriet Tighe@
htighe@deanscourt.co.uk
The tee has been reserved from 9.30am. Lunch will be served in
the clubhouse following the competition.
Any member wishing to play is invited to confirm by email to
mark.friend@lincolnhousechambers.com by 12th January 2018
14 In Brief

After nine seasons in the role, I have finally succeeded in finding an
ambitious young recruit to take on the club captaincy. LBCC was
formed by Andrew Edis and Rob Warnock in 1985 and has a
continuous history to the present day.
Sunday fixtures against Cholmondeley Castle, Ormskirk Occasionals
and many more have ceased to be and the club has moved into the
glitzy world of evening cricket in leagues run by the Last Man
StandsTM franchise. Furtunately, however the traditional end of
season fixture at the Inn at Whitewell remains firmly in place as our
sole Sunday game.
SPORT
Liverpool Bar Cricket Club – Start of a new Era
LMS is to traditional cricket what a tequila sunrise is to a pint of milk
Stout. Adaptations to the MCC Laws make the game faster and more
exciting, including innovations such as coloured team shirts and a
pink ball. The main benefit is that it’s eight-a-side, making raising a
team easier. Games can be followed on the internet in real time. The
club also has its own website (www.liverpoolbar.cc) and a
WhatsApp group.
Liverpool Bar LMS cricket team
having represented the Bar of England and Wales at three successive
Lawyer World Cups.
Tom Gosling was a regular before his move to Manchester
Chambers. I’ve seen Tom bat, bowl, field and umpire. Sometimes I
wonder if there’s anything he can do. Andrew Sinker has been a
great team-mate. Craig Bellamy once said of John Terry that on the
field as a player he is world class, but off the field as a man he’s
terrible beyond words. If you simply reverse that quote around then
it perfectly sums up my feelings about Andrew. I hope to continue
playing for many years alongside my other friends and
contemporaries who have formed the core of the team in my
captaincy, the likes of Mickey Armstrong, Mark Chester, David
Tinkler and Shannon Eastwood. Mickey and Shannon, as devoted
Man U supporters, used to be conflicted between our games and
United’s big Champions League nights, though that doesn’t seem to
have been much of a problem in recent years.
Bar cricket team following Whitewell match
The 2017 season saw us finish runners up in the Liverpool B Grade
LMS Competition and a 100% winning record in more traditional
formats against Ormskirk Occasionals and Whitewell. The second
half of the season was particularly impressive with new additions
Tom Clarke, Alex Jones, Jonathan Brownson and Charles Austin
deepening the pool of talent. At the end of season awards dinner
new Captain Tom Clarke was named Player of the Season, Shannon
Eastwood was Most Improved Player, whilst the Tonker Tankard for
“fortitude over ineptitude” was presented to Alex Jones for managing
to drop three catches in the space of five balls.
Looking back, the most entertaining batsman to have played for the
club in my captaincy has been Greg Brooker. When he’s got his eye
in it’s like watching Kevin Pietersen at his best, but without the silly
haircut. It’s just sickening to the rest of us that cricket isn’t even
Greg’s main game, he’s more into a game called hockey. Nick Orr
is a player who never aged but rather evolved. He now lives mostly
on the high seas and his slower ball is sadly missed. Every team
needs a player with belief and confidence and that’s why I love
Nigel Power, albeit not as much as Nigel Power loves Nigel Power.
Nigel took great pleasure when the Guardian newspaper described
him as “an eminent QC” in September 2015. We took great pleasure
in the same newspaper’s description of him as “a small man with a
mighty quiff” in the 15 July 2017 edition. Tim Kenward is a man
never known to have been on the wrong end of a run out (rivalled
only by Simon Gorton in this regard). I wouldn’t say Charles Prior is
a man out of touch with the modern world but he thinks the X Factor
is a type of Roman suncream. Charles is highly temperamental but
only because he holds himself to the standards of an International
And so the club moves on under new captain Tom Clarke. Much has
changed since its formation and no doubt in 30 years time it will be
different again. But the words of Alan Bennett spoken by the
character Hector in the History Boys sum it up for me, “Pass the
parcel. That's sometimes all you can do. Take it, feel it, and pass it
on. Not for me, not for you, but for someone, somewhere, one day.
Pass it on, boys. That's the game I want you to learn. Pass it on”.
Peter Harthan
7 Harrington Street
Peter Harthan of Liverpool Bar and
Charles Bowman of Inn at Whitewell