David Ensor (politician)
Encyclopedia
Alick Charles David Ensor (27 November 1906 – 5 February 1987) was a British
lawyer, actor, author and Labour Party
politician.
, Ensor was admitted as a solicitor
in 1928, finding employment with Newcastle upon Tyne
City Council in 1932. His talents as a prosecutor led to his becoming prosecuting solicitor for the Metropolitan Police
in 1935 as well as a lecturer at Hendon Police College
. In 1938 he was appointed Clerk of the Peace
for the County of London
.
With the outbreak of the Second World War
Ensor was attached to the adjutant general
's staff, as part of the British Expeditionary Force
. As the force withdrew, Ensor was placed in charge of evacuting wounded soldiers and civilians through the part of Boulogne. On his return to London he was granted sick leave from the army. In September 1940 was court martialled on twenty-nine charges: he was acquitted of scandalous conduct unbecoming the character of an officer and a gentleman, of absenting himself without leave, and of leaving his pistol and ammunition unguarded; but was found guilty of thirteen charges involving the use of dishonoured cheques leading to "the prejudice of good order and military discipline". During the trial it emerged that while officially on sick leave Ensor had been entertaining a number of women and leading an extravagant lifestyle which he did not have the funds to support. He resigned as clerk of the peace, and the incident effectively ended his legal career in England.
before moving back to England in 1948, taking up farming in Dorset
. This led to his writing a well received book, Thirty Acres and a Cow, in 1955. He followed this with I was a Public Prosecutor in 1958. The success of the second book resulted in him being selected to chair Granada Television
's The Verdict is Yours programme. Appearing as "Mr Justice Ensor" he presided over dramatised cases which argued in front of a jury of viewers.
He became a well-known figure on television, taking acting roles in a number of films including The Trials of Oscar Wilde
(1960), Information Received
(1961) and The Pot Carriers
(1962).
and was elected at the 1964 general election
as Member of Parliament
(MP) for the marginal Bury and Radcliffe
constituency and re-elected in 1966 election
. In 1968 he indicated that he would not contest the seat again, standing down at the 1970 general election
. In 1972 he joined the Liberal Party
, but did not stand for election again.
, France
in 1987, aged 80.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
lawyer, actor, author and Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
politician.
Legal career
Ensor was the son of Charles William Ensor, a surgeon, and his wife Helen Margaret Creighton Ensor. Following education at Westminster SchoolWestminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
, Ensor was admitted as a solicitor
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
in 1928, finding employment with Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
City Council in 1932. His talents as a prosecutor led to his becoming prosecuting solicitor for the Metropolitan Police
Metropolitan Police Service
The Metropolitan Police Service is the territorial police force responsible for Greater London, excluding the "square mile" of the City of London which is the responsibility of the City of London Police...
in 1935 as well as a lecturer at Hendon Police College
Hendon Police College
Hendon Police College is the principal training centre for London's Metropolitan Police Service. Founded with the official name of the Metropolitan Police College, the college is today officially called the Peel Centre, although its original name is still used frequently...
. In 1938 he was appointed Clerk of the Peace
Clerk of the Peace
A clerk of the peace held an office in England and Wales whose responsibility was the records of the Quarter Sessions and the framing of presentments and indictments. They had legal training, so that they could advise justices of the peace.-England and Wales:...
for the County of London
County of London
The County of London was a county of England from 1889 to 1965, corresponding to the area known today as Inner London. It was created as part of the general introduction of elected county government in England, by way of the Local Government Act 1888. The Act created an administrative County of...
.
With the outbreak of the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Ensor was attached to the adjutant general
Adjutant general
An Adjutant General is a military chief administrative officer.-Imperial Russia:In Imperial Russia, the General-Adjutant was a Court officer, who was usually an army general. He served as a personal aide to the Tsar and hence was a member of the H. I. M. Retinue...
's staff, as part of the British Expeditionary Force
British Expeditionary Force (World War II)
The British Expeditionary Force was the British force in Europe from 1939–1940 during the Second World War. Commanded by General Lord Gort, the BEF constituted one-tenth of the defending Allied force....
. As the force withdrew, Ensor was placed in charge of evacuting wounded soldiers and civilians through the part of Boulogne. On his return to London he was granted sick leave from the army. In September 1940 was court martialled on twenty-nine charges: he was acquitted of scandalous conduct unbecoming the character of an officer and a gentleman, of absenting himself without leave, and of leaving his pistol and ammunition unguarded; but was found guilty of thirteen charges involving the use of dishonoured cheques leading to "the prejudice of good order and military discipline". During the trial it emerged that while officially on sick leave Ensor had been entertaining a number of women and leading an extravagant lifestyle which he did not have the funds to support. He resigned as clerk of the peace, and the incident effectively ended his legal career in England.
Broadcaster and actor
After the war Ensor briefly practised law in BrusselsBrussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
before moving back to England in 1948, taking up farming in Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
. This led to his writing a well received book, Thirty Acres and a Cow, in 1955. He followed this with I was a Public Prosecutor in 1958. The success of the second book resulted in him being selected to chair Granada Television
Granada Television
Granada Television is the ITV contractor for North West England. Based in Manchester since its inception, it is the only surviving original ITA franchisee from 1954 and is ITV's most successful....
's The Verdict is Yours programme. Appearing as "Mr Justice Ensor" he presided over dramatised cases which argued in front of a jury of viewers.
He became a well-known figure on television, taking acting roles in a number of films including The Trials of Oscar Wilde
The Trials of Oscar Wilde
The Trials of Oscar Wilde also known as The Man with the Green Carnation and The Green Carnation, is a 1960 British film based on the libel and subsequent criminal cases involving Oscar Wilde and the Marquess of Queensberry. It was produced by Irving Allen, written by Allen and Ken Hughes and...
(1960), Information Received
Information Received
Information Received is a 1961 British Crime film directed by Robert Lynn and starring Sabine Sesselmann, William Sylvester and Hermione Baddeley. A police detective goes undercover to infiltrate a safe-breaking outfit.-Cast:...
(1961) and The Pot Carriers
The Pot Carriers
The Pot Carriers is a 1962 British comedy drama film directed by Peter Graham Scott and starring Ronald Fraser, Paul Massie, Carole Lesley and Dennis Price...
(1962).
Member of parliament
By the early 1960s Ensor's acting career had stalled, and he entered politics. He joined the Labour PartyLabour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
and was elected at the 1964 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1964
The United Kingdom general election of 1964 was held on 15 October 1964, more than five years after the preceding election, and thirteen years after the Conservative Party had retaken power...
as Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for the marginal Bury and Radcliffe
Bury and Radcliffe (UK Parliament constituency)
Bury and Radcliffe was a parliamentary constituency centred on the towns of Bury and Radcliffe in North West England. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
constituency and re-elected in 1966 election
United Kingdom general election, 1966
The 1966 United Kingdom general election on 31 March 1966 was called by sitting Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson. Wilson's decision to call an election turned on the fact that his government, elected a mere 17 months previously in 1964 had an unworkably small majority of only 4 MPs...
. In 1968 he indicated that he would not contest the seat again, standing down at the 1970 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1970
The United Kingdom general election of 1970 was held on 18 June 1970, and resulted in a surprise victory for the Conservative Party under leader Edward Heath, who defeated the Labour Party under Harold Wilson. The election also saw the Liberal Party and its new leader Jeremy Thorpe lose half their...
. In 1972 he joined the Liberal Party
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
, but did not stand for election again.
Family
Ensor was twice married. The first marriage was to Norah Russell in 1932, with whom he had three children. Following their divorce, he married Vivienne Mason in 1944. He died at his home in Argelès-sur-MerArgelès-sur-Mer
Argelès-sur-Mer is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France.It lies near Perpignan.-Geography:...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1987, aged 80.