Francis Bennion
Encyclopedia
Francis Alan Roscoe Bennion (born 2 January 1923) is a barrister
in the United Kingdom
. He is the author of several leading UK legal texts, including in particular Bennion on Statutory Interpretation (first edition in 1984; 5th edition in 2008).
Bennion was born at Wallasey
in Cheshire
, the only son of Thomas Roscoe Bennion and his wife Ellen Norah Bennion. He was educated at The John Lyon School in Harrow, London
from 1934 to 1939, and attended one year St Andrews University in 1941 before joining the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
. He served in the Second World War as a Coastal Command pilot in No. 221 Squadron RAF
from 1941 to 1946.
After his war service, he returned to study law at Balliol College, Oxford
in 1946. He was called to the Bar at Middle Temple
in January 1951, and practised as a barrister in England
from 1951 to 1965, including eight years as Parliamentary Counsel
from 1953 to 1965, when he drafted constitutions for Pakistan
and for Ghana
following independence from the UK.
He left his practise at the bar from 1965 to 1973, spending three years as the Chief Executive of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
; then, after being a co-founder of the Professional Association of Teachers
in 1968, he was its first chairman from 1968 to 1972.
In 1972, Bennion brought a private prosecution against the young Peter Hain
for criminal conspiracy, in relation to Hain's activities as chairman of the Stop the Seventy Tour Campaign which took direct action to disrupt sporting events involving participants from South Africa
in 1969 and 1970, as a protest against the apartheid regime. During the ten-day trial at the Old Bailey
Hain dismissed his defence team, which included barrister Geoffrey Robertson
, before being convicted and fined £200.
Bennion returned to legal practice as a barrister in 1973. He was Parliamentary Counsel
again from 1973 to 1975, drafting various Acts of Parliament
, including the Consumer Credit Act 1974
and the Sex Discrimination Act 1975
. He continued to practise at the bar until 1994.
He became a lecturer in law at the University of Oxford
in 1984, remaining there until his retirement in 2002.
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
in the United Kingdom
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...
. He is the author of several leading UK legal texts, including in particular Bennion on Statutory Interpretation (first edition in 1984; 5th edition in 2008).
Bennion was born at Wallasey
Wallasey
Wallasey is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, in Merseyside, England, on the mouth of the River Mersey, at the northeastern corner of the Wirral Peninsula...
in Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, the only son of Thomas Roscoe Bennion and his wife Ellen Norah Bennion. He was educated at The John Lyon School in Harrow, London
Harrow, London
Harrow is an area in the London Borough of Harrow, northwest London, United Kingdom. It is a suburban area and is situated 12.2 miles northwest of Charing Cross...
from 1934 to 1939, and attended one year St Andrews University in 1941 before joining the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
The Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve consists of a number of groupings of individual military reservists for the management and operation of the Royal Air Force's Air Training Corps and CCF Air Cadet formations, Volunteer Gliding Squadrons , Air Experience Flights, and also to form the...
. He served in the Second World War as a Coastal Command pilot in No. 221 Squadron RAF
No. 221 Squadron RAF
No. 221 Squadron was a Royal Air Force squadron that operated during World War I and World War II. Its motto was "From sea to sea".-History:The Squadron was formed in Greece on 1 April 1918, from 'D' Squadron of No. 2 Wing RNAS. Initially engaged in anti-submarine warfare in the Aegean, it was sent...
from 1941 to 1946.
After his war service, he returned to study law at Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England but founded by a family with strong Scottish connections....
in 1946. He was called to the Bar at Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
in January 1951, and practised as a barrister in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
from 1951 to 1965, including eight years as Parliamentary Counsel
Parliamentary Counsel
Parliamentary counsel are lawyers who prepare legislation that it is proposed to pass into law. The term Parliamentary draftsman is also widely used. These terms are used in relation to the United Kingdom parliament, and other parliaments on the Westminster system...
from 1953 to 1965, when he drafted constitutions for Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
and for Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
following independence from the UK.
He left his practise at the bar from 1965 to 1973, spending three years as the Chief Executive of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors is an independent, representative professional body which regulates property professionals and surveyors in the United Kingdom and other sovereign nations....
; then, after being a co-founder of the Professional Association of Teachers
Professional Association of Teachers
Voice 'The union for education professionals' is an independent British Trade Union for teachers, lecturers and other education and childcare workers in British education...
in 1968, he was its first chairman from 1968 to 1972.
In 1972, Bennion brought a private prosecution against the young Peter Hain
Peter Hain
Peter Gerald Hain is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for the Welsh constituency of Neath since 1991, and has served in the Cabinets of both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, firstly as Leader of the House of Commons under Blair and both Secretary of State for...
for criminal conspiracy, in relation to Hain's activities as chairman of the Stop the Seventy Tour Campaign which took direct action to disrupt sporting events involving participants from South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
in 1969 and 1970, as a protest against the apartheid regime. During the ten-day trial at the Old Bailey
Old Bailey
The Central Criminal Court in England and Wales, commonly known as the Old Bailey from the street in which it stands, is a court building in central London, one of a number of buildings housing the Crown Court...
Hain dismissed his defence team, which included barrister Geoffrey Robertson
Geoffrey Robertson
Geoffrey Ronald Robertson QC is an Australian-born human rights lawyer, academic, author and broadcaster. He holds dual Australian and British citizenship....
, before being convicted and fined £200.
Bennion returned to legal practice as a barrister in 1973. He was Parliamentary Counsel
Parliamentary Counsel
Parliamentary counsel are lawyers who prepare legislation that it is proposed to pass into law. The term Parliamentary draftsman is also widely used. These terms are used in relation to the United Kingdom parliament, and other parliaments on the Westminster system...
again from 1973 to 1975, drafting various Acts of Parliament
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
, including the Consumer Credit Act 1974
Consumer Credit Act 1974
The Consumer Credit Act 1974 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that significantly reformed the law relating to consumer credit within the United Kingdom....
and the Sex Discrimination Act 1975
Sex Discrimination Act 1975
The Sex Discrimination Act 1975 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which protected men and women from discrimination on the grounds of sex or marriage. The Act concerned employment, training, education, harassment, the provision of goods and services, and the disposal of premises...
. He continued to practise at the bar until 1994.
He became a lecturer in law at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
in 1984, remaining there until his retirement in 2002.