Peter Oliver, Baron Oliver of Aylmerton
Encyclopedia
Peter Raymond Oliver, Baron Oliver of Aylmerton PC
, QC
(7 March 1921 – 17 October 2007) was a British
judge and barrister.
Oliver was born in Cambridge
, where his father, David Thomas Oliver, was a professor of law and Fellow of Trinity Hall, Cambridge
. He was educated at The Leys School
, Cambridge
and Trinity Hall, Cambridge
, graduating with a starred First in law in 1941. He later became an honorary fellow of Trinity Hall, and became University Commissary. From 1941 to 1945, he served in the 12th Battalion Royal Tank Regiment
, and was mentioned in dispatches
during his service in Italy.
Oliver was called to the Bar
at Lincoln's Inn
in 1948, and became a chancery
barrister. He became a Queen's Counsel
in 1965, a Bencher
at Lincoln's Inn in 1973. He was knighted one year later, when he was appointed a Judge of the High Court
in the Chancery Division. Between 1976 and 1980, he was a member of the Restrictive Practices Court
. He was chairman of the Review Body on the Chancery Division from 1979 to 1981, recommending many changes to modernise its practice.
He became a Privy Counsellor
in 1980, when he was promoted to become a Lord Justice of Appeal
. He joined with Lord Denning in ruling that the Greater London Council
's "Fares Fair" policy was illegal (a decision which was later upheld by the House of Lords). He was a leading contender to succeed Lord Denning as Master of the Rolls
on his retirement in 1982, but the post went to Sir John Donaldson instead. In 1986, Oliver was appointed a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary
, and was created a life peer
with the title Baron Oliver of Aylmerton, of Aylmerton in the County of Norfolk
. He joined the minority in the House of Lords judgment in the Spycatcher
case in 1987, in favour of lifting the ban on its publication.
He retired as Lord of Appeal in 1992. In later life, he lost his sight due to macular degeneration
.
Lord Oliver married twice, firstly Mary Chichester Rideal in 1945. They had a son and a daughter. After her death in 1985, he married secondly Wendy Anne Lloyd Jones (née Harrison) in 1987. He was survived by his second wife, and the two children from his first marriage.
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
, QC
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
(7 March 1921 – 17 October 2007) was a British
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...
judge and barrister.
Oliver was born in Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
, where his father, David Thomas Oliver, was a professor of law and Fellow of Trinity Hall, Cambridge
Trinity Hall, Cambridge
Trinity Hall is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. It is the fifth-oldest college of the university, having been founded in 1350 by William Bateman, Bishop of Norwich.- Foundation :...
. He was educated at The Leys School
The Leys School
The Leys School is a co-educational Independent school, located in Cambridge, England, and is a day and boarding school for about 550 pupils aged between 11 and 18 years...
, Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
and Trinity Hall, Cambridge
Trinity Hall, Cambridge
Trinity Hall is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. It is the fifth-oldest college of the university, having been founded in 1350 by William Bateman, Bishop of Norwich.- Foundation :...
, graduating with a starred First in law in 1941. He later became an honorary fellow of Trinity Hall, and became University Commissary. From 1941 to 1945, he served in the 12th Battalion Royal Tank Regiment
Royal Tank Regiment
The Royal Tank Regiment is an armoured regiment of the British Army. It was formerly known as the Tank Corps and the Royal Tank Corps. It is part of the Royal Armoured Corps and is made up of two operational regiments, the 1st Royal Tank Regiment and the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment...
, and was mentioned in dispatches
Mentioned in Dispatches
A soldier Mentioned in Despatches is one whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which is described the soldier's gallant or meritorious action in the face of the enemy.In a number of countries, a soldier's name must be mentioned in...
during his service in Italy.
Oliver was called to the Bar
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
at Lincoln's Inn
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn. Although Lincoln's Inn is able to trace its official records beyond...
in 1948, and became a chancery
Court of equity
A chancery court, equity court or court of equity is a court that is authorized to apply principles of equity, as opposed to law, to cases brought before it.These courts began with petitions to the Lord Chancellor of England...
barrister. He became a Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
in 1965, a Bencher
Bencher
A bencher or Master of the Bench is a senior member of an Inn of Court in England and Wales. Benchers hold office for life once elected. A bencher can be elected while still a barrister , in recognition of the contribution that the barrister has made to the life of the Inn or to the law...
at Lincoln's Inn in 1973. He was knighted one year later, when he was appointed a Judge of the High Court
High Court judge
A High Court judge is a judge of the High Court of Justice, and represents the third highest level of judge in the courts of England and Wales. High Court judges are referred to as puisne judges...
in the Chancery Division. Between 1976 and 1980, he was a member of the Restrictive Practices Court
Restrictive Practices Court
The Restrictive Practices Court is a senior court of record in the United Kingdom. It was created in 1956 to foster competition through enforcement of the Restrictive Trade Practices Act 1956. Though the Court was overhauled in 1976, by the end of the century, the legislation was perceived as...
. He was chairman of the Review Body on the Chancery Division from 1979 to 1981, recommending many changes to modernise its practice.
He became a Privy Counsellor
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
in 1980, when he was promoted to become a Lord Justice of Appeal
Lord Justice of Appeal
A Lord Justice of Appeal is an ordinary judge of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales, the court that hears appeals from the High Court of Justice, and represents the second highest level of judge in the courts of England and Wales-Appointment:...
. He joined with Lord Denning in ruling that the Greater London Council
Greater London Council
The Greater London Council was the top-tier local government administrative body for Greater London from 1965 to 1986. It replaced the earlier London County Council which had covered a much smaller area...
's "Fares Fair" policy was illegal (a decision which was later upheld by the House of Lords). He was a leading contender to succeed Lord Denning as Master of the Rolls
Master of the Rolls
The Keeper or Master of the Rolls and Records of the Chancery of England, known as the Master of the Rolls, is the second most senior judge in England and Wales, after the Lord Chief Justice. The Master of the Rolls is the presiding officer of the Civil Division of the Court of Appeal...
on his retirement in 1982, but the post went to Sir John Donaldson instead. In 1986, Oliver was appointed a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary
Lord of Appeal in Ordinary
Lords of Appeal in Ordinary, commonly known as Law Lords, were appointed under the Appellate Jurisdiction Act 1876 to the House of Lords of the United Kingdom in order to exercise its judicial functions, which included acting as the highest court of appeal for most domestic matters...
, and was created a life peer
Life peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
with the title Baron Oliver of Aylmerton, of Aylmerton in the County of Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
. He joined the minority in the House of Lords judgment in the Spycatcher
Spycatcher
Spycatcher: The Candid Autobiography of a Senior Intelligence Officer , is a book written by Peter Wright, former MI5 officer and Assistant Director, and co-author Paul Greengrass. It was published first in Australia...
case in 1987, in favour of lifting the ban on its publication.
He retired as Lord of Appeal in 1992. In later life, he lost his sight due to macular degeneration
Macular degeneration
Age-related macular degeneration is a medical condition which usually affects older adults and results in a loss of vision in the center of the visual field because of damage to the retina. It occurs in “dry” and “wet” forms. It is a major cause of blindness and visual impairment in older adults...
.
Lord Oliver married twice, firstly Mary Chichester Rideal in 1945. They had a son and a daughter. After her death in 1985, he married secondly Wendy Anne Lloyd Jones (née Harrison) in 1987. He was survived by his second wife, and the two children from his first marriage.