Richard Martin Bingham
Encyclopedia
Richard Martin Bingham, TD
, QC
(26 October 1915 – 26 July 1992) was a British
barrister and politician who later served as a judge.
and Clare College
, Cambridge
, Bingham was a Major in the Royal Artillery
during the Second World War. However, he found the time to finish his legal training and was called to the Bar (Inner Temple
) in 1940. His wartime service included Dunkirk
and north-western Europe; he was mentioned in despatches in 1944. He had been in the Territorial Army since 1937, where he served with the 59th Medical Regiment until 1949; he held the rank of Major from 1945.
member of Liverpool City Council
, on which he served for three years. In 1957, Bingham was elected to Parliament as Conservative MP for Liverpool Garston
at a byelection.
in 1960, and as a 'Bencher' of the Inner Temple in 1964. Bingham became a Judge of Appeal on the Isle of Man
in 1965 and was also appointed to a Home Office departmental committee on Coroner
s. Bingham stood down from Parliament at the 1966 general election
, and was appointed to the Royal Commission
on Assizes and Quarter Sessions.
In 1972 Bingham was appointed a Circuit Judge and resigned his post on the Isle of Man. He served as a Judge for 16 years.
Territorial Decoration
The Territorial Decoration was a medal of the United Kingdom awarded for long service in the Territorial Force and its successor, the Territorial Army...
, 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...
(26 October 1915 – 26 July 1992) 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...
barrister and politician who later served as a judge.
Education and Army career
Educated at HarrowHarrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
and Clare College
Clare College, Cambridge
Clare College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1326, making it the second-oldest surviving college of the University after Peterhouse. Clare is famous for its chapel choir and for its gardens on "the Backs"...
, Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, Bingham was a Major in the Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
during the Second World War. However, he found the time to finish his legal training and was called to the Bar (Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
) in 1940. His wartime service included Dunkirk
Operation Dynamo
The Dunkirk evacuation, commonly known as the Miracle of Dunkirk, code-named Operation Dynamo by the British, was the evacuation of Allied soldiers from the beaches and harbour of Dunkirk, France, between 26 May and the early hours of 3 June 1940, because the British, French and Belgian troops were...
and north-western Europe; he was mentioned in despatches in 1944. He had been in the Territorial Army since 1937, where he served with the 59th Medical Regiment until 1949; he held the rank of Major from 1945.
Politics
He did not begin legal practice until demobilised in 1946, when he joined the Northern Circuit. In the same year he was elected as a Conservative PartyConservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
member of Liverpool City Council
Liverpool City Council
Liverpool City Council is the governing body for the city of Liverpool in Merseyside, England. It consists of 90 councillors, three for each of the city's 30 wards. The council is currently controlled by the Labour Party and is led by Joe Anderson.-Domain:...
, on which he served for three years. In 1957, Bingham was elected to Parliament as Conservative MP for Liverpool Garston
Liverpool Garston (UK Parliament constituency)
Liverpool Garston was a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
at a byelection.
Legal career
The author of a standard work on negligence cases, his legal career progressed with appointment as Recorder of OldhamOldham
Oldham is a large town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amid the Pennines on elevated ground between the rivers Irk and Medlock, south-southeast of Rochdale, and northeast of the city of Manchester...
in 1960, and as a 'Bencher' of the Inner Temple in 1964. Bingham became a Judge of Appeal on the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
in 1965 and was also appointed to a Home Office departmental committee on Coroner
Coroner
A coroner is a government official who* Investigates human deaths* Determines cause of death* Issues death certificates* Maintains death records* Responds to deaths in mass disasters* Identifies unknown dead* Other functions depending on local laws...
s. Bingham stood down from Parliament at the 1966 general 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...
, and was appointed to the Royal Commission
Royal Commission
In Commonwealth realms and other monarchies a Royal Commission is a major ad-hoc formal public inquiry into a defined issue. They have been held in various countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Saudi Arabia...
on Assizes and Quarter Sessions.
In 1972 Bingham was appointed a Circuit Judge and resigned his post on the Isle of Man. He served as a Judge for 16 years.