Christopher Nyholm Shawcross
Encyclopedia
Christopher Nyholm Shawcross, KC (20 June 1905 - 18 August 1973) was a British
lawyer
and Labour
politician.
He was the younger son of John Shawcross and Hilda Constance Asser. He was educated at Dulwich College
and University College, Oxford
, before going on to study law at Gray's Inn
.
He was called to the bar
in 1931 and practised at the Common Law Bar in London and in the Midland Circuit. With the outbreak of the Second World War, Shawcross joined the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve, where he reached the rank of commander.
At the 1945 general election
he was returned as Labour MP
for Widnes
. He was a Europhile
parliamentarian, serving on the Parliamentary Committee on the Channel Tunnel
, the all party group for European Union, and the British Council of the European Movement. He retired from politics in 1950.
He became a King's Counsel in 1949, and pursued a distinguished legal career. In particular he worked in new areas of law, producing books on motor insurance and air law. he retired from the Bar in 1961, but returned to practice in the South Eastern Circuit in 1969.
Christopher Shawcross married twice. His 1931 marriage to Doreen Burrows was dissolved in 1949, and he married Maridel Chance in the same year and they had two children. He was the younger brother of Hartley Shawcross
, also a distinguished lawyer and Labour politician.
He died at his home in Haywards Heath
, Sussex
, aged 68.
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
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and Labour
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.
He was the younger son of John Shawcross and Hilda Constance Asser. He was educated at Dulwich College
Dulwich College
Dulwich College is an independent school for boys in Dulwich, southeast London, England. The college was founded in 1619 by Edward Alleyn, a successful Elizabethan actor, with the original purpose of educating 12 poor scholars as the foundation of "God's Gift". It currently has about 1,600 boys,...
and University College, Oxford
University College, Oxford
.University College , is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2009 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £110m...
, before going on to study law at Gray's Inn
Gray's Inn
The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, 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...
.
He was called to the bar
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 1931 and practised at the Common Law Bar in London and in the Midland Circuit. With the outbreak of the Second World War, Shawcross joined the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve, where he reached the rank of commander.
At the 1945 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1945
The United Kingdom general election of 1945 was a general election held on 5 July 1945, with polls in some constituencies delayed until 12 July and in Nelson and Colne until 19 July, due to local wakes weeks. The results were counted and declared on 26 July, due in part to the time it took to...
he was returned as Labour MP
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,...
for Widnes
Widnes (UK Parliament constituency)
Widnes was a county constituency in England, based on the town of Widnes, in Lancashire. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system.-History:...
. He was a Europhile
Europhile
A europhile is a person who is fond of, admires, or even loves European culture, society, history, food, etc. In politics, it may be used to imply Pro-Europeanism, or support for the European Union, often disapprovingly...
parliamentarian, serving on the Parliamentary Committee on the Channel Tunnel
Channel Tunnel
The Channel Tunnel is a undersea rail tunnel linking Folkestone, Kent in the United Kingdom with Coquelles, Pas-de-Calais near Calais in northern France beneath the English Channel at the Strait of Dover. At its lowest point, it is deep...
, the all party group for European Union, and the British Council of the European Movement. He retired from politics in 1950.
He became a King's Counsel in 1949, and pursued a distinguished legal career. In particular he worked in new areas of law, producing books on motor insurance and air law. he retired from the Bar in 1961, but returned to practice in the South Eastern Circuit in 1969.
Christopher Shawcross married twice. His 1931 marriage to Doreen Burrows was dissolved in 1949, and he married Maridel Chance in the same year and they had two children. He was the younger brother of Hartley Shawcross
Hartley Shawcross, Baron Shawcross
Hartley William Shawcross, Baron Shawcross, GBE, PC, KC was a British barrister and politician and the lead British prosecutor at the Nuremberg War Crimes tribunal.- Early life :...
, also a distinguished lawyer and Labour politician.
He died at his home in Haywards Heath
Haywards Heath
-Climate:Haywards Heath experiences an oceanic climate similar to almost all of the United Kingdom.-Rail:Haywards Heath railway station is a major station on the Brighton Main Line...
, Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
, aged 68.