George Coldstream
Encyclopedia
Sir George Phillips Coldstream (20 December 1907 - 19 April 2004) was a British barrister
and civil servant who served as Permanent Secretary to the Lord Chancellor's Department
and Clerk of the Crown in Chancery
from 4 June 1954 to 5 April 1968. Born to an upper-middle-class family, Coldstream was educated at Rugby School
and Oriel College, Oxford, where he read law. In 1930 he was called to the Bar by Lincoln's Inn
, but worked as a barrister for only four years before he was recruited into the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel
, where he served as Assistant to the Parliamentary Counsel to the Treasury.
In 1939 he became a legal assistant in the Lord Chancellor's Department, and in 1944 became Deputy Permanent Secretary to the Lord Chancellor's Department. When Sir Albert Napier
retired as Permanent Secretary in 1954, Coldstream (his deputy) succeeded him, as per convention. As Permanent Secretary Coldstream served under four Lord Chancellor
s and was described as "one of the 10 men who run Britain". He helped draft the Life Peerages Act 1958
, the Peerage Act 1963
and what became the Royal Assent Act 1967.
He also served on the Beeching Commission, helped create the Law Commission
and played a part in appointing judges now recognised as particularly influential, including Lords Denning, Devlin
and Diplock
. After retirement on 5 April 1968, Coldstream continued to advise the government, and served as chairman of the Council of Legal Education
from 1970 to 1973. He died on 19 April 2004 in Seaford, East Sussex
, London
to Francis Menzies Coldstream, a stockbroker, and his wife Carlotta Mary Young. In 1921 he began to attend Rugby School
, and matriculated to Oriel College, Oxford in 1926 to read law. After gaining a second class honours in Jurisprudence
he left in 1929, planning to become a barrister
, and was called to the Bar by Lincoln's Inn
in November 1930.
, but after four years was hired by the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel
, the civil service body tasked with drafting Bills for the Parliament of the United Kingdom
. From 1934 to 1937 he served as Assistant to the Parliamentary Counsel to the Treasury, and in 1939 he was transferred to the Lord Chancellor's Department
to serve as a legal assistant. In 1944 he became Deputy Clerk of the Crown and Assistant Permanent Secretary. Between 1944 and 1946 he served as a member of the British War Crimes Executive, preparing files for the Nuremberg Trials
, and from 1947 to 1953 he sat on the Evershed Committee. In 1948 he was Secretary of the Inter-Party Conference on House of Lords Reform. When Sir Albert Napier
retired as Permanent Secretary on 4 June 1954, Coldstream succeeded him.
, which built directly on the findings of the 1948 Inter-Party Conference, and was also partly responsible for the Peerage Act 1963
. After consultation with the Lord Chancellor
he helped write the Royal Assent Act 1967, and although he privately disagreed with it he also supervised the team drafting the Law Commission Act 1965, which established the Law Commission
. At the same time he supervised and influenced judicial appointments.
During his tenure as Permanent Secretary, Coldstream saw Lords Denning, Devlin
, Diplock
and Wilberforce
be made Law Lords, and Lords Parker
, Dankwerts and Russell
take up seats as Lord Justices of Appeal
. In 1966 he helped prepare the Beeching Commission on Quarter Sessions
, and served as a member until it finished its report in 1969. From 1970 to 1973 he sat as chairman of the Council of Legal Education
. He was an Honourary Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers
, and spent some time as a consultant to the American Institute of Judicial Administration. He retired in 1968, long before his mandatory retirement date, and moved to Seaford, East Sussex
, where he died on 19 April 2004.
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...
and civil servant who served as Permanent Secretary to the Lord Chancellor's Department
Permanent Secretary to the Lord Chancellor's Office
The Permanent Secretary to the Lord Chancellor's Department was the most senior civil servant in the Lord Chancellor's Department and a senior member of Her Majesty's Civil Service...
and Clerk of the Crown in Chancery
Clerk of the Crown in Chancery
In the Government of the United Kingdom, the Clerk of the Crown in Chancery is a senior civil servant who is the head of the Crown Office. The Crown Office, a section of the Ministry of Justice, has custody of the Great Seal of the Realm, and has certain administrative functions in connection with...
from 4 June 1954 to 5 April 1968. Born to an upper-middle-class family, Coldstream was educated at Rugby School
Rugby School
Rugby School is a co-educational day and boarding school located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. It is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain.-History:...
and Oriel College, Oxford, where he read law. In 1930 he was called to the Bar by 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...
, but worked as a barrister for only four years before he was recruited into the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel
Office of the Parliamentary Counsel
Office of the Parliamentary Counsel may refer to:*Office of the Parliamentary Counsel to Government, which drafts bills in the Republic of Ireland*Parliamentary Counsel Office *Office of the Scottish Parliamentary Counsel...
, where he served as Assistant to the Parliamentary Counsel to the Treasury.
In 1939 he became a legal assistant in the Lord Chancellor's Department, and in 1944 became Deputy Permanent Secretary to the Lord Chancellor's Department. When Sir Albert Napier
Albert Napier
Sir Albert Edward Alexander Napier KCB KCVO QC was a British civil servant who served as Permanent Secretary to the Lord Chancellor's Department between 1944 and 1954...
retired as Permanent Secretary in 1954, Coldstream (his deputy) succeeded him, as per convention. As Permanent Secretary Coldstream served under four Lord Chancellor
Lord Chancellor
The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom. He is the second highest ranking of the Great Officers of State, ranking only after the Lord High Steward. The Lord Chancellor is appointed by the Sovereign...
s and was described as "one of the 10 men who run Britain". He helped draft the Life Peerages Act 1958
Life Peerages Act 1958
The Life Peerages Act 1958 established the modern standards for the creation of life peers by the monarch of the United Kingdom. Life peers are barons and are members of the House of Lords for life, but their titles and membership in the Lords are not inherited by their children. Judicial life...
, the Peerage Act 1963
Peerage Act 1963
The Peerage Act 1963 is the Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that permitted peeresses in their own right and all Scottish hereditary peers to sit in the House of Lords, and which allows newly inherited hereditary peerages to be "disclaimed".-Background:The Act resulted largely from the...
and what became the Royal Assent Act 1967.
He also served on the Beeching Commission, helped create the Law Commission
Law Commission (England and Wales)
In England and Wales the Law Commission is an independent body set up by Parliament by the Law Commissions Act 1965 in 1965 to keep the law of England and Wales under review and to recommend reforms. The organisation is headed by a Chairman and four Law Commissioners...
and played a part in appointing judges now recognised as particularly influential, including Lords Denning, Devlin
Patrick Devlin, Baron Devlin
Patrick Arthur Devlin, Baron Devlin, PC was a British lawyer, judge and jurist. He wrote a report on Britain's involvement in Nyasaland in 1959...
and Diplock
Kenneth Diplock, Baron Diplock
William John Kenneth Diplock, Baron Diplock, KC was an English judge and Law Lord.-Early life:Born the son of a Croydon solicitor, he attended Whitgift School and University College, Oxford, where he read chemistry and was later to become an Honorary Fellow.-Career:Diplock was called to the bar by...
. After retirement on 5 April 1968, Coldstream continued to advise the government, and served as chairman of the Council of Legal Education
Council of Legal Education
The Council of Legal Education was an English supervisory body established by the four Inns of Court to regulate and improve the legal education of barristers within England and Wales.-History:...
from 1970 to 1973. He died on 19 April 2004 in Seaford, East Sussex
Seaford, East Sussex
Seaford is a coastal town in the county of East Sussex, on the south coast of England. Lying east of Newhaven and Brighton and west of Eastbourne, it is the largest town in Lewes district, with a population of about 23,000....
Early life and education
Coldstream was born on 20 December 1907 in North KensingtonKensington
Kensington is a district of west and central London, England within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. An affluent and densely-populated area, its commercial heart is Kensington High Street, and it contains the well-known museum district of South Kensington.To the north, Kensington is...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to Francis Menzies Coldstream, a stockbroker, and his wife Carlotta Mary Young. In 1921 he began to attend Rugby School
Rugby School
Rugby School is a co-educational day and boarding school located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. It is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain.-History:...
, and matriculated to Oriel College, Oxford in 1926 to read law. After gaining a second class honours in Jurisprudence
Jurisprudence
Jurisprudence is the theory and philosophy of law. Scholars of jurisprudence, or legal theorists , hope to obtain a deeper understanding of the nature of law, of legal reasoning, legal systems and of legal institutions...
he left in 1929, planning to become a barrister
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...
, and was called to the Bar by 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 November 1930.
Early career
Coldstream started his career practising as a barristerBarrister
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...
, but after four years was hired by the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel
Office of the Parliamentary Counsel
Office of the Parliamentary Counsel may refer to:*Office of the Parliamentary Counsel to Government, which drafts bills in the Republic of Ireland*Parliamentary Counsel Office *Office of the Scottish Parliamentary Counsel...
, the civil service body tasked with drafting Bills for the Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
. From 1934 to 1937 he served as Assistant to the Parliamentary Counsel to the Treasury, and in 1939 he was transferred to the Lord Chancellor's Department
Lord Chancellor's Department
The Lord Chancellor's Department was a United Kingdom government department answerable to the Lord Chancellor with jurisdiction over England and Wales....
to serve as a legal assistant. In 1944 he became Deputy Clerk of the Crown and Assistant Permanent Secretary. Between 1944 and 1946 he served as a member of the British War Crimes Executive, preparing files for the Nuremberg Trials
Nuremberg Trials
The Nuremberg Trials were a series of military tribunals, held by the victorious Allied forces of World War II, most notable for the prosecution of prominent members of the political, military, and economic leadership of the defeated Nazi Germany....
, and from 1947 to 1953 he sat on the Evershed Committee. In 1948 he was Secretary of the Inter-Party Conference on House of Lords Reform. When Sir Albert Napier
Albert Napier
Sir Albert Edward Alexander Napier KCB KCVO QC was a British civil servant who served as Permanent Secretary to the Lord Chancellor's Department between 1944 and 1954...
retired as Permanent Secretary on 4 June 1954, Coldstream succeeded him.
Permanent Secretary
As Permanent Secretary Coldstream served with distinction, and played a part in some of the most important reforms of his era, as well as executing his normal duties. In 1958 he helped prepare the Life Peerages ActLife Peerages Act 1958
The Life Peerages Act 1958 established the modern standards for the creation of life peers by the monarch of the United Kingdom. Life peers are barons and are members of the House of Lords for life, but their titles and membership in the Lords are not inherited by their children. Judicial life...
, which built directly on the findings of the 1948 Inter-Party Conference, and was also partly responsible for the Peerage Act 1963
Peerage Act 1963
The Peerage Act 1963 is the Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that permitted peeresses in their own right and all Scottish hereditary peers to sit in the House of Lords, and which allows newly inherited hereditary peerages to be "disclaimed".-Background:The Act resulted largely from the...
. After consultation with the Lord Chancellor
Lord Chancellor
The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom. He is the second highest ranking of the Great Officers of State, ranking only after the Lord High Steward. The Lord Chancellor is appointed by the Sovereign...
he helped write the Royal Assent Act 1967, and although he privately disagreed with it he also supervised the team drafting the Law Commission Act 1965, which established the Law Commission
Law Commission (England and Wales)
In England and Wales the Law Commission is an independent body set up by Parliament by the Law Commissions Act 1965 in 1965 to keep the law of England and Wales under review and to recommend reforms. The organisation is headed by a Chairman and four Law Commissioners...
. At the same time he supervised and influenced judicial appointments.
During his tenure as Permanent Secretary, Coldstream saw Lords Denning, Devlin
Patrick Devlin, Baron Devlin
Patrick Arthur Devlin, Baron Devlin, PC was a British lawyer, judge and jurist. He wrote a report on Britain's involvement in Nyasaland in 1959...
, Diplock
Kenneth Diplock, Baron Diplock
William John Kenneth Diplock, Baron Diplock, KC was an English judge and Law Lord.-Early life:Born the son of a Croydon solicitor, he attended Whitgift School and University College, Oxford, where he read chemistry and was later to become an Honorary Fellow.-Career:Diplock was called to the bar by...
and Wilberforce
Richard Wilberforce, Baron Wilberforce
Richard Orme Wilberforce, Baron Wilberforce, PC was a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary in the House of Lords from 1964 to 1982....
be made Law Lords, and Lords Parker
Hubert Parker, Baron Parker of Waddington
Hubert Lister Parker, Baron Parker of Waddington PC was a British Judge who served as Lord Chief Justice of England from 1958 to 1971...
, Dankwerts and Russell
Charles Ritchie Russell, Baron Russell of Killowen
Charles Ritchie Russell, Baron Russell of Killowen PC, , was a British judge and law lord.The son of the Lord Russell of Killowen, Russell was Lord Justice of Appeal from 1962 to 1975, having been made also a Privy Councillor in 1962.On 30 September 1975, he was appointed Lord of Appeal in Ordinary...
take up seats as Lord Justices 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:...
. In 1966 he helped prepare the Beeching Commission on Quarter Sessions
Quarter Sessions
The Courts of Quarter Sessions or Quarter Sessions were local courts traditionally held at four set times each year in the United Kingdom and other countries in the former British Empire...
, and served as a member until it finished its report in 1969. From 1970 to 1973 he sat as chairman of the Council of Legal Education
Council of Legal Education
The Council of Legal Education was an English supervisory body established by the four Inns of Court to regulate and improve the legal education of barristers within England and Wales.-History:...
. He was an Honourary Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers
American College of Trial Lawyers
The American College of Trial Lawyers is a professional association of trial lawyers from the United States and Canada. Founded in 1950, the College is dedicated to maintaining and improving the standards of trial practice, the administration of justice and the ethics of the profession...
, and spent some time as a consultant to the American Institute of Judicial Administration. He retired in 1968, long before his mandatory retirement date, and moved to Seaford, East Sussex
Seaford, East Sussex
Seaford is a coastal town in the county of East Sussex, on the south coast of England. Lying east of Newhaven and Brighton and west of Eastbourne, it is the largest town in Lewes district, with a population of about 23,000....
, where he died on 19 April 2004.