John Michael Clifford Higgs
Encyclopedia
Sir John Michael Clifford Higgs DL
(30 May 1912 – 20 October 1995) was a solicitor
from Brierley Hill
who served as the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Bromsgrove
from 1950 to 1955.
in Worcestershire
.
He was educated at Shrewsbury School
and at the University of Birmingham
, where he graduated with an LL.B. He was admitted as a solicitor in 1934.
He married twice: first in May 1936 to Diana Louise Jerrams (died 1950) of Springfield Clent, and secondly in June 1952 to Rachel Mary Jones, from Pedmore, Stourbridge
.
he served with the Royal Artillery
from 1939 to 1942, and then from 1942 to 1946 as a member of the Judge Advocate-General's staff.
He was a member of Staffordshire County Council from 1946 to 1949, and of Worcestershire County Council from 1953 to 1973, serving as the chairman of the latter from to 1959 to 1973. He was then chairman of Hereford and Worcester County Council from 1973 to 1977.
He was elected at the 1950 general election
as the MP for the newly-created Bromsgrove division
of Worcestershire. He was re-elected in 1951
, and stood down from the House of Commons at the 1955 general election
.
He was made a Deputy Lieutenant
of Worcestershire in August 1968, and it was announced in the New Year's Honours List 1969 that he was to be knight
ed. The knighthood was conferred on 11 February 1969, in Buckingham Palace
.
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
(30 May 1912 – 20 October 1995) was a solicitor
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
from Brierley Hill
Brierley Hill
Brierley Hill is a town and electoral ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, West Midlands, England. It is one of the larger Black Country towns with a population of 9,631 and is heavily industrialised, best known for glass and steel manufacturing, although the industry has declined...
who served as the Member of Parliament
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,...
(MP) for Bromsgrove
Bromsgrove (UK Parliament constituency)
Bromsgrove is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post voting system...
from 1950 to 1955.
Early life and family
Higgs was the son of Alert W. Higgs, a solicitor from LyeLye, West Midlands
Lye is a suburban area of the Black Country in England, between Halesowen and Stourbridge in Dudley Metropolitan Borough, West Midlands. It was formerly a village in the parish of Oldswinford, Worcestershire...
in Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
.
He was educated at Shrewsbury School
Shrewsbury School
Shrewsbury School is a co-educational independent school for pupils aged 13 to 18, founded by Royal Charter in 1552. The present campus to which the school moved in 1882 is located on the banks of the River Severn in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England...
and at the University of Birmingham
University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
, where he graduated with an LL.B. He was admitted as a solicitor in 1934.
He married twice: first in May 1936 to Diana Louise Jerrams (died 1950) of Springfield Clent, and secondly in June 1952 to Rachel Mary Jones, from Pedmore, Stourbridge
Stourbridge
Stourbridge is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, in the West Midlands of England. Historically part of Worcestershire, Stourbridge was a centre of glass making, and today includes the suburbs of Amblecote, Lye, Norton, Oldswinford, Pedmore, Wollaston, Wollescote and Wordsley The...
.
Career
During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he served with 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:...
from 1939 to 1942, and then from 1942 to 1946 as a member of the Judge Advocate-General's staff.
He was a member of Staffordshire County Council from 1946 to 1949, and of Worcestershire County Council from 1953 to 1973, serving as the chairman of the latter from to 1959 to 1973. He was then chairman of Hereford and Worcester County Council from 1973 to 1977.
He was elected at the 1950 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1950
The 1950 United Kingdom general election was the first general election ever after a full term of a Labour government. Despite polling over one and a half million votes more than the Conservatives, the election, held on 23 February 1950 resulted in Labour receiving a slim majority of just five...
as the MP for the newly-created Bromsgrove division
Bromsgrove (UK Parliament constituency)
Bromsgrove is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post voting system...
of Worcestershire. He was re-elected in 1951
United Kingdom general election, 1951
The 1951 United Kingdom general election was held eighteen months after the 1950 general election, which the Labour Party had won with a slim majority of just five seats...
, and stood down from the House of Commons at the 1955 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1955
The 1955 United Kingdom general election was held on 26 May 1955, four years after the previous general election. It resulted in a substantially increased majority of 60 for the Conservative government under new leader and prime minister Sir Anthony Eden against Labour Party, now in their 20th year...
.
He was made a Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
of Worcestershire in August 1968, and it was announced in the New Year's Honours List 1969 that he was to be knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
ed. The knighthood was conferred on 11 February 1969, in Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
.