Maurice Holmes (barrister)
Encyclopedia
Sir Maurice Andrew Holmes (28 July 1911 – 21 December 1997) was a barrister
and Chairman of the London Transport Board
from 1965 to 1969.
Holmes attended Felsted School
, Essex
.
During the Second World War he served in the Royal Army Service Corps
from 1941 to 1945, achieving the rank of Major
. After the war, he was called to the bar at Gray's Inn
in 1948 where he practised until 1955.
In 1955, he became a director of Tillings Association Limited
and then Chairman in 1960, a post he held until 1965 when he became Chairman of the London Transport Board
which controlled the London Underground
and London's buses. He served as Chairman of the LTB until the end of 1969 when it was replaced by the Greater London Council
-controlled London Transport Executive
. He then acted as the administrator of the South-eastern Law Circuit until 1974.
Holmes was knighted
in 1969.
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 Chairman of the London Transport Board
London Transport Board
The London Transport Board was the organisation responsible for public transport in London, UK, and its environs from 1963-1969. In common with all London transport authorities from 1933 to 2000, the public name and operational brand of the organisation was London Transport.-History:The...
from 1965 to 1969.
Holmes attended Felsted School
Felsted School
Felsted School, an English co-educational day and boarding independent school, situated in Felsted, Essex. It is in the British Public School tradition, and was founded in 1564 by Richard Rich, 1st Baron Rich who, as Lord Chancellor and Chancellor of the Court of Augmentations, acquired...
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
.
During the Second World War he served in the Royal Army Service Corps
Royal Army Service Corps
The Royal Army Service Corps was a corps of the British Army. It was responsible for land, coastal and lake transport; air despatch; supply of food, water, fuel, and general domestic stores such as clothing, furniture and stationery ; administration of...
from 1941 to 1945, achieving the rank of Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
. After the war, he was called to the bar 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...
in 1948 where he practised until 1955.
In 1955, he became a director of Tillings Association Limited
Thomas Tilling
Thomas Tilling Ltd, later known with its subsidiary companies as the Tilling Group, was one of the two huge groups which controlled almost all the major bus operators in the United Kingdom between the wars and until nationalisation in 1948....
and then Chairman in 1960, a post he held until 1965 when he became Chairman of the London Transport Board
London Transport Board
The London Transport Board was the organisation responsible for public transport in London, UK, and its environs from 1963-1969. In common with all London transport authorities from 1933 to 2000, the public name and operational brand of the organisation was London Transport.-History:The...
which controlled the London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
and London's buses. He served as Chairman of the LTB until the end of 1969 when it was replaced by 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...
-controlled London Transport Executive
London Transport Executive (GLC)
The London Transport Executive was the executive agency within the Greater London Council, responsible for public transport in Greater London from 1970 to 1984...
. He then acted as the administrator of the South-eastern Law Circuit until 1974.
Holmes was knighted
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
in 1969.