Ralph George Scott Bankes (24 October 1900 – 22 May 1948) was a British 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 Diocesan Chancellor

Chancellor (ecclesiastical)

Two quite distinct officials of some Christian churches have the title Chancellor.*In some churches, the Chancellor of a diocese is a lawyer who represents the church in legal matters....

.

Bankes was born to Ralph Vincent Bankes and Ethel Georgina Mount (daughter of William George Mount

William George Mount

Sir William George Mount was a British Conservative politician and first Member of Parliament for the Newbury constituency....

 M.P.). He was educated at Twyford School

Twyford School

Twyford School is a co-educational, independent, preparatory boarding and day school, located in the village of Twyford, Hampshire.-History:Twyford claims to be the oldest preparatory school in the United Kingdom....

, Winchester College

Winchester College

Winchester College is an independent school for boys in the British public school tradition, situated in Winchester, Hampshire, the former capital of England. It has existed in its present location for over 600 years and claims the longest unbroken history of any school in England...

, and at Magdalen College, Oxford

Magdalen College, Oxford

Magdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million. Magdalen is currently top of the Norrington Table after over half of its 2010 finalists received first-class degrees, a record...

, where he graduated in 1923, and in 1927 was awarded an M.A.

He was admitted to the 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...

 as barrister in 1924. He became Chancellor of the Diocese of Blackburn

Diocese of Blackburn

The Diocese of Blackburn is a Church of England diocese, covering much of Lancashire, created in 1926 from part of the Diocese of Manchester. The Diocese includes the towns of Blackburn, Blackpool, Burnley, and the cities of Lancaster, and Preston, as well as a large part of the Ribble Valley...

 and Manchester

Anglican Diocese of Manchester

The Diocese of Manchester is a Church of England diocese in the Province of York, England. Based in the city of Manchester, the diocese covers much of the county of Greater Manchester and small areas of the counties of Lancashire and Cheshire.-History:...

 in 1935, Coventry

Diocese of Coventry

The Diocese of Coventry is a Church of England diocese in the Province of Canterbury. It is headed by the Bishop of Coventry, who sits at Coventry Cathedral in Coventry, and is assisted by one suffragan bishop, the Bishop of Warwick. The diocese covers Coventry and Warwickshire.The diocese is...

 in 1937, and Durham

Diocese of Durham

The Diocese of Durham is a Church of England diocese, based in Durham, and covering the historic County Durham . It was created in AD 1000 to replace the Diocese of Lindisfarne...

 in 1940. From 1941-46, he was the acting Principal of the Ministry of Labour and National Service. On 15 November 1943 he was appointed Chairman of the Court of Quarter Sessions of the County of Flint, being Deputy Chairman since 1940.

From his time at Oxford in 1923 to his death, he was associated with The Working Men’s College, as benefactor, teacher, and member of College Council and the Executive Committee. He was a keen College sportsman with a passion for cricket, while being Chairman of the Playing Fields Committee. He died playing cricket at the Playing Fields.

Ralf George Scott Bankes never married.