Sheila Cameron
Encyclopedia
Sheila Morag Clark Cameron, CBE
, QC
, DCL
(born 22 March 1934), is a British lawyer
. She was Dean of the Arches and Official Principal of the Arches Court
of Canterbury from 2000 to 2009, and was therefore the senior ecclesiastical judge of the Church of England
in that period. Since 1983 she has been Vicar-General of Canterbury . From 1985 to 1999 she was a Recorder
.
Sheila is the daughter of Sir James Clark Cameron and Lady Irene M. Cameron, and was educated at the Commonweal Lodge
School, Purley
and St. Hugh's College, Oxford where she graduated MA. She was called to the Bar by the Middle Temple
in 1957. In 1960 she married fellow lawyer Gerard Charles Ryan and they had two sons. She has held various public offices, particularly in ecclesiastical law. She became QC
in 1983 and a bencher
of the Middle Temple in 1988. In 2002 she earned a Lambeth
DCL
and in 2004 was awarded the CBE.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, QC
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
, DCL
Doctor of Civil Law
Doctor of Civil Law is a degree offered by some universities, such as the University of Oxford, instead of the more common Doctor of Laws degrees....
(born 22 March 1934), is a British 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...
. She was Dean of the Arches and Official Principal of the Arches Court
Arches Court
The Arches Court, presided over by the Dean of Arches, is an ecclesiastical court of the Church of England covering the Province of Canterbury. Its equivalent in the Province of York is the Chancery Court.-Provincial Court:...
of Canterbury from 2000 to 2009, and was therefore the senior ecclesiastical judge of the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
in that period. Since 1983 she has been Vicar-General of Canterbury . From 1985 to 1999 she was a Recorder
Recorder (judge)
A Recorder is a judicial officer in England and Wales. It now refers to two quite different appointments. The ancient Recorderships of England and Wales now form part of a system of Honorary Recorderships which are filled by the most senior full-time circuit judges...
.
Sheila is the daughter of Sir James Clark Cameron and Lady Irene M. Cameron, and was educated at the Commonweal Lodge
Commonweal Lodge
Commonweal Lodge was an independent school for girls aged between eleven and nineteen, located on the Webb Estate in Purley operating between 1916 and 2010.-History:...
School, Purley
Purley, London
Purley is a place in the London Borough of Croydon, England. It is a suburban development situated 11.7 miles south of Charing Cross.The name derives from "pirlea", which means 'Peartree lea'. Purley has a population of about 72,000....
and St. Hugh's College, Oxford where she graduated MA. She was called to the Bar by the Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
in 1957. In 1960 she married fellow lawyer Gerard Charles Ryan and they had two sons. She has held various public offices, particularly in ecclesiastical law. She became QC
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
in 1983 and a bencher
Bencher
A bencher or Master of the Bench is a senior member of an Inn of Court in England and Wales. Benchers hold office for life once elected. A bencher can be elected while still a barrister , in recognition of the contribution that the barrister has made to the life of the Inn or to the law...
of the Middle Temple in 1988. In 2002 she earned a Lambeth
Lambeth degree
A Lambeth degree is an academic degree conferred by the Archbishop of Canterbury under the authority of the Ecclesiastical Licences Act 1533 as successor of the papal legate in England...
DCL
Doctor of Civil Law
Doctor of Civil Law is a degree offered by some universities, such as the University of Oxford, instead of the more common Doctor of Laws degrees....
and in 2004 was awarded the CBE.