Terence Donovan, Baron Donovan
Encyclopedia
Terence Norbert Donovan, Baron Donovan PC
(13 June 1898 – 12 December 1971) was a British
Labour Party
politician, and later a judge.
Born in West Ham
, London
, Donovan came to office in the Labour landslide in the 1945 general election
. He was elected as Member of Parliament
for Leicester East
. When that constituency was abolished for the 1950 general election
, he was re-elected for the new Leicester North East
constituency.
However, Donovan resigned from the House of Commons
within weeks of the election, when he was appointed as a High Court judge
. He was promoted to the Appeals Court
in 1960, when he also became a Privy Counsellor
. In 1964 he was appointed as a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary
, remaining in post until 1971. As a Law lord he was given a life peerage as Baron Donovan, of Winchester in the County of Hampshire
. He died within the City of London
aged 73.
The Hon. Hugh Desmond Donovan, Lord Donovan's eldest son, married Margaret Mary Arbuthnott, second great-granddaughter of John Arbuthnott, 8th Viscount of Arbuthnott
, on 26 July 1968 and has issue: Charles Edward Horatius Arbuthnott Donovan, godson of The Hon Julia Maria Cristina Mildred Camoys Stonor
. Lord Donovan's other grandchildren include artist Miranda Donovan and musician Florence Donovan .
Donovan was the last Lord of Appeal in Ordinary
to have served in the House of Commons
.
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
(13 June 1898 – 12 December 1971) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
politician, and later a judge.
Born in West Ham
West Ham
West Ham is in the London Borough of Newham in London, England. In the west it is a post-industrial neighbourhood abutting the site of the London Olympic Park and in the east it is mostly residential, consisting of Victorian terraced housing interspersed with higher density post-War social housing...
, 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...
, Donovan came to office in the Labour landslide in the 1945 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1945
The United Kingdom general election of 1945 was a general election held on 5 July 1945, with polls in some constituencies delayed until 12 July and in Nelson and Colne until 19 July, due to local wakes weeks. The results were counted and declared on 26 July, due in part to the time it took to...
. He was elected as 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,...
for Leicester East
Leicester East (UK Parliament constituency)
- Elections in the 2000s :In 2005 this seat bucked the national trend as there was a swing to Labour whereas the national swing was 2.5% to the Conservatives.- Elections in the 1990s :- Elections in the 1970s :...
. When that constituency was abolished for 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...
, he was re-elected for the new Leicester North East
Leicester North East (UK Parliament constituency)
Leicester North East was a borough constituency in the city of Leicester. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
constituency.
However, Donovan resigned from the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
within weeks of the election, when he was appointed as a High Court judge
High Court judge
A High Court judge is a judge of the High Court of Justice, and represents the third highest level of judge in the courts of England and Wales. High Court judges are referred to as puisne judges...
. He was promoted to the Appeals Court
Court of Appeal of England and Wales
The Court of Appeal of England and Wales is the second most senior court in the English legal system, with only the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom above it...
in 1960, when he also became a Privy Counsellor
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
. In 1964 he was appointed as a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary
Lord of Appeal in Ordinary
Lords of Appeal in Ordinary, commonly known as Law Lords, were appointed under the Appellate Jurisdiction Act 1876 to the House of Lords of the United Kingdom in order to exercise its judicial functions, which included acting as the highest court of appeal for most domestic matters...
, remaining in post until 1971. As a Law lord he was given a life peerage as Baron Donovan, of Winchester in the County of Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
. He died within the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
aged 73.
The Hon. Hugh Desmond Donovan, Lord Donovan's eldest son, married Margaret Mary Arbuthnott, second great-granddaughter of John Arbuthnott, 8th Viscount of Arbuthnott
John Arbuthnott, 8th Viscount of Arbuthnott
John Arbuthnott, 8th Viscount of Arbuthnott was a Scottish peer and soldier. Known as "the rich Lord" he built the bridge in front of Arbuthnott House...
, on 26 July 1968 and has issue: Charles Edward Horatius Arbuthnott Donovan, godson of The Hon Julia Maria Cristina Mildred Camoys Stonor
Julia Camoys Stonor
Julia Maria Cristina Mildred Camoys Stonor is the eldest daughter of Sherman Stonor, 6th Baron Camoys by his wife Jeanne Stourton...
. Lord Donovan's other grandchildren include artist Miranda Donovan and musician Florence Donovan .
Donovan was the last Lord of Appeal in Ordinary
Lord of Appeal in Ordinary
Lords of Appeal in Ordinary, commonly known as Law Lords, were appointed under the Appellate Jurisdiction Act 1876 to the House of Lords of the United Kingdom in order to exercise its judicial functions, which included acting as the highest court of appeal for most domestic matters...
to have served in the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
.
See also
- The Report of the Royal Commission on Trade Unions and Employers’ AssociationsReport of the Royal Commission on Trade Unions and Employers’ AssociationsThe Report of the Royal Commission on Trade Unions and Employers’ Associations Cmnd 3623, known as the "Donovan Report", was an inquiry into the system of collective UK labour law, chaired by Lord Donovan and heavily influenced by one if its main authors, Sir Otto Kahn-Freund.-Overview:The Donovan...
(1968) Cmnd 362