His Honour John Arnold Baker DL (5 November 1925 – 13 June 2016) was a British judge and a

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politician.

Background

Baker was born in

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the son of William Sydney Baker, MC and Hilda Dora Swiss. He was educated at

Plymouth College Plymouth College is a co-educational independent school in Plymouth, Devon. History The school was established in 1877. In 1896 Plymouth College bought Mannamead School (founded in 1854), and was temporarily known as Plymouth and Mannamead Co ...

Wellington School, Somerset Wellington School is a co-educational independent day and boarding school in the English public school tradition for pupils aged 3–18 located in Wellington, Somerset, England. Wellington School was founded in 1837. Wellington School is a r ...

and

Wadham College, Oxford Wadham College () is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It is located in the centre of Oxford, at the intersection of Broad Street and Parks Road. Wadham College was founded in 1610 by Dorothy W ...

where he received a Master of Arts. In 1954 he married Edith Muriel Joy Heward. They had two daughters. In 1986 he was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant for Surrey.

Professional career

In 1943 at the age of 18 Baker joined the

Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Royal may refer to: People * Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name * A member of a royal family Places United States * Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Royal, Illinois, a village * Royal, Iowa, a cit ...

. After university in 1951 he was admitted as a solicitor. In 1955 he had published 'The Young Lawyer' written with J. L. Clay and

John Beeching Frankenburg John Beeching Frankenburg (19 April 1921 – 11 July 1981), was a British barrister and Liberal Party (UK), Liberal Party politician. Background Frankenburg was the son of Sidney Frankenburg JP and Charis Frankenburg, MA Oxon, SCM, JP. Sidney Frank ...

. In 1960 he received a

Call to the Bar The call to the bar is a legal term of art in most common law jurisdictions where persons must be qualified to be allowed to argue in court on behalf of another party and are then said to have been "called to the bar" or to have received "call to ...

, by

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. In 1972 he became a

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. In 1973 he became a Circuit Judge. He retired in 1998 at the age of 73. In 1986 he became President of the Medico-Legal Society, serving for two years.

Political career

At University Baker got active in politics and was treasurer of the Oxford Union from 1947 to 1948. He joined the Liberal Party and was active in the party's youth wing. In 1952 he became chairman of the

National League of Young Liberals National League of Young Liberals (NLYL), often just called the Young Liberals, was the youth wing of the British Liberal Party. It was in existence from 1903 to 1990. Together with the party's student wing, the Union of Liberal Students (ULS), the ...

, serving a one-year term. He also became active in the senior party at a national level. He was elected a member of the Liberal Party National Executive. He was Liberal candidate for the

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division of Surrey at the 1959 General Election; He was again Liberal candidate for the

division of Surrey at the 1964 General Election; He did not contest the 1966 General election. In 1968 he became a Vice-President of the Liberal Party. In 1969 he was elected Chairman of the Liberal Party National Executive. He was Liberal candidate for the

Dorking Dorking () is a market town in Surrey in South East England, about south of London. It is in Mole Valley District and the council headquarters are to the east of the centre. The High Street runs roughly east–west, parallel to the Pipp Br ...

division of Surrey at the 1970 General Election. He did not stand for parliament again. He was involved with the Apex Trust becoming a Trustee in 2002 and a Patron in 2006. In 2005 his memoirs entitled 'Ballot Box to Jury Box' were published. Baker died in June 2016 at the age of 90.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Baker, John Arnold 1925 births 2016 deaths Alumni of Wadham College, Oxford Deputy Lieutenants of Surrey Liberal Party (UK) parliamentary candidates Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve personnel of World War II