James Fawcett
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Sir James Edmund Sandford Fawcett (16 April 1913 – 24 June 1991) was a British barrister. He was a member of the
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from 1962 to 1984, and its president from 1972 to 1981, and was knighted in 1984.‘FAWCETT, Sir James (Edmund Sandford)’, ''
Who Was Who ''Who's Who'' is a reference work. It is a book, and also a CD-ROM and a website, giving information on influential people from around the world. Published annually as a book since 1849, it lists people who influence British life, according to i ...
'', A. & C. Black, 1920–2008
online ed.
by
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, Dec 2007, accessed 15 January 2012
R. Y. Jennings, ‘Fawcett, Sir James Edmund Sandford (1913–1991)’, in ''
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'', Oxford University Press, 200
online edition
/ref>


Childhood and education

Fawcett was born in Wallingford, which was then in Berkshire. He was the son of Joseph Fawcett, a clergyman in the
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, and Edith (' Scattergood). He was educated at the
Dragon School ("Reach for the Sun") , established = 1877 , closed = , type = Preparatory day and boarding school and Pre-Prep school , religion = Church of England , president = , head_label = Head , head = Emma Goldsm ...
in Oxford and at
Rugby School Rugby School is a public school (English independent boarding school for pupils aged 13–18) in Rugby, Warwickshire, England. Founded in 1567 as a free grammar school for local boys, it is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain. ...
, and then read classics at New College, Oxford. He graduated with
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. He won a prize fellowship at All Souls College, Oxford, and was again a fellow at All Souls from 1961 to 1969. He won the
Eldon Law Scholarship The Eldon Law Scholarship is a scholarship awarded to students from the University of Oxford who wish to study for the English Bar. Applicants must either have obtained a first class honours degree in the Final Honours School, or obtained a distin ...
and was called to the bar by the
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in 1938.


Career

He worked practising as a barrister on the North-eastern Circuit. After the outbreak of the Second World War, he was commissioned in the
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in 1940, and served as the torpedo officer of a destroyer. He was awarded the
Distinguished Service Cross The Distinguished Service Cross (D.S.C.) is a military decoration for courage. Different versions exist for different countries. *Distinguished Service Cross (Australia) The Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) is a military decoration awarded to ...
in 1942 for sinking an Italian destroyer. After the war, he joined the Foreign Office as a legal adviser. He was a member of the UK's delegation to the
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in New York from 1948 to 1950, and also worked in the
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He assisted with the writing of the
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. He returned to private practice as a barrister in 1950, at the chambers led by
John Galway Foster Brigadier Sir John Galway Foster (21 February 1903 – 1 February 1982) was a British Conservative Party politician, British Army officer and legal scholar. He served as Member of Parliament for the Northwich constituency in Cheshire from 1945 ...
at 2 Hare Court. He appeared for the UK at the
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at
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several times. He was general counsel to the
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from 1955 to 1960, and he was a member of the
European Commission of Human Rights The European Commission of Human Rights was a special body of the Council of Europe. From 1954 to the entry into force of Protocol 11 to the European Convention on Human Rights, individuals did not have direct access to the European Court of Hu ...
from 1962 to 1984, serving as its president from 1972 to 1982. He was also director of studies at the
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(also known as Chatham House) from 1969 to 1973, and professor of international law at King's College London from 1976 to 1980. He published several books, including'' International Law and the Uses of Outer Space'' in 1968, ''The Law of Nations'', an introduction to international law, in 1968, and ''The Application of the European Convention on Human Rights'', an article by article commentary on the Convention, in 1969. He became a member of the
Institut de Droit International The Institute of International Law (French: Institut de Droit International) is an organization devoted to the study and development of international law, whose membership comprises the world's leading public international lawyers. The organizati ...
in 1973. He was appointed
Knight Bachelor The title of Knight Bachelor is the basic rank granted to a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not inducted as a member of one of the organised orders of chivalry; it is a part of the British honours system. Knights Bachelor are th ...
in the 1984 Birthday Honours, and took silk to become a
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in 1985.


Personal life

Fawcett married Frances Beatrice Lowe, the daughter of Elias Avery Lowe and
Helen Tracy Lowe-Porter Helen Tracy Lowe-Porter (June 15, 1876 – April 26, 1963) was an American translator and writer, best known for translating almost all of the works of Thomas Mann for their first publication in English. Personal life Helen Tracy Porter was the ...
, in St Pancras in 1937. They had met many years before, while both pupils at the Dragon School. They had one son, the journalist and author Edmund Fawcett, and four daughters. One of their daughters was the artist
Charlotte Johnson Wahl Charlotte Maria Offlow Johnson Wahl ('' née'' Fawcett; 29 May 1942 – 13 September 2021) was a British artist. She was the mother of politician Boris Johnson, as well as the journalist Rachel Johnson and the politician Jo Johnson. Early lif ...
, mother of former
British Prime Minister The prime minister of the United Kingdom is the head of government of the United Kingdom. The prime minister advises the sovereign on the exercise of much of the royal prerogative, chairs the Cabinet and selects its ministers. As moder ...
Boris Johnson Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (; born 19 June 1964) is a British politician, writer and journalist who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 2019 to 2022. He previously served as F ...
, the journalist
Rachel Johnson Rachel Sabiha Johnson (born 3 September 1965) is a British journalist, television presenter, and author who has appeared frequently on political discussion panels, including '' The Pledge'' on Sky News and BBC One's debate programme, '' Questi ...
, former government minister and life peer Jo Johnson, and the entrepreneur Leo Johnson. He enjoyed astronomy and played the piano. He died at Radcliffe Infirmary in Oxford after suffering a stroke, survived by his wife and five children.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fawcett, James 1913 births 1991 deaths Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom) People educated at The Dragon School People educated at Rugby School Alumni of New College, Oxford Knights Bachelor Academics of King's College London Members of the European Commission of Human Rights Council and directors of Chatham House English King's Counsel