John Bernard Haysom Jackson (born 26 May 1929) is an author and campaigner, a current chairman at the solicitors firm Mishcon de Reya, and a former Chairman of the Countryside Alliance. Qualifying as a

barrister A barrister is a type of lawyer in common law jurisdictions. Barristers mostly specialise in courtroom advocacy and litigation. Their tasks include taking cases in superior courts and tribunals, drafting legal pleadings, researching law and ...

in 1954, he had a career in business and the technology industries during the 60s, 70s and 80s: most notably with technology company Philips. From the 90s onwards he moved into democratic and constitutional advocacy, particularly through the Countryside Alliance,

OpenDemocracy.net openDemocracy is an independent media platform and news website based in the United Kingdom. Founded in 2001, openDemocracy states that through reporting and analysis of social and political issues, they seek to "challenge power and encourage de ...

and

Unlock Democracy Unlock Democracy is a British pressure group, based in London. The organisation campaigns for a more participatory democracy in Britain, founded upon a written constitution. Unlock Democracy works to promote democratic reform across the politica ...

Early life and family

Jackson was born in Devon in 1929, where he lives now. His family moved to the Dorset coast for several years, and then to London as his father found work during the

Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

years of the 1930s. He was educated at The King's School, Canterbury, and from there he went on to the University of Cambridge to read law as the Squire Scholar in 1949, before qualifying in 1954. Jackson has three children, five grandchildren and two great grandchildren, and has been married twice. He spent much of his married life in Kent, continuing the self-sufficient lifestyle he learnt as a child.

Career

Over the last 60 years Jackson has been engaged in a number of industries, holding chairmanships or directorships in Philips,

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, BHP, Graseby,

Instore ...instore was a chain of retail stores in the United Kingdom, selling a range of products and principally concentrating on value homeware items. The company was headquartered in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire but did not have a store in the town ...

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, WPP, Wyndham Press and in the

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. He was appointed non-solicitor Chairman of London law firm Mishcon de Reya., in 1992 Jackson has also become increasingly involved in political and constitutional debates, initially through campaigning with the Countryside Alliance, and later by contributing to public discussions and writing articles.

Publishing

John Jackson's first book, ''A Bucket of Nuts and a Herring Net'' was published in 1979 (Collins and Harvill Press). It was an account of family life on a small-holding in rural Kent, and of self-sufficiency. The book was reprinted with a new introduction and an end piece in 2000, as ''A Little Piece of England: A Tale of Self-Sufficiency'' by Merlin Unwin Books. Jackson's independent publishing venture JJ Books was launched in 2011, with the aim of JJ Books reissued ''A Little Piece of England'' in July 2011. In October 2011, the company published the hardback edition of "Tales for Great Grandchildren", a collection of fables and mythological tales that Jackson gathered during his travels in Nepal in 1978. The company plans to publish several new collections of stories (in illustrated hardback and digital editions).''JJ Books website'' 2011
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References

External links

OpenDemocracy.net

Unlock Democracy

JJ Books

Mishcon de Reya
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jackson, John Alumni of the University of Cambridge Businesspeople from Devon Living people English democracy activists English lawyers 1929 births