John Arnold Baker

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

Background

Baker was born in Calcutta the son of William Sydney Baker, MC and Hilda Dora Swiss. He was educated at Plymouth College, Wellington School, Somerset and Wadham College, Oxford 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.[1]

Professional career

In 1943 at the age of 18 Baker joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. After University in 1951 he was admitted as a Solicitor.[2] In 1955 he had published 'The Young Lawyer' written with J. L. Clay and John Beeching Frankenburg.[3] In 1960 he received a Call to the Bar, by Gray’s Inn. In 1972 he became a Recorder. 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.[4]

Political career

At University Baker got active in politics and was Treasurer of the Oxford Union from 1947-1948. 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, 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.[5] He was Liberal candidate for the Richmond division of Surrey at the 1959 General Election;

General Election 1959: Richmond (Surrey)
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Anthony Henry Fanshawe Royle 27,161 57.19
Labour Charles H Archibald 12,975 27.32
Liberal John Arnold Baker 7,359 15.49
Majority 14,186 29.87
Turnout 79.35

He was again Liberal candidate for the Richmond division of Surrey at the 1964 General Election;

General Election 1964: Richmond (Surrey)
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Anthony Henry Fanshawe Royle 22,203 50.40
Labour Alan Charles Brownjohn 14,053 31.90
Liberal John Arnold Baker 7,800 17.70
Majority 8,150 18.50
Turnout 76.46

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.[6] He was Liberal candidate for the Dorking division of Surrey at the 1970 General Election.

General Election 1970: Dorking [7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Sir George Evelyn Sinclair 25,393 59.0 +5.2
Labour W. John Fahy 10,523 24.5 -3.9
Liberal John Arnold Baker 7,103 16.5 -1.3
Majority 14,870 34.6
Turnout 43,019 72
Conservative hold Swing +4.6

He did not stand for parliament again.[8] He was involved with the Apex Trust becoming a Trustee in 2002 and a Patron in 2006.[9]

In 2005 his memoirs entitled 'Ballot Box to Jury Box' were published.[10] Baker died in June 2016 at the age of 90.[11][12]

Party political offices
Preceded by
Michael Eden		 Chairman of the Liberal Party
1969–1970 		Succeeded by
Richard Wainwright

References

  1. ↑ ‘BAKER, His Honour John Arnold’, Who's Who 2014, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2014; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2013 ; online edn, Dec 2013 accessed 19 Nov 2014
  2. ↑ ‘BAKER, His Honour John Arnold’, Who's Who 2014, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2014; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2013 ; online edn, Dec 2013 accessed 19 Nov 2014
  3. ↑ ‘FRANKENBURG, John Beeching’, Who Was Who, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2014; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014 ; online edn, April 2014 accessed 18 Nov 2014
  4. ↑ ‘BAKER, His Honour John Arnold’, Who's Who 2014, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2014; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2013 ; online edn, Dec 2013 accessed 19 Nov 2014
  5. ↑ The Times House of Commons, 1959
  6. ↑ ‘BAKER, His Honour John Arnold’, Who's Who 2016, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2016; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2015 ; online edn, Nov 2015 accessed 13 March 2016
  7. ↑ British parliamentary election results, 1950-1973 by FWS Craig
  8. ↑ British parliamentary election results 1974-1983, Craig, F.W.S.
  9. ↑ ‘BAKER, His Honour John Arnold’, Who's Who 2014, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2014; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2013 ; online edn, Dec 2013 accessed 19 Nov 2014
  10. ↑ ‘BAKER, His Honour John Arnold’, Who's Who 2014, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2014; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2013 ; online edn, Dec 2013 accessed 19 Nov 2014
  11. ↑ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2016/06/21/his-honour-john-baker-judge--obituary/
  12. ↑ http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/announcements/deaths/deaths/14577430.His_Honour_John_Arnold_Baker
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