Sydney Templeman, Baron Templeman
Lord Justice of Appeal | |
|---|---|
| In office 1978–1982 | |
| Justice of the High Court | |
| In office 1972–1978 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Sydney William Templeman 3 March 1920 |
| Died | 4 June 2014 (aged 94) |
| Nationality | British |
| Spouses |
|
| Relations | Anthony Templeman |
| Residence | Exeter |
| Alma mater | St John's College, Cambridge |
| Profession | Barrister |
Sydney William Templeman, Baron Templeman,
Early life and career
Templeman was born on 3 March 1920, the son of Herbert William Templeman (a
After the War, he returned to Cambridge to finish his studies, and read Law. He was called to the bar by the
Templeman became a member of the
Judicial career
Templeman was appointed to the
On 30 September 1982, Templeman was made a
Lord Templeman made significant contributions to English law during his time as a judge, both within and outside his specialist field of tax law and intellectual property law. He gave leading speeches upholding orthodox doctrine against calls for reform in the important land law cases of Prudential Assurance Co Ltd v London Residuary Body [1992] 2 AC 386 and Rhone v Stephens [1994] 2 AC 310. [clarification needed][citation needed] He also sponsored the Land Registration Act 1988, which led to the land register of England and Wales being open to the public for the first time in 1990. [citation needed]
Revenue cases
Templeman is famous for paving the way for later judges to combat
Social views
Templeman also handed down a number of judgments which were very socially conservative. In
Other significant cases, in which Lord Templeman appeared, were the Spycatcher case (relating to the duty of confidentiality and the Official Secrecy Act)[5] and dismissing the claims of the mother of Jacqueline Hill, the last victim of the Peter Sutcliffe (the "Yorkshire Ripper"), against the police for failing to apprehend the killer before he murdered her.[6][7]
Judicial style
During his time on the bench, Lord Templeman was known to be short with counsel who persisted with a line of argument after he had made up his mind, which earned him the affectionate sobriquet, "Syd Vicious".[1]
Lord Templeman was also renowned for his colourful language. In Borden (UK) Ltd v Scottish Timber Products Ltd [1979] 3 WLR 672 at 686 he remarked:
"At some distant date, when the court has unearthed the unearthable, traced the untraceable and calculated the incalculable, there will emerge the sum, which it is said belongs to the plaintiffs in equity. This sum, which is immune from the claims of Crown and mortgagee, debenture holder and creditor, a sum secured to the plaintiffs by a simple retention of title clause, which referred only to resin but was pregnant with all the consequences alleged in the statement of claim and hidden from the gaze of all other persons who dealt with the defendants."
When he expressed judicial opinions - either on legal or social issues - he often did so in strident tones. In
However, he was also capable of striking a deeply compassionate note. Whilst dismissing the claim of Anita Hill's mother for the murder of her daughter, he said: "The appellant, Mrs. Hill, is tormented with the unshakeable belief that her daughter would be alive today if the respondent the West Yorkshire police force had been more efficient. That belief is entitled to respect and understanding. Damages cannot compensate for the brutal extinction of a young life."[8]
Personal
Templeman was an active
Family
Lord Templeman had two sons, Peter (a Church of England vicar) and Michael (a barrister).
Death
Lord Templeman died on 4 June 2014.[10]
Arms
  |
|
Notable cases
- Anisminic v Foreign Compensation Commission[1969] 2 AC 147
- Black Nominees Ltd v Nicol [1975] TR 93; [1975] STC 372
- EMI Limited v Pandit [1975] 1 All ER 418
- Mandla v Dowell-Lee [1983] 2 AC 548[12]
- Street v Mountford [1985] AC 809
- Gillick v West Norfolk Area Health Authority[1985] AC 112
- Miles v Wakefield Metropolitan District Council [1987] AC 539
- China and South Sea Bank v Tan [1990] 1 AC 536
- JH Rayner (Mincing Lane) Ltd v Department of Trade and Industry [1990] 2 AC 418
- Lipkin Gorman v Karpnale Ltd [1991] 3 WLR 10
- Prudential Assurance Co Ltd v London Residuary Body [1992] 2 AC 386
- R v Brown [1994] 1 AC 212
- Attorney General for Hong Kong v Reid [1994] 1 AC 324, [1994] 1 NZLR 1 (PC)
References
- ^ a b c "Lord Templeman – obituary". The Daily Telegraph. 11 June 2014.
- ^ "No. 45838". The London Gazette. 28 November 1972. p. 14103.
- ^ "No. 49131". The London Gazette. 6 October 1982. p. 12953.
- ISBN 0-7507-0461-6.
- ^ Attorney General v Guardian Newspapers Ltd (No 2) [1988] UKHL 6
- ^ Hill v Chief Constable of West Yorkshire [1987] UKHL 12
- ^ "Obituary - Sydney Templeman". The Independent. 19 June 2014. Archived from the original on 26 May 2022.
- ^ Hill v Chief Constable of West Yorkshire [1989] AC 53 at 64C.
- ^ "Power of the Masons - Myth of Menace?". Sunday People. 13 July 1986.
- ^ "Lord Templeman – obituary". Telegraph. Retrieved 12 June 2014.
- ^ Debrett's Peerage & Baronetage. 2000.
- ^ hrcr.org: "Mandla and another v Dowell Lee and another – HOUSE OF LORDS" [1983] 2 AC 548, [1983] 1 All ER 1062, [1983] 2 WLR 620, [1983] IC R 385, [1983] IRLR 209, (46 MLR 759, 100 LQR 120, [1984] CLJ 219)
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
