Simon Goldblatt QC (24 December 1928 – 2 November 2021)[1] was a British Barrister and Liberal Party politician.

Background edit

Simon Goldblatt was born in 1928. He was educated at Eton College, going up in 1941 as one of the few Jewish boys in attendance and ending his time there as captain of the school.[2] He then studied the law tripos at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, graduating with a first-class degree in the subject in 1950.[3]

Professional career edit

Goldblatt was called to the Bar in 1953.[4] He joined chambers soon thereafter. He took silk in 1972 (having effectively been positively invited to do so by the appellate committee of the House of Lords, one of whose members had commented in one case that they "took it most ill that submissions of that calibre come otherwise than from the front bench"), and was made a Bencher in 1982.[4]

He was head of chambers at Essex Chambers from 1983 until 1986.[1] He continued to practise there alongside occasional stints as a Deputy High Court Judge, where he had a tendency to find alternative paths to correct jurisprudence to those presented to him by counsel. He was still attending chambers daily, up to some weeks before his death. His personal interests included foreign travel, philately, and porcelain.[1]

Political career edit

Goldblatt was President of the West Midlands Young Liberals Federation, and was a Member of the Liberal Party Council.[5] He was the Liberal candidate for the Rugby division of Warwickshire at the 1959 and 1964 General Elections, and for the Twickenham division of Middlesex at the 1966 General Election. He did not stand for parliament again.[6]

Election results edit

General Election 1959: Rugby[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Roy Wise 17,429 42.6 -4.0
Labour James Johnson 16,959 41.4 -8.7
Liberal Simon Goldblatt 6,413 15.7 N/A
Independent Archibald S. Frost 142 0.4 N/A
Majority 470 1.2 -2.3
Turnout 40,924 85.6 +0.2
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
General Election 1964: Rugby[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Alfred Roy Wise 19,221 45.1 +2.5
Labour David H. Childs 17,532 41.2 -0.2
Liberal Simon Goldblatt 5,522 13.0 -2.7
Social Credit Party Archibald S. Frost 304 0.7 N/A
Majority 1,689 4.0 +2.8
Turnout 42,580 84.6 -1.0
Conservative hold Swing
General Election 1966: Twickenham[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Roger Gresham Cooke 26,512 47.7
Labour David Carlton 18,884 34.0
Liberal Simon Goldblatt 10,160 18.3
Majority 7,628 13.7
Turnout 55,556 78.6
Conservative hold Swing

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c "Simon Goldblatt QC (24 December 1928 – 2 November 2021) - 39 Essex Chambers | Barristers' Chambers". 3 November 2021.
  2. ^ "Simon Goldblatt QC Visits Walworth Academy". Ark Walworth Academy. 28 June 2016. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
  3. ^ 'University Results: Cambridge Tripos Lists', The Times Educational Supplement, 23 June 1950, p. 494. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Goldblatt, Simon". Who's Who. Vol. 2023 (online ed.). A & C Black. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  5. ^ The Times Guide to the House of Commons, 1959
  6. ^ British parliamentary election results 1950-1973, Craig, F.W.S.
  7. ^ British parliamentary election results 1950-1973, Craig, F.W.S.
  8. ^ British parliamentary election results 1950-1973, Craig, F.W.S.
  9. ^ British parliamentary election results 1950-1973, Craig, F.W.S.