John Bernard Haysom Jackson (born 26 May 1929)[1] 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 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[2] and Unlock Democracy.[3]
John Jackson | |
|---|---|
| Born | John Bernard Haysom Jackson 26 May 1929 Devon, England |
| Education | University of Cambridge |
| Organization | Mishcon de Reya |
Early life and family
editJackson was born in Devon in 1929, where he lives now.[citation needed] His family moved to the Dorset coast for several years, and then to London as his father found work during the Great Depression years of the 1930s.[citation needed] 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,[citation needed] before qualifying in 1954.
Jackson has three children, five grandchildren and two great grandchildren, and has been married twice.[citation needed] He spent much of his married life in Kent, continuing the self-sufficient lifestyle he learnt as a child.[4]
Career
editOver the last 60 years Jackson has been engaged in a number of industries, holding chairmanships or directorships in Philips, Hilton, BHP, Graseby, Instore, Celltech, WPP, Wyndham Press and in the Oxford Technology Venture Capital Trusts.[5] He was appointed non-solicitor Chairman of London law firm Mishcon de Reya.,[6] in 1992[7]
Jackson has also become increasingly involved in political and constitutional debates, initially through campaigning with the Countryside Alliance,[8] and later by contributing to public discussions[9] and writing articles.[10][11]
Publishing
editJohn 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.[12]
Jackson's independent publishing venture JJ Books[13] 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.[14]
The company plans to publish several new collections of stories (in illustrated hardback and digital editions).[15]
References
edit- ^ "Birthdays today". The Telegraph. 26 May 2011. Archived from the original on 27 May 2011. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
Mr John Jackson, company chairman, 82
- ^ "42 days and the Constitution". openDemocracy.
- ^ "John Jackson". The Guardian.
- ^ [1][dead link] The Independent 2002
- ^ Oxford Technology Venture Capital Trusts
- ^ Mishcon de Reya
- ^ "John Jackson - Executive Profile & Biography". Bloomberg Businessweek. Archived from the original on 15 October 2012.
- ^ "Bitter split threatens Countryside Alliance". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 1 March 2016.
- ^ Intelligence Squared Archived 16 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "John Jackson". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 24 May 2018.
- ^ Open Democracy article
- ^ Merlin Unwin Books
- ^ JJ Books
- ^ JJ Books 2011
- ^ JJ Books website 2011