Mr Justice Lynskey

Sir George Justin Lynskey (1888-1957) was born at Spring Hill, 26 Thomas Lane, Knotty Ash, Liverpool, on the 5th February 1888.[i] His father was the solicitor and Irish National League alderman, George Jeremy Lynskey (1861-1921). His mother was Honora Mary, nee Kearney. Lynskey was the eldest of six children.

Lynskey was educated at St. Francis Xavier’s College and the University of Liverpool, where he received a State Scholarship. Lynskey graduated with an LL.B. in 1907 with a first class. He followed this with an LL.M. in 1908. In due course, Lynskey was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Law (Honoris causa) in 1951.

Lynskey qualified as a solicitor in 1910. He was awarded the Liverpool Law Society’s Rupert Bremner gold medal. Lynskey commenced his legal career in his father’s solicitors practice as a managing clerk. The firm was located at 16 (later 30) Lord Street, Liverpool.

In due course, Lynskey was called to the Bar in 1920 by the Inner Temple. He commenced his practice as a barrister on the Northern Circuit. He became a King’s Counsel, taking silk in 1930. He went on to build up a very substantial practice. Amongst his pupil barristers were David Maxwell Fyfe, later Lord Chancellor the Earl of Kilmuir.

Lynskey was made a Bencher of the Inner Temple in 1938. He  was a judge of the Salford Court of Record from 1937 to 1944. The Law Times contains a vivid description of Lynskey, referring to him as “…genial, friendly, rubicund, with an inherited love of hospitality and conviviality.”[ii] The report goes on to note that ”He was extremely popular with his brethren on the Northern Circuit.”

Lynskey was appointed to the High Court on the 19th of July 1944. Lynskey’s ODNB editor has noted that Lynskey’s progression to the High Court bench was “not quite automatic”.[iii] Bryson observed, “Lynskey, locally schooled and from a redbrick university, with a large practice but almost exclusively in Lancashire and very rarely appearing in the law courts in London and not generally known there, did not have the background of normal High Court appointments at that time.”[iv] Nevertheless, Lynskey was appointed to the High Court King’s Bench Division by the then Lord Chancellor, Viscount Simon. Lynskey received the customary knighthood on the 6th of August 1944. As a judge, Lynskey spent a significant amount of time on assize work outside of London.

In 1948, Lynskey chaired the famous Lynskey Tribunal. This Tribunal was convened to investigate allegations of corruption at the Board of Trade involving ministers and civil servants. Lynskey was assisted  by two King’s Councils , Godfrey Vick KC and Gerald Upjohn KC, later Lord Upjohn, a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary. The government were represented by Sir Hartley Shawcross KC, the Attorney-General. The Lynskey Tribunal sat for 26 days. The judge delivered his report on the 28th of January 1949. The civil service were cleared. George Gibson and John Belcher both resigned from their ministerial positions. Lynskey was praised for his handling of the tribunal.

As a judge, Lynskey won praise. An early biographer and fellow High Court judge, Sir Fred Pritchard, wrote, “…he fully and rapidly justified the golden opinion which the legal profession had formed of him at the bar.”[v] Lynskey never had a judgment or sentence overturned by the Court of Appeal.

The Earl Jowitt, then Lord Chancellor, offered Lynskey a promotion to the Court of Appeal. Lynskey refused. He did sit in that court on an occasional basis whilst a High Court judge including, with the Lord Chief Justice Lord Goddard and Mr Justice Humphreys in William Joyce's famous appeal. This was an appeal against Joyce’s conviction for treason during World War II. The Court of Appeal panel refused the appeal.

Whilst hearing cases at the Manchester assizes, Lynskey was taken ill with coronary thrombosis. Lynskey died in Manchester Royal Infirmary on the 21st of December 1957. Lynskey was buried at Brooklands Cemetery in Weybridge.

His wife, Eileen Mary (nee Prendiville), survived him. They had married on the 24th of September 1913. Together they had two daughters, Eileen Mary (Mrs Gardiner), and Noreen (Mrs Wightman-Smith). Lynskey was a fan of Everton Football Club. 

Written by Dr John Tribe.

References

[i] See further: Bryson, G.  (2011, January 06). Lynskey, Sir George Justin (1888–1957), judge. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press, Oxford. Hereafter Bryson. See also: Bryson, G. Mr Justice Lynskey, in: Fagan, N & Bryson, G & Elston, C (Eds). A Century of Liverpool Lawyers. Liverpool Law Society, Liverpool. 2002, p.114.

[ii] Law Times.

[iii] Bryson.

[iv] Bryson.

[v] Pritchard ODNB.

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