Robert Walker, Baron Walker of Gestingthorpe

Robert Walker, Baron Walker of Gestingthorpe, GBS, PC (17 March 1938 – 16 November 2023) was a British barrister and Justice of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom. He served as a Non-Permanent Judge of the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal between 2009 and 2023.[1]

The Lord Walker of Gestingthorpe
Justice of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom
In office
1 October 2009 – 17 March 2013
Nominated byJack Straw
Appointed byElizabeth II
Preceded byPosition created
Succeeded byLord Toulson
Lord of Appeal in Ordinary
In office
1 October 2002 – 30 September 2009
Preceded byThe Lord Slynn of Hadley
Succeeded byPosition abolished
Lord Justice of Appeal
In office
1997–2002
High Court Judge
In office
1994–1997
Non-Permanent Judge of the Court of Final Appeal of Hong Kong
In office
1 March 2009 – 16 November 2023
Appointed byDonald Tsang
Personal details
Born
Robert Walker

(1938-03-17)17 March 1938
Died16 November 2023(2023-11-16) (aged 85)
NationalityBritish
Spouse
Suzanne Diana Leggi
(m. 1962)
Residence(s)London and Essex
Alma materTrinity College, Cambridge
OccupationJudge
ProfessionBarrister
Chinese name
Chinese
Transcriptions
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationWàh Hohk Gāai
JyutpingWaa4 Hok6 Gaai1

Walker sat in the House of Lords as a crossbencher until his retirement from the House on 17 March 2021.[2]

Early life and non-judicial career

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Robert Walker was born on 17 March 1938, as the son of Ronald Robert Antony Walker by his wife Mary Helen Welsh. He was educated at Downside School and Trinity College, Cambridge from where he graduated in 1959 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Classics and Law. He was called to the bar at Lincoln's Inn in 1960 and became a Queen's Counsel in 1982.

In 2010 he was the Treasurer of Lincoln's Inn.

Walker was an Honorary Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge.

Lord Walker of Gestingthorpe served on the Honorary Editorial Board of the Warwick Student Law Review from its inception in 2010.

Judicial career

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In 1994, Walker was appointed a High Court Judge in the Chancery Division, and as is customary was then made a Knight Bachelor, before appointment as a Lord Justice of Appeal in 1997. He succeeded Lord Slynn of Hadley as a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary in 2002 and was created a Life Peer as Baron Walker of Gestingthorpe, of Gestingthorpe in the County of Essex.[3][4] He and nine other Lords of Appeal in Ordinary became Justices of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom upon its inauguration on 1 October 2009.

Personal life

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Lord Walker of Gestingthorpe married Suzanne Diana Leggi in 1962. They had one son (Robert, born 1963) and three daughters (Penelope Mary, born 1966; Julian Diana, born 1968; and Henrietta Solveig, born 1972). He died on 16 November 2023, at the age of 85.[5]

Notable judgments

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Arms

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Coat of arms of Robert Walker, Baron Walker of Gestingthorpe
 
 
Crest
Out flames Or a dragon’s head sable gorged with an ancient crown Or.
Torse
Argent and Sable.
Escutcheon
Argent on a chevron between three dragons’ heads couped sable three crescents Or.
Supporters
On either side an ostrich reguardant Proper the head neck legs and grasping in the beak an ear of wheat slipped and leaved Or.
Motto
Mentem Mortalia Tangunt[6] [7]
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References

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  1. ^ "List of Judges and Judicial Officers (Position as at 1 September 2010)". Archived from the original on 23 January 2010. Retrieved 1 December 2010.
  2. ^ "Lord Walker of Gestingthorpe". UK Parliament. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  3. ^ "No. 56712". The London Gazette. 4 October 2002. p. 11976.
  4. ^ House of Lords (8 October 2002). "Announcement of his introduction at the House of Lords". minutes of proceedings. Retrieved 9 November 2006.
  5. ^ "UK Supreme Court pays tribute to former Justice Lord Walker". The Supreme Court. 21 November 2023. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  6. ^ Debrett's Peerage. 2015. p. 1261.
  7. ^ "Lincoln's Inn Great Hall, Ed28 Walker". Baz Manning. 13 July 2009. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
Legal offices
Preceded by
None
Non-Permanent Judge of the Court of Final Appeal of Hong Kong
2009–2023
Succeeded by
None