Obituary

In Memoriam

The Greater London Magistrates’ Courts’ Authority slipped away quietly on the 31st of March 2005. A sickly infant, it was nevertheless born with high expectations. During a lengthy gestation period great plans were made for its future, although, sadly, few of them were to reach fruition. On its birth it received a handsome inheritance of a diverse but thriving system of local justice. Sadly much of this was squandered before its fifth and final birthday was to come about. Its ambitious plans to modernise the inherited estate came to naught, as the pre-existing tenantry exercised a resistance that proved to be insurmountable. Many new servants were appointed in the vain hope of improving the inherited system. The servants remain in post, but the improvements remain a chimaera.

The late Authority’s legacy has passed to the new-born Her Majesty’s Courts’ Service. The legatee has been the beneficiary of many such inheritances across the nation, and it is to be hoped that it will prove to be more careful of its heritage than was the newly-deceased Authority.

No flowers by request, but the desperate may send CVs to Sir Ron, c/o Courts ‘R’ Us, London.