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Jeremy Hutchinson's Case Histories

From Lady Chatterley's Lover to Howard Marks

By (author) Thomas Grant
Format: Hardback
Publisher: John Murray Press, United Kingdom
Imprint: John Murray Publishers Ltd
Published: 4th Jun 2015
Dimensions: w 163mm h 236mm d 40mm
Weight: 1g
ISBN-10: 1444799738
ISBN-13: 9781444799736
Barcode No: 9781444799736
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Synopsis
THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER SHORTLISTED FOR THE CWA NON-FICTION DAGGER 'Thomas Grant has brought together Hutchinson's greatest legal hits, producing a fascinating episodic cultural history of post-war Britain that chronicles the end of deference and secrecy, and the advent of a more permissive society . . . Grant brings out the essence of each case, and Hutchinson's role, with clarity and wit' Ben Macintyre, The Times 'An excellent book . . . Grant recounts these trials in limpid prose which clarifies obscurities. A delicious flavouring of cool irony, which is so much more effective than hot indignation, covers his treatment of the small-mindedness and cheapness behind some prosecutions' Richard Davenport-Hines, Guardian Born in 1915 into the fringes of the Bloomsbury Group, Jeremy Hutchinson went on to become the greatest criminal barrister of the 1960s, '70s and '80s. The cases of that period changed society for ever and Hutchinson's role in them was second to none. In Case Histories, Jeremy Hutchinson's most remarkable trials are examined, each one providing a fascinating look into Britain's post-war social, political and cultural history. Accessibly and entertainingly written, Case Histories provides a definitive account of Jeremy Hutchinson's life and work. From the sex and spying scandals which contributed to Harold Macmillan's resignation in 1963 and the subsequent fall of the Conservative government, to the fight against literary censorship through his defence of Lady Chatterley's Lover and Fanny Hill, Hutchinson was involved in many of the great trials of the period. He defended George Blake, Christine Keeler, Great Train robber Charlie Wilson, Kempton Bunton (the only man successfully to 'steal' a picture from the National Gallery), art 'faker' Tom Keating, and Howard Marks who, in a sensational defence, was acquitted of charges relating to the largest importation of cannabis in British history. He also prevented the suppression of Bernardo Bertolucci's notorious film Last Tango in Paris and did battle with Mary Whitehouse when she prosecuted the director of the play Romans in Britain. Above all else, Jeremy Hutchinson's career, both at the bar and later as a member of the House of Lords, has been one devoted to the preservation of individual liberty and to resisting the incursions of an overbearing state. Case Histories provides entertaining, vivid and revealing insights into what was really going on in those celebrated courtroom dramas that defined an age, as well as painting a picture of a remarkable life. To listen to Jeremy Hutchinson being interviewed by Helena Kennedy on BBC Radio 4's A Law Unto Themselves, please follow the link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04d4cpv You can also listen to him on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs with Kirsty Young: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03ddz8m

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What Reviewers Are Saying

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Jan 13th 2016, 21:44
A DESERVEDLY POPULAR BIOGRAPHY
Awesome - 10 out of 10
A DESERVEDLY POPULAR BIOGRAPHY
OF A FEARLESS AND FAMOUS BARRISTER WHO SHAPED AND DEFINED AN ERA

An appreciation by Phillip Taylor MBE and Elizabeth Taylor of Richmond Green Chambers

This is a quite enthralling biography of a Bloomsbury-ish barrister famed for his silver tongued advocacy and utter fearlessness in front of irascible judges. From the famous Lady Chatterley and Fanny Hill trials to his defence of Christine Keeler (whose pivotal role in the resulting sex and spying scandal contributed to the downfall of the MacMillan government), Jeremy Hutchinson -- for it is he -- both shaped and defined an era of seismic social change.

Born in 1915, he went on to become, as many have said, the greatest criminal barrister of the 1960s, ‘70s and ‘80s – and yes, in 2015 he celebrated his 100th birthday, which this book, published by John Murray, commemorates. His biographer Thomas Grant QC, a fellow barrister and personal friend, recalls asking him why he had not written his memoirs. His reply was that he was far too busy living in the present to rake over the past – the attitude, obviously, of a high achiever who is essentially modest nonetheless -- and who wishes to keep his private life private. ‘I believe,’ he has said in his postscript which lends a valedictory note to the book, ‘that the life of the criminal advocate is enjoyable ephemeral.’

Fortunately for the reading public, this initial hesitancy was eventually overcome, with the completed book being the fascinating and enlightening result. The widespread interest and almost instant popularity engendered by the book shortly after publication is not at all surprising.

Although not necessarily a familiar household name, Jeremy Huthchinson was spectacularly well known in legal circles and in any number of other circles as well, many of them prominent. ‘He seems to have known everybody,’ remarked a recent reviewer.

For example, his acquaintances included TS Eliot, Kenneth Clark and the astronomer Edwin Hubble. He visited Aldous Huxley and Charlie Chaplin in America and married the famous Shakespearean actress, Peggy Ashcroft. Author Thomas Grant is careful to point out, however, that ‘the vast majority of the cases he undertook were for the unknown and the underprivileged… the kind of cases that make up the daily meat and drink of the criminal Bar.’

The postscript, penned in March 2015 will certainly be of interest to barristers and perhaps the general public too, amid concern that the nature and scope of the criminal bar is changing and not necessarily for the better.

In this age of austerity, the internet and other phenomena, barristers in general are less well remunerated for the difficult job they do. Correspondingly they are a lot less independent and a lot less fearless. One can only agree with Jeremy’s scathing comments on the ravages created by Chris Grayling’s tenure as Lord Chancellor in the hope that positive change and much needed reform will gradually be put in place by his successor, Michael Gove.

Those who support the preservation of individual liberty as fiercely as Jeremy Hutchison will love this book. Apart from being a lively narrative, thoroughly researched, it presents a revealing and vivid portrait of the dizzying pace of cultural, political and social change which took place in some of the most turbulent decades of the twentieth century.

The publication date is 2015.
Newspapers & Magazines
Throughout a long career, [Jeremy Hutchinson's] brilliant and stylish advocacy achieved success in cases that looked unwinnable -- Helena Kennedy Jeremy was not just a good lawyer; he was fearless in standing up to judges. He was a most formidable advocate of the 1960s and '70s and he had a marvellous sense of mischief -- Geoffrey Robertson Hutchinson provides the memories and Grant puts pen to paper. The result is a multifaceted object: a celebration of a brilliant career, an explanation of the legal process and a social and cultural history of the second half of the 20th century . . . Jeremy Hutchinson's Case Histories is, above all, a romance * Daily Telegraph * A fine reminder of the great democratic values enshrined in our legal system . . . Grant has cleverly produced what amounts to a cultural history of Britain in the rapidly changing post-war years . . . a greatly entertaining read which celebrates a barrister who stood up and argued with clarity and passion for various freedoms that we now take for granted * Daily Express * A fascinating look at Britain's post-war social, political and cultural history * Bookseller * [Jeremy Hutchinson] is my hero because of what he stands for today, as he continues to speak out against what he fears to be the loss of independent representation of those not merely down on their luck but down in the gutter. He is the living symbol of all that independent criminal advocacy means for justice and the rule of law * Guardian * Jeremy Hutchinson's Case Histories . . . makes a compelling read, and is a real contribution to the history of twentieth-century English mentalities. It is also a first-rate lesson in simple humanity . . . The pungency, intelligence and humour of [Thomas] Grant and his subject make this the most enlivening of case-books . . . [Jeremy Hutchinson] is abundant in the qualities of empathy, consideration and humour. He manages to be both charming and shatteringly truthful * Guardian * A fascinating episodic cultural history of postwar Britiain, that chronicles the end of the age of deference and secrecy, and the advent of a more permissive society . . . an impassioned defence of the criminal Bar itself . . . Grant brings out the essence of each case, and Hutchinson's role, with clarity and wit . . . a reminder of how many of the defining stories of modern times have been fought out through our courts, and changed by them * The Times * Given my automatic animus, you can imagine how confusing it was to be charmed into surrender by Thomas Grant's traversal of Hutchinson's long career as a QC * Observer * Jeremy Hutchinson's Case Histories reminds us of the celebrated, and infamous, cases in which Hutchinson appeared, the skills he deployed, and the importance of the criminal defence advocate to the rule of law. Reheated recollections of old cases rarely make for a tasty dish. But the ingredients of Hutchinson's casebook are exceptionally delicious, and Grant's recipe and presentation are irresistible . . . One of the merits of this entertaining collection of Jeremy Hutchinson's greatest hits is that the authentic sound of the great advocate can be heard again, loud and clear . . . Thomas Grant ensures that we understand Lord Hutchinson's achievements and the importance of the principles of criminal defence advocacy to a free society -- David Pannick QC * The Times * Author and QC Thomas Grant does a fine job . . . Hutchinson's priceless advocacy is every bit as powerful on the page and Grant brilliantly recaptures the tensions and drama of some of the most seminal Old Bailey criminal trials of the Sixties, Seventies and Eighties . . . It is hard to imagine a more interesting time for a criminal advocate to be working and this wonderful book is a celebration not just of the man but of the profession itself * Evening Standard * All these cases make thoroughly good reading, while vividly illuminating the morals and mores of that now distant period just a generation ago. But the sting in the tail of the book comes in the postscript by the centenarian Hutchinson himself . . . a powerful indictment of the wanton destruction by ignorant politicians of the whole edifice of British justice as he knew it * Financial Times * An attractive picture of a life honourably and enjoyably lived. Naturally, it supports the argument that we are a more civilised society today because of the battles which people like Hutchinson fought and won . . . So a happy century to Jeremy Hutchinson, who represented decency even when he defended indecency -- Charles Moore * Sunday Telegraph * His life reads like a history of the 20th century . . . A resounding postscript written by Jeremy Hutchinson himself shows that at the age of 100, he has lost none of his extraordinary power and authority * Daily Mail * Fascinating * Daily Mail * One of the most enjoyable books this summer is Jeremy Hutchinson's Case Histories, a biography by Thomas Grant of an extraordinary man * The Times * So began a career that would see Hutchinson, son of a renowned barrister, member of the artistic Bloomsbury set, prosecute and defend in some of the biggest criminal cases of the era, reshaping censorship and secrecy along the way, his life an extraordinary window into the 20th century * Brighton Argus * An excellent book charting some of Jeremy's more remarkable trials and his very eclectic clients, many of whom he cared for deeply * Daily Mail * Biographies of lawyers are very rare, but Hutchinson's career was so unusually varied that it makes a splendid subject for a book . . . [Grant's] book is clearly and elegantly written, turning Hutchinson's life into a satisfying moral history of 20th-century Britain * Literary Review * Jeremy Hutchinson's Case Histories encapsulates the fascinating untold stories behind the cases defining issues of homosexuality, espionage, class and deference that dominated post-war Britain and Hutchinson's own passion for penal reform * Telegraph * You could tell a brief social history of Britain through the career of Jeremy Hutchinson * The Times * [Jeremy Hutchinson's] life and trials are admirably captured in Thomas Grant's accessible book * The Times * Jeremy Hutchinson was the greatest criminal barrister of the 1960s, '70s and '80s. The cases of that period changed society for ever and Hutchinson's role in them was second to none. Here his most remarkable trials are examined, each one providing a fascinating look into Britain's post-war social, political and cultural history * Gransnet * A useful and highly entertaining potted history of a period when social deference and sexual prudery were on the way out. If one personal quality shines through this discreet and admiring book, it is Hutchinson's humanity and understanding of human frailty * TLS * At first glance, you might wonder how interesting a book about a lawyer can be. But once you open the pages of this one, you'll be instantly hooked . . . Totally terrific * Daily Mail * A brilliant and absorbing book about the life of a barrister. And what a life * Evening Standard * Thomas Grant has brought together Hutchinson's greatest legal hits, and in the process has produced a fascinating episodic cultural history of postwar Britain, chronicling the end of the age of deference and the advent of a more permissive society. More than that, this book is also an impassioned defence of the criminal Bar itself, and the bulwark of democracy enshrined in the principle that every person accused of crime is entitled to independent representation * The Times * Not just a celebration of a brilliant legal career but also a history of changing mores in Britain * Daily Telegraph * A likeable account of a life in the law * Sunday Times * Thomas Grant uses Hutchinson's cases to chart the seismic shift in British culture between 1960 and 1984, during which time the barrister appeared for the defence in landmark prosecutions such as Last Tango in Paris and The Romans in Britain. That we enjoy such broad artistic freedom today is partly thanks to Hutchinson, and this fascinating book reminds us why * Independent * A staunch defender of civil liberties, he defended Lady Chatterley's Lover, Christine Keeler and Howard Marks among many more and his life opens a lively window on to Britain during the second half of the 20th century * Daily Express * This book makes a compelling read, and is a real contribution to the history of 20th-century English mentalities. It is also a first-rate lesson in simple humanity * Guardian *