Alfred Denning, Baron Denning: Man

“"The poorest man may in his cottage bid defiance to all the forces of the Crown. It may be frail— its roof may shake— the wind may blow through it— the storm may enter— the rain may enter— but the King of England cannot enter— all his force dares not cross the threshold of the ruined tenement." So be it— unless he has justification by law.”

Alfred Denning, Baron Denning

Southam v Smout [1964] 1 QB 308 at 320.
Denning was quoting William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham
Judgments

Law

“The statute in section 3(1) contains a definition of a “racial group”. It means a “group of persons defined by reference to colour, race, nationality or ethnic or national origins.” That definition is very carefully framed. Most interesting is that it does not include religion or politics or culture. You can discriminate for or against Roman Catholics as much as you like without being in breach of the law. You can discriminate for or against Communists as much as you please, without being in breach of the law. You can discriminate for or against the “hippies” as much as you like, without being in breach of the law. But you must not discriminate against a man because of his colour or of his race or of his nationality, or of “his ethnic or national origins.” … You must remember that it is perfectly lawful to discriminate against groups of people to whom you object - so long as they are not a racial group. You can discriminate against the Moonies or the Skinheads or any other group which you dislike or to which you take objection. No matter whether your objection to them is reasonable or unreasonable, you can discriminate against them - without being in breach of the law.’}}”

Alfred Denning, Baron Denning

Denning judged in the Court of Appeal at the time, and held that Sikhs were not a racial or ethnic group. His ruling was overturned in the House of Lords, notably by Ian Fraser, Baron Fraser of Tullybelton, who outlined seven points by which ethno-religious groups were to be defined.
Judgments

People , Religion , Law , Personality

“Old Peter Beswick was a coal merchant in Eccles, Lancashire. He had no business premises. All he had was a lorry, scales, and weights. He used to take the lorry to the yard of the National Coal Board, where he bagged coal and took it round to his customers in the neighbourhood. His nephew, John Joseph Beswick, helped him in his business. In March 1962, old Peter Beswick and his wife were both over 70. He had had his leg amputated and was not in good health. The nephew was anxious to get hold of the business before the old man died. So they went to a solicitor, Mr. Ashcroft, who drew up an agreement for them.”

Alfred Denning, Baron Denning

Beswick v. Beswick [1966] Ch 538.
Judgments

Health , Business , Help

“So there was Mr. Jarvis, in the second week, in this hotel with no house party at all, and no one could speak English, except himself. He was very disappointed, too, with the skiing. […] There were no ordinary length skis. There were only mini-skis about 3 ft. long. So he did not get his skiing as he wanted to. […] He did not have the nice Swiss cakes which he was hoping for. The only cakes for tea were potato crisps and little dry nut cakes. The yodler evening consisted of one man from the locality who came in his working clothes for a little while, and sang four or five songs very quickly. […] Mr. Jarvis has only a fortnight's holiday in the year. He books it far ahead, and looks forward to it all that time. He ought to be compensated for the loss of it.”

Alfred Denning, Baron Denning

Jarvis v. Swans Tours Ltd. [1973] Q.B. 233 (C.A).
Judgments

Books , Hope , Disappointment , Loss

“A fiduciary duty to one's brothers is not something that need bind the hand of any man if he can satisfy the Court on the balance of probabilities that, through his actions, he would get some.”

Alfred Denning, Baron Denning

Kerry v. Smith & Warden [1967] 1 QB 347.
Judgments