Origins & Early Life

Alfred Thompson Denning, Baron Denning, (23 January 1899 – 5 March 1999), was an English barrister and judge. He was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 1923 and became a King's Counsel in 1938. Denning became a judge in 1944 when he was appointed to the Probate, Divorce and Admiralty Division of the High Court of Justice, and transferred to the King's Bench Division in 1945. He was made a Lord Justice of Appeal in 1948 after less than five years in the High Court.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

He became a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary in 1957 and after five years in the House of Lords returned to the Court of Appeal as Master of the Rolls in 1962, a position he held for 20 years. In retirement he wrote several books and continued to offer opinions on the state of the common law through his writing and his position in the House of Lords. Margaret Thatcher said that Denning was "probably the greatest English judge of modern times". One of Lord Denning's successors as Master of the Rolls, Lord Bingham of Cornhill, called him "the best known and best loved judge in our history". Denning's appellate work in the Court of Appeal did not concern criminal law.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Mark Garnett and Richard Weight argue that Denning was a...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Al Capone — Contemporary (Born in 1899) (1899): Notorious American gangster and businessman during the Prohibition era.
• Alfred Hitchcock — Contemporary (Born in 1899) (1899): Master of Suspense, influential English filmmaker known for psychological thrillers.
• Bertil Ohlin — Contemporary (Born in 1899) (1899): Influential Swedish economist, Nobel Laureate, and politician.
• Akio Morita — Contemporary (Died in 1999) (1999): Visionary Japanese entrepreneur and co-founder of Sony.
• Ali Sayad Shirazi — Contemporary (Died in 1999) (1999): Key Iranian military commander during the Iran-Iraq War, assassinated in 1999.
• Anthony Newley — Contemporary (Died in 1999) (1999): Versatile English performer, celebrated for his songwriting and stage presence.
• Abraham ibn Ezra — Shared historical date (01-23 · Died) (1167): Distinguished 12th-century Sephardic rabbi, philosopher, and biblical commentator.
• Alexandre Cabanel — Shared historical date (01-23 · Died) (1889): Prominent French Academic painter, celebrated for historical and mythological subjects.
• Alessandro Volta — Shared historical date (03-05 · Died) (1827): Pioneering Italian physicist, credited with the electric battery and electrochemistry.
• Allan Nevins — Shared historical date (03-05 · Died) (1971): Pioneering American historian known for Civil War studies and business history.
• 1899 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1899
• January 23 (01-23) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on January 23
• 1999 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1999
• March 5 (03-05) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on March 5