Victor Priestwood (1902-1954) served as Crown Advocate of the British Supreme Court for China from 1934 to 1939.

Victor Priestwood
British Crown Advocate for China
In office
1934–1939
Preceded byAllan Mossop
Succeeded byJohn McNeill
Personal details
BornMay 1902
Lancashire, England
Died1954
Surrey, England

Early life edit

Priestwood was born in May 1902 in Lancashire, England. He studied at Keble College, Oxford and was called to the bar of the Inner Temple on 29 January 1920. He passed his bar exams in April 1922. He was the second son of John George Priestwood, a solicitor who practiced in Shanghai.[1]

Legal career edit

In 1924, Priestwood moved to Shanghai. He was admitted before the British Supreme Court for China and joined his father in practice. Later he worked with Hiram Parkes Wilkinson and Allan Mossop the Crown Advocates of the court. In 1930, he acted as Crown Advocate of the court in the absence of Allan Mossop. Mossop was appointed as judge of the court in 1933 and in 1934 and Priestwood was appointed Crown Advocate.[2]

Termination of appointment edit

In late 1939, Priestwood's appointment as Crown Advocate was terminated.[3] In late 1940, left Shanghai for England arriving in early 1941. He joined the Royal Air Force on 28 February 1941 as a probationary pilot officer in the Administrative and Special Duties Branch and served in the RAF during World War II.[4]

Death edit

Priestwood died in 1954 in Surrey, England.[5]

References edit

  1. ^ Inner Temple Admissions Database.
  2. ^ Foreign Office List 1939
  3. ^ Foreign Office File: FO371/23523
  4. ^ London Gazette, 28 March 1941, p1815-6
  5. ^ Deaths Registered in July, August and September 1954