Stephen Bailey 2015

Having (somewhat to my surprise) been invited to take on the role of President of the Association for 2015-16, I have been asked to write something about myself for the Magazine. I was at the Boys’ Grammar School between 1960 and 1968 and the excellent education I had there formed the foundation for a life and career that I have very much enjoyed. I entered the School in 1960. My father, Henry Bailey, worked as an electrical engineer for Vickers Shipbuilders on the nuclear submarine programme. This entailed his working for three years at the Admiralty in Bath before we moved to Barrow in 1960.

I arrived at the Grammar School with something of a Somerset accent, which I recall did not go down too well. Nevertheless I did settle in and recall particular kindness from my form teachers in the First Year Mr Spry and Mr Kimber. Sam Price was the Headmaster for most of my time, with Fred Robinson taking over towards the end. It was also during my time at the School that the local council decided to establish comprehensive schools and a sixth form college in Barrow, which in due course entailed closure of the two Grammar Schools. I believe that this was most unfortunate and indeed at the time wrote to the Evening Mail (anonymously and with no effect beyond a careful response from Sam) to complain. Overall, I much enjoyed my time at the School, both academically and through my membership of the 3rd Barrow Scouts, led at various times by Bill Shepherd, John Winder and Mike Kirby. Being in the Scouts in particular got me up hills and mountains in such place as the Lakes, Yorkshire, Arran and Skye.

After leaving School I studied Law at Queens’ College Cambridge (1968-1972), taking BA (Law) and LLB degrees. (I think about a dozen people from my year got places in Oxford or Cambridge, which was a great testimony to the School’s academic standards.) In 1972 I was appointed to a Lectureship in Law at the University of Nottingham, and have stayed there ever since. I was promoted to be Professor of Public Law in 1989 and have been Head of the School of Law (1992-1994, 2007-2014). My main academic interests have been in public law (in particular civil liberties, judicial review and local government law), the operation of the English legal system and the law of tort. I have also been involved in University management as Dean of the Faculty of Law & Social Sciences (1994-1998) and as a Pro-Vice Chancellor (1998-2004).

 My wife, Maeve, and I have two sons. Benji is in his third year of four reading Modern History at the University of St Andrews. Christopher is a musician (lead vocals and guitar) with his band Field Studies. They are doing very well on the local scene in Nottingham and hope to move on to bigger things; their songs can be found on Soundcloud. In my spare time, I am a member of a folk group, Notts Alliance, which has appeared at folk clubs and festivals around the country. I have also been a non- executive director and Vice Chair of Derby Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and I am a member of the Board of Governors of the University of Lincoln.

Maeve and I had the pleasure of attending the Southern Branch lunch at Godstone in May this year. This was an excellent occasion and we were warmly welcomed.

 The Barrow Grammar Schools played an important part in the history of Barrow and the lives of many generations of pupils. It is wonderful that they are still remembered and celebrated.