Lynn Ungoed-Thomas facts for kids

Sir Arwyn Lynn Ungoed-Thomas (born June 29, 1904 – died December 4, 1972) was a Welsh politician from the Labour Party. He was also a respected judge in Britain.

Early Life and Family

Arwyn Lynn Ungoed-Thomas was born on June 29, 1904. His father, Evan Ungoed-Thomas, was a minister at a church in Carmarthen, Wales, for over 40 years. Arwyn went to school at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Carmarthen and Haileybury College. He later studied at Magdalen College, Oxford University. In 1933, he married Dorothy Wolfe. They had two sons and one daughter. Arwyn also enjoyed sports! He played rugby union for a team called Leicester Tigers in 1931. He played in eight games and scored two tries.

A Career in Law and Politics

Before becoming a politician, Arwyn Ungoed-Thomas served in the army during World War II. He rose to the rank of major. In 1945, he was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) for the Welsh area of Llandaff and Barry. An MP is a person elected to represent a group of people in the UK Parliament. When his old area was changed, he was elected again in 1950 for the new Leicester North East area. From April to October 1951, he worked as the Solicitor General. This is a senior lawyer who advises the government. At this time, he was given the title of Sir. He stayed as an MP until 1962. Then, he became a High Court judge, working in the Chancery Division. He continued as a judge until he passed away in 1972.

What is the European Convention on Human Rights?

Sir Arwyn was part of the British group at the Council of Europe. He strongly supported creating the European Convention on Human Rights. This agreement helps protect the basic rights and freedoms of people in Europe. However, he did not think there should be a special court to make sure the Convention was followed. He believed that a court and a commission (a group that investigates complaints) were not needed. One of his main concerns was that individuals, not just countries, could complain to the court if they felt their rights were violated. He worried that too many people would make complaints. After much discussion, his idea to reject the court was not accepted. He then suggested that individuals should not be allowed to complain to the Commission either. He thought this would lead to "shoals of applications" from people who imagined they had a complaint. Because of these concerns, the right for individuals to complain was made optional at first. This meant countries could choose whether to allow their citizens to complain directly. Since 1998, this right has become a mandatory part of the Convention.

Important Cases as a Judge

As a judge, Sir Arwyn Ungoed-Thomas is remembered for his important decisions. One well-known case was a tax case called Cheney v Conn (1968). He also made decisions in other notable cases, including:

• Re Golay's Will Trusts [1965]
• Cunliffe-Owen v Teather & Greenwood [1967]
• Hodgson v Marks [1971]