Clarence Henry Willcock

Clarence Harry Willcock (23 January 1896 – 12 December 1952) a member of the Liberal Party, was the last person in the United Kingdom to be prosecuted for refusing to produce an identity card.

Willcock was born in Alverthorpe, Wakefield, Yorkshire, the illegitimate son of Harry Cruickshank, a native of Leeds who worked in the textile trade, and Ella Brooke, whose family ran a wholesale tailoring business. He was subsequently adopted by a widow, Mary Willcock, whose surname he adopted. During World War I he served with the Northumberland Fusiliers, but was not sent overseas.

He was active in Liberal politics, and stood for Parliament as the Liberal candidate in Barking in 1945 and 1950, coming third in both contests. He had also been a councillor and magistrate in Horsforth, Leeds. At the time of the events which gave rise to Willcock v. Muckle, he was the manager of a successful dry cleaning firm in London.

Compulsory identity cards had been re-introduced during World War II under the National Registration Act 1939. After the War the Labour government of Clement Attlee decided to continue the scheme.

On 7 December 1950, Willcock was stopped for speeding on Ballard's Lane, North Finchley. Police Constable Harold Muckle asked him to produce his identity card. Willcock refused, reportedly saying "I am a Liberal, and I am against this sort of thing". Muckle gave Willcock a form to produce his identity card at any police station within two days, to which Willcock replied "I will not produce it at any police station and I will not accept the form". He then threw the form on the ground. Willcock failed to produce the form within the prescribed period of time, and he was prosecuted under the National Registration Act 1939.

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