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John Widgery, Baron Widgery

The Right Honourable
The Lord Widgery
OBE TD PC
11th Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales
In office
1971–1980
Nominated by The Lord Hailsham
Appointed by Queen Elizabeth II
Preceded by The Lord Parker of Weddington
Succeeded by The Lord Lane
Judge of the High Court of Justice
In office
1961–1980
Appointed by Queen Elizabeth II
Judge of the Court of Appeal
In office
1968–1980
Appointed by Queen Elizabeth II
Personal details
Born John Pasmore Widgery
(1911-07-24)24 July 1911
South Molton, Devon, England
Died 26 July 1981(1981-07-26) (aged 70)
Nationality British
Alma mater Queen's College, Taunton
Known for Widgery Tribunal
Civilian awards Knight Bachelor
Life Peer
Military service
Allegiance  United Kingdom
Service/branch  British Army
Years of service 1938-1945
Rank Brigadier
Unit Royal Engineers (1938-1940)
Royal Artillery (1940-1945)
Battles/wars Normandy landings
Military awards Officer of the Order of the British Empire (Military Division)
Croix de Guerre (France)
Order of Leopold (Belgium)

John Passmore Widgery, Baron Widgery, OBE, TD, PC (24 July 1911 – 26 July 1981) was an English judge who served as Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales from 1971 to 1980. He is principally noted for presiding over the Widgery Tribunal on the events of Bloody Sunday.

Widgery came from a North Devon family which had been living in South Molton for many generations. An ancestor had been a gaoler and his mother served as a magistrate. He attended Queen's College, Taunton, where he became head prefect.

He was admitted as a solicitor in 1933 after serving as an articled clerk, but instead of going into practice, he joined Gibson and Welldon, a well-known firm of law tutors. He was an effective lecturer in the years leading up to World War II while he was also commissioned into the Royal Engineers (Territorial Army) in 1938, having joined as a sapper. As a searchlight officer, in 1940 he transferred to the Royal Artillery. Widgery participated in the Normandy landings. By the end of the war he had an OBE, the Croix de Guerre (France), and the Order of Leopold (Belgium), and had reached the rank of brigadier.


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