Nathaniel Micklem (politician)

Nathaniel Micklem (20 November 1853 – 19 March 1954) was a British Liberal Party politician and lawyer.

Nathaniel Micklem was born at Cookham in Berkshire, the son of solicitor, Thomas Micklem and his first wife, Louisa Deane. He was educated at Mill Hill School and New College, Oxford where he took a first in Jurisprudence in 1877. In 1880 Micklem was the only student gaining a first in British Civil Law. While at Oxford he was president of the Union in 1878 and rowed or coxed for New College for two years. He also studied at University College, London gaining BA and LL.B (Exhibition) degrees before being elected a Fellow there in 1881.

Also in 1881, Micklem was called to the Bar at Lincoln's Inn. He obtained a large junior practice and took silk in early 1900 becoming Queen's Counsel as Victoria was still on the throne. He was one of only two men to be Queen’s Counsel in two reigns as he was still living at the accession to the throne of Queen Elizabeth II in 1952. He maintained his law practice until 1924 when he retired. He was a Bencher of Lincoln’s Inn and acted as Treasurer there in 1930. He was also a member of the Bar Council.

Micklem was elected Member of Parliament for Watford, also known as Hertfordshire West, at the Liberal landslide election of 1906, the first time a non-Conservative had ever held the seat. At the previous general election in 1900 the Conservative candidate, Frederick Halsey had been unopposed but Micklem defeated Halsey by 7613 votes to 6136, a majority of 1476. However the Unionists regained the seat at the January 1910 general election winning by a majority of 1551. At this election the Unionists had dubbed Micklem a "Radical-Socialist" and despite Micklem claiming to be proud of the description it is likely it hurt him, especially in the strongly Unionist agricultural parts of the division. Micklem stood again at the December 1910 general election reducing the Tory majority but not sufficiently to re-take the seat.

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