Edward Pearce, Baron Pearce

Who was Edward Pearce, Baron Pearce?

Edward Holroyd Pearce, Baron Pearce, PC, was a British judge.

Born in Sidcup in Kent, he was educated at Charterhouse School and Corpus Christi College, Oxford. Called to the Bar by Lincoln's Inn and Middle Temple in 1925, he became deputy chairman of the East Sussex Quarter Sessions in 1947. One year later, Pearce was knighted and was appointed a High Court Judge. Having been made a Bencher of Lincoln's Inn in 1948, he was its treasurer from 1966.

Invested to the Privy Council in 1957, he was Lord Justice of Appeal from 1957 to 1962. On 19 April 1962, he was made Lord of Appeal in Ordinary and was created a life peer with the title Baron Pearce, of Sweethaws in the County of Sussex. He retired as Lord of Appeal in Ordinary in 1969, and became instead Chairman of the Press Council until 1974. Until 1976, he was chairman of the Appeals Committee of the Takeover Panel.

In 1927, he married Erica Priestman, daughter of Bertram Priestman. They had two sons, James and Bruce.