Nathaniel Highmore

Who was Nathaniel Highmore?

Sir Nathaniel Joseph Highmore GBE KCB was a senior British civil servant and government barrister.

Highmore was born in Sherborne, Dorset, the son of William Highmore MP, and was educated at Sherborne School. He joined the Inland Revenue at the age of twenty, was called to the Bar, and became Assistant Solicitor to the Inland Revenue in 1890. In 1903 he became Solicitor to HM Customs and in 1909 Solicitor to HM Excise. He retired in 1913.

On the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, Highmore returned to government service as the representative of the Board of Customs and Excise on the Committee on Trade with the Enemy. From 1915 to its abolition in March 1919 he was Secretary and Assistant Director of the War Trade Department.

Highmore was knighted in 1907 and appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath on his retirement in 1913. He was appointed Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire in the 1920 civilian war honours for his services with the War Trade Department.