Sir Vincent Evans

This collection gathers together the personal case files of Sir Vincent Evans from his time as a judge of the European Court of Human Rights, 1980-1991, and as a member of the Human Rights Committee set up under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 1977 - 1984.

William Vincent John Evans' career can be summarized in brief as follows: Sir Vincent Evans GCMG, KCMG, CMG, MBE was a Barrister-at-law and a Judge of the European Court of Human Rights from 1980 to 1991.

He was born on 20 October 1915, son of Charles Herbert Evans and Elizabeth (ne Jenkins). He was educated at Merchant Taylor' school, Northwood, and Wadham College, Oxford, and graduated First Class Honours in Jurisprudence in 1937, BCL in 1938, and MA 1941. In 1947 he married Joan Mary Symons. In 1939 Evans was called to the Bar at Lincoln's Inn. Between 1939 and 1946 he served in HM forces. Then, from 1947 to 1975, he served with the Foreign Office in various capacities, interrupted by a three-year stint as Legal Councillor to the UK Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York. In 1969 commenced the latter part of his career, throughout which Evans held various important posts in the Council of Europe. Between 1969 and 1971 he was Chairman of the European Committee on Legal Cooperation. He was UK representative on the Council of Europe Steering Committee on Human Rights, between 1976 and 1980 (Chairman, 1979-80). A number of other important appointments followed: Member of the Human Rights Committee set up under International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 1977-84 (Vice-Chairman, 1979-80); Member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration, 1987-91. Sir Vincent Evans also served as Vice-President of the British Institute of Human Rights, 1992, as well as being a longstanding Member of the Advisory Board of the Centre for International Human Rights Law, at the University of Essex (1983-94), and President of the Council of Management, British Institute of International and Comparative Law, 1985-93. In 1986 the University of Essex conferred upon him the Honorary Degree of Doctor.

From the guide to the Sir Vincent Evans Collection, 1977 - 1991, (University of Essex: Albert Sloman Library)