The day the guns were blazing at Liverpool County Court

A nostalgic exchange on Twitter this morning has reminded me that this year will see the 60th anniversary of, probably the most remarkable incident to have occurred in Liverpool County Court, one which made a legend of a local District Judge (or Registrar to those of us of certain age). 

In August 1959 Graeme Bryson, known to us all as Paddy, was sitting in the bankruptcy court in Liverpool. The party in court drew a gun and shot at him. One bullet grazed his ear before it damaged a portrait of Judge Fraser Harrison, another wounded an unfortunate court official. The gun then jammed enabling the courageous judge to wrestle the assailant to the ground.

Most Liverpool lawyers are familiar with this story and it often put things into perspective when I had a difficult hearing. It gives a whole new meaning to a bad day at the office –

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/9582467/Graeme-Paddy-Bryson.html

Bryson went on to be a highly respected Registrar and was President of Liverpool Law Society in 1971.

In my year as President, 2012, I was at the ceremony when Liverpool University gave him an Honorary Doctorate at the age of almost 99. Following the many tributes, he took to the lectern and said –

‘Thank you for those moving tributes. I will be meeting St Peter soon and they might come in useful!’

I was helping to plan a dinner for his 100^th when he sadly passed away on 28^th September 2012 just a 5 months short of the big day. 

Just 3 weeks earlier he had attended a social event that I had put on at Everton FC (where else?). He sent me this lovely note afterwards, apologising for leaving early because of a weak constitution at 99yrs 7 months. 

If I have any sort of constitution at that age there is no justice!!