Sir Gerald Albery Hosker, KCB, KC (Hon) (28 July 1933 – 30 November 2024) was a British lawyer and public servant.

Early life and education

Born in 1933, Sir Gerald was the son of Leslie Reece Hosker and Constance Alice, ''née'' Hubbard. He was educated at

Berkhamsted School Berkhamsted School is a private day school (known in the UK as a public school), in the market town of Berkhamsted, in Hertfordshire, England. The present school was formed in 1997 by the amalgamation of the original Berkhamsted School, founded ...

. He also attended the Law Society's College of Law, London.

Career

Legal career

Hosker became an

articled clerk Articled clerk is a title used in Commonwealth countries for one who is studying to be an accountant or a lawyer. In doing so, they are put under the supervision of someone already in the profession, now usually for two years, but previously three ...

at Derrick Bridges & Co. in 1951, but after being admitted a

solicitor A solicitor is a lawyer who traditionally deals with most of the legal matters in some jurisdictions. A person must have legally defined qualifications, which vary from one jurisdiction to another, to be described as a solicitor and enabled to p ...

in 1956 he worked for Clifford Turner & Co., before joining the

Treasury Solicitor's Department The Government Legal Department (previously called the Treasury Solicitor's Department) is the largest in-house legal organisation in the United Kingdom's Government Legal Profession. The department is headed by the Treasury Solicitor (formal ...

in 1960. After several promotions, he was appointed an

under-secretary Undersecretary (or under secretary) is a title for a person who works for and has a lower rank than a secretary (person in charge). It is used in the executive branch of government, with different meanings in different political systems, and is al ...

in the Department in 1982, before serving as Deputy Treasury Solicitor between 1984 and 1987. He was then Legal Adviser to the

Department of Trade and Industry Department of Trade and Industry may refer to: Current * Department of Trade and Industry (Isle of Man) * Department of Trade and Industry (Philippines) * Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (South Africa) Former * Department of Trade ...

until his appointment in 1992 as HM Procurator General Treasury Solicitor and the Queen's Proctor, in which offices he served until retiring in 1995."Hosker, Sir Gerald (Albery)"
''Who's Who'' (online edition, Oxford University Press, December 2018). Retrieved 4 January 2019.

Post-retirement

In 1998 the

Secretary of State for Defence The secretary of state for defence, also known as the defence secretary, is a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, with responsibility for the Ministry of Defence. As a senior minister, the incumbent is a member of the ...

appointed him as a trustee of the

Royal Air force Museum The Royal Air Force Museum is a museum dedicated to the Royal Air Force in the United Kingdom. The museum is a non-departmental public body and is a registered charity. It has two public sites, Royal Air Force Museum London and Royal Air Fo ...

; he retired in 2009. In February 1999, Hosker was appointed by the

Paymaster General His Majesty's Paymaster General or HM Paymaster General is a ministerial position in the Cabinet Office of the United Kingdom. The position is currently held by Nick Thomas-Symonds of the Labour Party (UK), Labour Party. History The post was ...

to conduct an Inquiry into the Customs and Excise aspects of the Simon de Danser drugs case and in 2001 he conducted an inquiry on behalf of the

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions The secretary of state for work and pensions, also referred to as the work and pensions secretary, is a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, with overall responsibility for the business of the Department for Work and P ...

into the handling of the C W Cheney & Sons Pension Fund by the

Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority The Pensions Regulator (TPR) is a non-departmental public body which regulates work-based pension schemes in the United Kingdom. Created under the Pensions Act 2004, the regulator replaced the Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority (OPRA) fro ...

. Sir Gerald was appointed Public Inquiry commissioner in the Falkland Islands 1999-2000. Hosker died from renal failure and heart complications on 30 November 2024, at the age of 91.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hosker, Gerald 1933 births 2024 deaths People from Chipping Barnet People educated at Berkhamsted School English solicitors Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath Treasury Solicitors Honorary King's Counsel