Sir Richard Collas (born 1953) was

Bailiff of Guernsey The title Bailiff of Guernsey has been used since at least the 13th century and indicated the leading citizen of Guernsey. The 90th and current Bailiff is Sir Richard McMahon. History A ''Bailli'', the early Norman name for Bailiff was the ...

from 2012 until his retirement in 2020.

Early life

He was educated at

Elizabeth College, Guernsey The Royal College of Elizabeth, better known as Elizabeth College, is a co-educational independent school in Saint Peter Port, Guernsey. A member of the HMC (The Heads' Conference), it is a public school in the British sense of the term. Founde ...

, before he went on to study Engineering Science at

Jesus College, Oxford Jesus College (in full: Jesus College in the University of Oxford of Queen Elizabeth's Foundation) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship ...

. After studying engineering and accountancy, he moved to law in which he practised for a number of years before moving into the civic duty of Deputy Bailiff.

Career

He joined Lever Brothers Limited before completed the exams for the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants then, in 1980, changed to Law as a profession. Called to the English Bar at

Gray's Inn The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court (professional associations for barristers and judges) in London. To be called to the bar in order to practise as a barrister in England and Wale ...

in 1982 he returned to Guernsey to attend the

University of Caen Normandy The University of Caen Normandy (French: ''Université de Caen Normandie''), also known as Unicaen, is a public university in Caen, France. History The institution was founded in 1432 by John of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Bedford, the first rector ...

for the necessary ''Certificat d’Études Juridtiques Françaises et Normandes'' and the following year was admitted as a

Royal Court A royal court, often called simply a court when the royal context is clear, is an extended royal household in a monarchy, including all those who regularly attend on a monarch, or another central figure. Hence, the word ''court'' may also be app ...

Advocate. Joining his father's firm of Collas Day & Rowland, Advocates, he became a partner and continued to practise there until 2005. Collas was appointed to the office of Deputy Bailiff 2005–2012. In March 2012 he was sworn in and became the 89th

, taking over the position of Bailiff from Sir Geoffrey Rowland. The Bailiff of Guernsey is ex-officio President of the Guernsey Court of Appeal. Collas has been a member of the Court of Appeal of Jersey since 2012. He was awarded a knighthood in June 2014 in the

Queen's Birthday Honours The Birthday Honours, in some Commonwealth realms, mark the King's Official Birthday, reigning monarch's official birthday in each realm by granting various individuals appointment into Order (honour), national or Dynastic order of knighthood, dy ...

list, receiving his knighthood as a

Knight Bachelor The title of Knight Bachelor is the basic rank granted to a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not inducted as a member of one of the organised Order of chivalry, orders of chivalry; it is a part of the Orders, decorations, and medals ...

of the British Empire at an investiture in Buckingham Palace the following November. He became an Honorary Master of the Bench of The Honourable Society of

in 2015. The Bailiff would normally retire at the age of 65; however, Her Majesty granted a two-year extension of the date to May 2020.

Family

Sir Richard has three children, Jonathan, Oliver and Lydia.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Collas, Richard Bailiffs of Guernsey People educated at Elizabeth College, Guernsey Knights Bachelor Living people Members of Gray's Inn Judiciary of Jersey 1953 births Alumni of Jesus College, Oxford People from the Bailiwick of Guernsey

Early life

Career

Family

See also

References