William Arnold
Sir William Henry Arnold (1903-1973) was Bailiff of Guernsey between 1959 and 1973.
Early Life
William Arnold was born on 5 August 1903, the youngest of 11 children of William John Arnold and Emma Caroline (née Le Patourel) of Les Landes Farm, Castel. He was educated at the States Intermediate School, and then studied law, first at Caen University and then in London, at Gray's Inn.
In 1926 he was called to the English Bar and the following year to the Guernsey Bar, and practised in Guernsey until World War II, when he went into the Army.
He returned to the island on Liberation Day, 1945, having been largely responsible for the defence regulations and arrangements for the liberation.
Political career
In 1930 Mr Arnold was elected a People's Deputy, a post which he held until 1940. In 1946 he was appointed as HM Procureur, an office he held until he was elected Bailiff of Guernsey in succession to Sir Ambrose Sherwill in 1959.
He was honoured by the Queen by being given a CBE, then he was knighted and finally in the 1973 Birthday Honours he received the KBE.
Guernsey Society
He was one of the founder members of the Guernsey Society, while living in London during World War II. He also contributed the foreword to the Society's book, The Guernsey Farmhouse, published in 1964.
Death
He died on 21 July 1973, just before his 70th birthday and also just before his retirement, at his home Les Figuiers, Cobo.
| Predecessor | Successor | |
| Sir Ambrose Sherwill 1946-1959 |
Sir William Arnold 1959-1973 |
Sir John Loveridge 1973-1982 |
References
- Sir William Arnold, Bailiff of Guernsey 1959-1973, Review of the Guernsey Society, Winter 1973
- Coysh, Victor, The Wit of Sir William, Review of the Guernsey Society, Winter 1973
- Arnold, William, The Royal Court House 1799-1949, Review of the Guernsey Society, Winter 1949
