Cyril Philips

Sir Cyril Henry Philips, FRAS (27 December 1912, Worcester – 29 December 2005, Swanage, Dorset), knighted in the 1974 New Years Honours List, was a noted British historian and academic director.

His father had worked as an engine driver on the Indian railways, and Philips in the 1920s spent some years in Bihar.

He was educated first at Rock Ferry High School, and in 1931 he attended the University of Liverpool, graduating in 1934 with a first-class degree in history.

He then attended the School of Oriental Studies in London where he wrote a history thesis on the East India Company, in 1940, published as The East India Company: 1784–1834, which The Times described in his obituary as "a rich Namier-like analysis of the various interests in the court of directors as well as a study of its operations".

In 1956 he became director of SOAS, succeeding Sir Ralph Turner, where he "...virtually remade the school..." in the following years.

From 1972 to 1976 he was appointed vice-chancellor of the University of London, where he was involved in controversial reforms which shortened his tenure.

Philips chaired a Royal Commission on Criminal Procedure into the police and criminal evidence system, the police complaints board and review of the Prevention of Terrorism Act during the years 1978 to 1981. Its terms of reference were to examine, having regard both to the interests of the community in bringing offenders to justice and to the rights and liberties of persons suspected or accused of crime, and taking into account also the need for the efficient and economical use of resources, whether changes are needed in England and Wales in:

The commission held 50 full meetings, the first on 15 February 1978 and in addition set up three sub-committees

The commission drew on evidence from four main sources, written submissions, oral evidence, visits by the Commission and research. Oral evidence was taken in late 1979 and early 1980 on the basis of a consultative paper in order to test opinion on key issues already identified and proposed changes. Commissioners visited every police force in England and Wales and also many police stations and criminal courts in the United Kingdom and abroad. In addition they initiated twelve research studies, which were published, and some smaller research projects by Commission staff, the results of which were incorporated in the Report.