Lord Birkett was was born in Ulverston, Lancashire on 6 September 1883 to Thomas Birkett, a draper, and his wife Agnes. He became a distinguished lawyer. In 1936 he acted for Mrs. Wallis Simpson in her divorce proceedings against Mr. Simpson. As Lord Birkett he represented Britain at the Nuremberg Trials. He was created Baron Birkett of Ulverston in the County of Lancaster, and took his seat in the House of Lords on 20 February 1958. He sat for the last time in the House of Lords on 8 February 1962, where he made a speech criticising the Manchester Corporation Bill which would have water drained from Ullswater to meet the needs of the growing population in Manchester. His speech was “deeply felt and eloquent”, and when the votes were announced, Birkett and his supporters had won by 70 votes to 36. The Ullswater Yacht Club now holds an annual Lord Birkett Memorial Trophy Race on the lake.