Parkinson V. College Of Ambulance Notes

Parkinson v. College of Ambulance

Facts

The defendants, the College of Ambulance, Ld., were incorporated in September, 1918, under the Companies Acts, 1908-1917, as a company limited by guarantee without share capital. The objects with which the college was formed were (inter alia) to establish a college or school for the teaching of the principles and practice of first aid and ambulance work, and to organize and carry on the administration of immediate aid and assistance to poor persons. The president of the college at the material times was H.R.H. Princess Christian, and it was governed by a council composed of a number of distinguished persons. The defendant Harrison was the managing secretary of the college.

In October, 1921, the plaintiff, Colonel Parkinson, was approached by a gentleman, who asked whether he was interested in the subject of a knighthood. Subsequently the plaintiff was introduced to the defendant Harrison at the College of Ambulance. Harrison at an interview on October 10, 1921, told the plaintiff that he himself or the College of Ambulance had the power to nominate persons to receive titles of honour, and that he himself or the college through their president H.R.H. Princess Christian had a call upon a certain number of royal honours as distinguished from political honours, that he or the college had already arranged for the grant of a peerage and a baronetcy in the then forthcoming list of honours, and that he or the College of Ambulance would arrange for the grant to the plaintiff of the honour of a knighthood, provided that the plaintiff would make a substantial payment by way of donation to the College of Ambulance.

Harrison suggested that the plaintiff should pay 20,000l. to the college. At another interview on the following day Harrison repeated his former statements and said that the college would require 10,000l. He suggested that the plaintiff should purchase certain property at Birkenhead for the college and that he should also rebuild the college hall in Queen Anne Street. Ultimately it was agreed that the plaintiff should pay down 3000l. and that he should purchase the property at Birkenhead for 2000l., which he should convey to the college, and provide other moneys, bringing the total amount up to 10,000l., when he received his knighthood. Relying on Harrison's representations, the plaintiff handed to Harrison a cheque for 3000l. drawn in favour of the College of Ambulance. This money was paid into the banking account of the College of Ambulance. The plaintiff on October 13 received a letter of thanks for the donation from the council of the college, which was signed by the president, H.R.H. Princess Christian.

The plaintiff was introduced to an official at the Unionist offices who, when the plaintiff informed him of the object of his visit and that he had paid 3000l. to obtain a knighthood, told the plaintiff that he had been fooled. The plaintiff did not...

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