BARRISTERS walked as though on egg shells when Mr Justice Humphreys descended into one of his notorious testy moods.

None more so than during the Second World War when the Great Hall at Winchester, which had miraculously escaped bombing, was again utilised as an emergency court - and with its high-vaulted ceiling it was not renowned for cosiness in cold weather.

The problem lay in the contract of two new courts decades earlier.

The builder asked for it to be extended with extra foundations after under-estimating their costs but the authorities gave him short shrift and told him to honour it.

Within a few years, the developer’s worst fears were realised when walls began to sink and crack, with strips of glass tubing having to be hastily inserted.

The situation became so bad that when the walls had cracked, inspectors were able to say which walls were moving and in need of repair.

So in 1938 it was accepted the courts would have to be pulled down, with the Great Hall being used as a temporary measure.

However ‘temporary’ became 35 years and the original cost of replacement shot up from £132,000 to in excess of £3million.

The famous court was hung with hessian during the hostilities and on a cold winter’s day, Mr Justice Humphreys let fly. Despite his wig and fur lined robes, he was shivering in the draught.

“Unless something is done, I shall be moving to Southampton or some other place with suitable accommodation,” he thundered.

Hampshire Assizes moving elsewhere? God Forbid.

There was only one solution - under the direction of the county architect, work went on throughout the night with electric points being installed, a battery of electric fires obtained and a false ceiling created, with the court resembling a giant tent.

The following morning, the judge, eminently pleased with the arrangements, sat with electric fires to his right and left and above him.

It was not until 1950 that the hessian was finally removed and a large wall built to eliminate the draught.