Death announced of Lord Joel Joffe - Mandela lawyer and co-founder of Allied Dunbar

The death has been announced of Lord Joel Joffe of Liddington at the age of 85.

Lord Joffe, a South African-born lawyer and a former Labour peer, is survived by his wife Vanetta Joffe and their children Deborah and Lisa.

Joel Joffe CBE became well known as the young lawyer who defended Nelson Mandela at the infamous 1963-4 Rivonia Trial. In the book Long Walk to Freedom, Mandela described Joffe's role in the Rivonia Trial, as "the General behind the scenes in our defence". 

Exiled to Britain in 1965, he worked at a fledgling insurance company Hambro Life Assurance to support his family, which grew to become Allied Dunbar - bringing huge investment into the town.

Involved with Oxfam for 20 years and Chair from 1995 to 2001, he was awarded the CBE in 1999. In 2000, he became a Labour peer as Baron Joffe of Liddington. In later life, he was a vigorous campaigner for assisted dying for the terminally ill.

Most recently Joel threw himself into community life in Swindon and engaged with a wide range a business people, council leaders, and most importantly took the time to meet community activists in Swindon.

Joel Joffe was a founder trustee of the Swindon Museum and Art Gallery Trust which is seeking £20 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund, private funders and Swindon Council.

Reacting to the news Cllr David Renard, Leader of Swindon Borough Council, said: “Lord Joffe was an extraordinary man who had an incredible zest for life. He will be quite rightly remembered outside of Swindon for his career as a human rights lawyer and his work in the financial services industry, but he will be sadly missed by a great number of people here.

“He was passionate about Swindon and did an enormous amount of good work for local causes, while also being a real champion for the town. I had the pleasure of spending time with him through his role with the Swindon Museum and Art Gallery Trust and it would be fitting if we could deliver a new home for our art collection in his memory.

“I would like to extend my sympathies and those of my colleagues at the Council to his widow Vanetta and all his family at this sad time.”

Robert Hiscox, chair of the Swindon Museum and Art Gallery Trust said: “The trustees of the Swindon Museum and Art Gallery Trust learned of Joel’s death with great sadness. The wisdom and enthusiasm he brought to the Trust has been invaluable, and he will be sorely missed by us all. We will all remember him for his unique combination of razor sharp intellect and boundless generosity of spirit, as we know will the many other organisations and individuals whose lives were all the richer for knowing him. He was a true friend to Swindon. Our thoughts are with Vanetta and the family.”

Another tribute was paid by Zurich, the company that bought Hambro Life in late 1990s. 

Company spokesman Rajan Lakhani said: "Zurich is deeply saddened to hear of Lord Joel Joffe's death. Joel has always been passionate about giving back and businesses being responsible. This is demonstrated by his leading role in forming the Hambro Life Charitable Trust in 1973, enabling Hambro Life to donate 1% of its profits back to the local community. The Trust has gone from strength to strength and is now the Zurich Community Trust (UK) Ltd, funded by Zurich UK and the generous donations of its employees. 

"Over the years, the Trust has donated over £65 million to good causes and today delivers charitable activities of £3 million a year as well as delivering over 5,500 employee volunteer days, which involves sharing the time and skills of Zurich UK employees with the community."

Head of the Zurich Community Trust, Pam Webb said: "We are all so very sad to hear the news about Joel. He was a very special person and an inspiration to all of us. Due to his foresight all those years ago, the success of the Zurich Community Trust will continue to be a fitting legacy to a man who was a pioneer whilst always remaining humble in the process.  He was a very special, caring man and he will be sorely missed. We send our best wishes to his family and friends at this difficult time."