HASSAN, SIR JOSHUA

HASSAN, SIR JOSHUA (Abraham; 1915–1997), Gibraltar lawyer and politician. Born in the British colony of Gibraltar to a Sephardi family of North African origin, Hassan was admitted to the bar in 1939. Mayor of Gibraltar from 1945 to 1950 and again from 1953, he was chief member of the Legislative Council from 1950 to 1964. In that year he became chief minister, a post equivalent to that of premier, and championed the right of the colony to remain under British rule and not to be transferred to Spain. He lost the position as a result of the elections in 1969. Hassan was a devoted and observant Jew and president of the management board of the Jewish community. He was also active in Zionist affairs and was president of the Jewish National Fund Commission for many years. Even while holding the highest offices, Hassan continued to go from house to house collecting the contents of the J.N.F. boxes. He became a queen's counsel in 1954 and in 1963 received a knighthood. Hassan again served as chief minister of the Gibraltar legislative council from 1972 to 1987. -BIBLIOGRAPHY: ODNB online.