Alastair Bruce, 5th Baron Aberdare

Last updated

Elizabeth Mary Cuthbert Foulkes
(m. 1971)
The Lord Aberdare
Official portrait of Lord Aberdare crop 2.jpg
Official parliamentary portrait
Member of the House of Lords
Lord Temporal
Assumed office
20 July 2009
as an elected hereditary peer
Parent(s) Morys Bruce, 4th Baron Aberdare
Maud Helen Sarah Dashwood

Alastair John Lyndhurst Bruce, 5th Baron Aberdare (born 2 May 1947), is a British nobleman, and since 2009 a crossbench hereditary peer elected under the House of Lords Act 1999.

Contents

Early life and education

Lord Aberdare was born at 12 Avenue Road in St John's Wood, London, [1] the son of Morys Bruce, 4th Baron Aberdare, and Maud Helen Sarah Dashwood, only daughter of Sir John Dashwood, 10th Baronet. His godparents included Lord Terrington and Diana Bowes-Lyon. [2] Aberdare was educated at Eton and Christ Church, Oxford. He succeeded his father upon the latter's death in 2005.

Career

Offices

Lord Aberdare is president of the Cynon Valley History Society. [3]

House of Lords

Coats of arms of Alastair Bruce Coats of Arms of the Barons of Aberdare.svg
Coats of arms of Alastair Bruce

In July 2009, Lord Aberdare was elected to sit in the House of Lords, following the death of Lord Bledisloe in May 2009. A by-election took place under the terms of the House of Lords Act 1999, which provided for 92 hereditary peers to keep their seats in the reformed House, with vacancies in their number filled from amongst all non-sitting hereditary peers. The result was announced in the Chamber of the Lords on 15 July 2009, following the voting by 27 of the 29 Crossbench peers eligible to take part. [4] His maiden speech, made on 26 November 2009 during the debate on the Queen's Speech, focused on the transition from education to employment. [5] He will retire from the Lords on 31 August 2025. [6]

Family

He married Elizabeth Mary Culbert Foulkes in 1971; they have two children:

References

  1. "Births". The Times . 2 May 1947. p. 1.
  2. "Court Circular". The Times . 30 June 1947. p. 6.
  3. "Cynon Valley History Society: Membership Form".
  4. "Previous by-elections in the House of Lords". UK Parliament.
  5. Davies, Joanna; Bentley, Louisa (20 August 2010). "Maiden Speeches" (PDF). House of Lords .
  6. "House of Lords Business: Retirement - notification of intention (multiple)". lordsbusiness.parliament.uk. UK Parliament. 22 July 2025. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
Peerage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Baron Aberdare
2005–present
Incumbent
Heir apparent:
Hon. Hector Bruce
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Elected hereditary peer to the House of Lords
under the House of Lords Act 1999
2009–present
Incumbent