The Lord Christopher | |
---|---|
Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal | |
Assumed office 30 July 1998 Life peerage | |
Personal details | |
Born | Anthony Martin Grosvenor Christopher 25 April 1925 |
Nationality | British |
Political party | Labour |
Spouse | Adela Joy Thompson |
Alma mater |
|
Anthony Martin Grosvenor Christopher, Baron Christopher, CBE , FRSA (born 25 April 1925) is a British businessman, trade unionist, tax official, and life peer. He is the last living British parliamentarian to have served in the Second World War.
The son of George and Helen Christopher, he was educated at Cheltenham Grammar School and at the Westminster College of Commerce. Between 1941 and 1944, Christopher worked first as articled pupil then as agricultural valuers in Gloucester. From 1944 to 1948, he served in the Royal Air Force and from 1948 to 1957, he worked for the Inland Revenue, leaving to work full-time for the Inland Revenue Staff Federation.
Between 1976 and 1988, Christopher was general secretary of the Inland Revenue Staff Federation. [1] Since 1981, he is director of the TU Fund Managers Ltd and since 1983 its chairman. Also since 1983, he is elected auditor of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions and since 1988, he worked as Industrial and Public Affairs Consultant.
Christopher worked for NACRO from 1956 to 1998, from 1956 as member of council and from 1973 as chairman. He was member of the TUC General Council from 1976 to 1989 and its chairman in 1988 and 1989. For the Civil Service Building Society, he was director between 1958 and 1987, as well as chairman between 1978 and 1987. He was member of the Inner London Probation and After-care Committee from 1966 to 1979, of the Tax Reform Committee from 1974 to 1980 and of the Royal Commission on Distribution of Income and Wealth in 1978 and 1979. Christopher was also member of the Independent Broadcasting Authority from 1978 to 1983, of the council of the Institute of Manpower Studies from 1984 to 1989 and of the Economic and Social Research Council from 1985 to 1988. Between 1983 and 1986, he was chairman of the Tyre Industry Economic Development Council and between 1985 and 1990 vice-president of the Building Societies Association. In 1987 and 1988, he was director of the Birmingham Midshires Building Society. Christopher was further member of the General Medical Council (GMC) from 1989 to 1994, of the Audit Commission from 1989 to 1995 and of the Broadcasting Complaints Commission from 1989 to 1997.
Christopher was trustee of the Commonwealth Trades Union Council Charitable Trust from 1985 to 1989 and of the Save The Children Fund from 1985 to 1990. For the Institute for Public Policy Research, he was trustee from 1989 to 1994 and treasurer from 1990 to 1994. Since 1981, Christopher is also trustee of the Trades Union Unit Trust Charitable Trust and since 1998 of the Douglas Houghton Memorial Fund.
In the 1984 New Year Honours, Christopher was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) [2] and in 1989 a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA). On 30 July 1998, he was created a life peer as Baron Christopher, of Leckhampton in the County of Gloucestershire , [3] taking the Labour whip. Following the death of Lord Carrington in July 2018, Christopher became the oldest sitting member of the House of Lords. [4] In March 2021, he took a leave of absence from the House of Lords but as of mid-2024 has yet to return.
Since 1953, Christopher has been married to Adela Joy Thompson.
David Terence Puttnam, Baron Puttnam, CBE, HonFRSA, HonFRPS, MRIA is a British-Irish film producer, educator, environmentalist and former member of the House of Lords. His productions include Chariots of Fire, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture, The Mission, The Killing Fields, Local Hero, Midnight Express and Memphis Belle. In 1982, he received the BAFTA for Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema, and in 2006 he was awarded the BAFTA Fellowship for lifetime achievement from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.
Ian Charter MacLaurin, Baron MacLaurin of Knebworth is a British businessman, who has been chairman of Vodafone and chairman and chief executive of Tesco. He is a former chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board, a former president of the Marylebone Cricket Club and a former Chancellor of the University of Hertfordshire.
Robert Gavron, Baron Gavron was a British printing millionaire, philanthropist and a Labour life peer.
Timothy Francis Clement-Jones, Baron Clement-Jones, is a Liberal Democrat peer and spokesman for the digital economy in the House of Lords.
Clive Brooke, Baron Brooke of Alverthorpe is a British trade unionist, and Labour Member of the House of Lords.
Ian Anthony Hamilton-Smith, 3rd Baron Colwyn, commonly known as Anthony Hamilton-Smith, is a British peer and former politician. He was one of 90 hereditary peers elected to remain in the House of Lords after the House of Lords Act 1999, sitting as a Conservative. He retired from the House of Lords on 21 July 2022.
Sir Christopher Kingston Howes is a British Chartered Surveyor. A specialist in the study of land and buildings, with careers in the public, private, and academic sectors, he has worked in city planning, land use, and environmental management.
Diana Catherine Eccles, Viscountess Eccles DL is a British Conservative peer and businesswoman.
John Charles McIntosh, CBE, FRSA was Headmaster of The London Oratory School for 29 years until his retirement on 31 December 2006.
Hugh Trenchard, 3rd Viscount Trenchard,, is a British soldier and businessman. In 1987, he succeeded to his father's titles. He is one of the ninety hereditary peers in the House of Lords, elected to sit after the passing of the House of Lords Act 1999, sitting as a Conservative.
Charles James Dugdale, 2nd Baron Crathorne,, was Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire from 1999 until 2014. He is also one of the ninety hereditary peers elected to remain in the House of Lords after the passing of the House of Lords Act 1999, sitting as a Conservative. In 1977, he succeeded to his father's title.
Elizabeth Patricia Carnegy of Lour, Baroness Carnegy of Lour, FRSA, DL was a Scottish academic and activist.
James Stuart "Jimmy" Gordon, Baron Gordon of Strathblane, was a Scottish business executive and member of the House of Lords.
Zahida Parveen Manzoor, Baroness Manzoor, is a British businessperson and Conservative Party member of the House of Lords.
Manchester Academy is a coeducational secondary school within the English Academy programme, in Moss Side, Manchester. It is situated on Moss Lane East (B5219), near Denmark Road, with the University of Manchester nearby to the north and the Whitworth Art Gallery to the east.
Guy Vaughan Black, Baron Black of Brentwood is Deputy Chairman of the Telegraph Media Group.
Nicholas Edward True, Baron True, is a British Conservative politician who served as Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal between September 2022 and July 2024. He has been a member of the House of Lords since 2011.
Zameer Mohammed Choudrey, Baron Choudrey is a British-Pakistani businessman who is the chief executive of the multinational conglomerate Bestway.
The Honourable Sir Richard Storey, 2nd Baronet, CBE, DL, FRSA is a British businessman.
Alan Christopher Walker, CBE, FBA, FRSA, FAcSS is a British academic, social scientist and public health administrator. Since 1985, he has been Professor of Social Policy and Social Gerontology at the University of Sheffield.