Christopher Tugendhat, Baron Tugendhat
Encyclopedia
Christopher Samuel Tugendhat, Baron Tugendhat (born 23 February 1937 London) is a British politician
belonging to the Conservative party
, businessman, company director and chairman, and journalist/author.
(LSE), where he married Maire Littledale. Georg Tugendhat traced his paternal forebears to the Polish town of Bielsko
, Silesia
which until 1918 had been called Bielitz, when it was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. He found the graves of 25 Tugendhats in the Jewish Cemetery which had closed in 1939. He helped to fund its restoration.
and Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge
. He became a journalist on the Financial Times from 1960 through to 1970. From 1970 to 1976 he sat as the Conservative M.P.
for London and Westminster, before being appointed as a member of the European Commission
from 1977 to 1981 and then Vice-President till 1985. He was appointed to the Commission by the Labour government over Margaret Thatcher
's nominee John Davies
, but she reappointed him in 1981.
On 3 December 1980, when driving away from his home in Brussels, two bullets were fired at him from a car, narrowly missing him; Tugendhat called the attack "closer than I would have liked." The Provisional IRA
belatedly claimed responsibility for the assassination attempt.
Following his role at the Commission he became Chairman of the Royal Institute for International Affairs (Chatham House
) from 1986 to 1995, and of the Civil Aviation Authority
from 1986 to 1991 when he was succeeded by Christopher Chataway
. He later went on to become the chairman of Abbey National
and Blue Circle and later Chairman of the European Advisory Board of Lehman Brothers
. He was also a Director of Rio Tinto
and Eurotunnel
, among others.
as Baron Tugendhat, of Widdington in the County of Essex
in 1993, and is the Chancellor of the University of Bath
. He is Chairman of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
, the UK's first academic health science centre
.
, is a British High Court Judge
.
Politics of the United Kingdom
The politics of the United Kingdom takes place within the framework of a constitutional monarchy, in which the Monarch is the head of state and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom is the head of government...
belonging to the Conservative party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
, businessman, company director and chairman, and journalist/author.
Family background
His family lineage includes Jewish Austrian and Anglo-Irish extraction; he was raised a Roman Catholic. Tugendhat's father, Dr Georg Tugendhat was born in Vienna, but came to United Kingdom after World War I to pursue his doctorate at the London School of EconomicsLondon School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
(LSE), where he married Maire Littledale. Georg Tugendhat traced his paternal forebears to the Polish town of Bielsko
Bielsko
Bielsko was until 1950 an independent town situated in Cieszyn Silesia, Poland. In 1951 it was joined with Biała Krakowska to form the new town of Bielsko-Biała. Bielsko constitutes the western part of that town....
, Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
which until 1918 had been called Bielitz, when it was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. He found the graves of 25 Tugendhats in the Jewish Cemetery which had closed in 1939. He helped to fund its restoration.
Career
Christopher Tugendhat attended Ampleforth CollegeAmpleforth College
Ampleforth College in North Yorkshire, England, is the largest Roman Catholic co-educational boarding independent school in the United Kingdom. It opened in 1802, as a boys' school, and is run by the Benedictine monks and lay staff of Ampleforth Abbey...
and Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge
Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge
Gonville and Caius College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. The college is often referred to simply as "Caius" , after its second founder, John Keys, who fashionably latinised the spelling of his name after studying in Italy.- Outline :Gonville and...
. He became a journalist on the Financial Times from 1960 through to 1970. From 1970 to 1976 he sat as the Conservative M.P.
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for London and Westminster, before being appointed as a member of the European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
from 1977 to 1981 and then Vice-President till 1985. He was appointed to the Commission by the Labour government over Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
's nominee John Davies
John Davies (businessman)
John Emerson Harding Harding-Davies, MBE, PC was a successful British businessman who served as Director-General of the Confederation of British Industry during the 1960s...
, but she reappointed him in 1981.
On 3 December 1980, when driving away from his home in Brussels, two bullets were fired at him from a car, narrowly missing him; Tugendhat called the attack "closer than I would have liked." The Provisional IRA
Provisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
belatedly claimed responsibility for the assassination attempt.
Following his role at the Commission he became Chairman of the Royal Institute for International Affairs (Chatham House
Chatham House
Chatham House, formally known as The Royal Institute of International Affairs, is a non-profit, non-governmental organization based in London whose mission is to analyse and promote the understanding of major international issues and current affairs. It is regarded as one of the world's leading...
) from 1986 to 1995, and of the Civil Aviation Authority
United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority
The Civil Aviation Authority is the public corporation which oversees and regulates all aspects of aviation in the United Kingdom. The CAA head office is located in the CAA House on Kingsway in Holborn, London Borough of Camden...
from 1986 to 1991 when he was succeeded by Christopher Chataway
Christopher Chataway
Sir Christopher John Chataway is a British former middle- and long-distance runner, television news broadcaster, and a Conservative politician...
. He later went on to become the chairman of Abbey National
Abbey National
Abbey National plc was a UK-based bank and former building society, which latterly traded under the Abbey brand name. It became a wholly owned subsidiary of Grupo Santander of Spain in 2004, and was rebranded as Santander in January 2010, forming Santander UK along with the savings business of the...
and Blue Circle and later Chairman of the European Advisory Board of Lehman Brothers
Lehman Brothers
Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. was a global financial services firm. Before declaring bankruptcy in 2008, Lehman was the fourth largest investment bank in the USA , doing business in investment banking, equity and fixed-income sales and trading Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. (former NYSE ticker...
. He was also a Director of Rio Tinto
Rio Tinto Group
The Rio Tinto Group is a diversified, British-Australian, multinational mining and resources group with headquarters in London and Melbourne. The company was founded in 1873, when a multinational consortium of investors purchased a mine complex on the Rio Tinto river, in Huelva, Spain from the...
and Eurotunnel
Eurotunnel
Groupe Eurotunnel S.A. manages and operates the Channel Tunnel between Britain and France. The Company operates the car shuttle services and earns revenue on other trains passing through the tunnel...
, among others.
Honours
He was knighted in 1991 and was created a life peerLife peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
as Baron Tugendhat, of Widdington in the County of Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
in 1993, and is the Chancellor of the University of Bath
University of Bath
The University of Bath is a campus university located in Bath, United Kingdom. It received its Royal Charter in 1966....
. He is Chairman of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust is an NHS trust based in London, United Kingdom. It is the largest NHS trust in England and together with Imperial College London forms an academic health science centre....
, the UK's first academic health science centre
Academic health science centre
An academic health science centre is a partnership between one or more universities and healthcare providers focusing on research, clinical services, education and training...
.
Personal
He married Julia Lissant Dobson; they have two sons, James (born 1971) and Angus (born 1974). His younger brother, MichaelMichael Tugendhat
Sir Michael George Tugendhat , styled The Hon. Mr Justice Tugendhat, in legal writing Tugendhat J, is a High Court judge in England and Wales. He is the UK's senior media judge, taking over that role from Justice Eady on 1 October 2010...
, is a British High Court Judge
High Court judge
A High Court judge is a judge of the High Court of Justice, and represents the third highest level of judge in the courts of England and Wales. High Court judges are referred to as puisne judges...
.
Publications
- Oil: The Biggest Business (1968)
- Multinationals (1971) London. Eyre and Spottiswoode
- Making Sense of Europe (1986) London. Viking
- Options for British Foreign Policy in the 1990s (Chatham House Papers) by Christopher Tugendhat and William Wallace (Nov 1988)
- Roy Jenkins, a Retrospective (2004); contributor, wrote Chapter 12.