David Hennessy, 3rd Baron Windlesham
Encyclopedia
David James George Hennessy, 3rd Baron Windlesham and Baron Hennessy, CVO
, PC
, FBA (28 January 1932 – 21 December 2010) was a Conservative Party
politician in the United Kingdom
who held visiting professorships at various universities.
Hennessy, an Anglo-Irish
peer, was educated at Ampleforth College
and Trinity College, Oxford
, earning a Master of Arts in Jurisprudence
. He joined the Westminster City Council in 1958, then held various positions before entering the House of Lords
as the 3rd Baron Windlesham
upon his father's death in 1968. He joined the government in 1970 as a Minister of State in the Home Office
, later in the Northern Ireland Office
, and eventually became Lord Privy Seal
and Leader of the House of Lords
in 1973.
He also began working with various companies, including The Observer
, wrote a few books, and eventually went back to Oxford where he earned a DLitt and later became principal of Brasenose College
. In 1999, he was created Baron Hennessy, of Windlesham in the County of Surrey after the House of Lords Act 1999
, so that he could continue sitting in the Lords. He had also been a visiting professor at Princeton University
and various other institutions.
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
, PC
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
, FBA (28 January 1932 – 21 December 2010) was a 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...
politician in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
who held visiting professorships at various universities.
Hennessy, an Anglo-Irish
Anglo-Irish
Anglo-Irish was a term used primarily in the 19th and early 20th centuries to identify a privileged social class in Ireland, whose members were the descendants and successors of the Protestant Ascendancy, mostly belonging to the Church of Ireland, which was the established church of Ireland until...
peer, was educated at Ampleforth College
Ampleforth 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 Trinity College, Oxford
Trinity College, Oxford
The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity in the University of Oxford, of the foundation of Sir Thomas Pope , or Trinity College for short, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It stands on Broad Street, next door to Balliol College and Blackwells bookshop,...
, earning a Master of Arts in Jurisprudence
Jurisprudence
Jurisprudence is the theory and philosophy of law. Scholars of jurisprudence, or legal theorists , hope to obtain a deeper understanding of the nature of law, of legal reasoning, legal systems and of legal institutions...
. He joined the Westminster City Council in 1958, then held various positions before entering the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
as the 3rd Baron Windlesham
Baron Windlesham
Baron Windlesham, of Windlesham in the County of Surrey, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1937 for the Conservative politician Sir George Hennessy, 1st Baronet. He had already been created a Baronet, of Windlesham in the County of Surrey, in 1927. His eldest son,...
upon his father's death in 1968. He joined the government in 1970 as a Minister of State in the Home Office
Home Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
, later in the Northern Ireland Office
Northern Ireland Office
The Northern Ireland Office is a United Kingdom government department responsible for Northern Ireland affairs. The NIO is led by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and is based in Northern Ireland at Stormont House.-Role:...
, and eventually became Lord Privy Seal
Lord Privy Seal
The Lord Privy Seal is the fifth of the Great Officers of State in the United Kingdom, ranking beneath the Lord President of the Council and above the Lord Great Chamberlain. The office is one of the traditional sinecure offices of state...
and Leader of the House of Lords
Leader of the House of Lords
The Leader of the House of Lords is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom who is responsible for arranging government business in the House of Lords. The role is always held in combination with a formal Cabinet position, usually one of the sinecure offices of Lord President of the Council,...
in 1973.
He also began working with various companies, including The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
, wrote a few books, and eventually went back to Oxford where he earned a DLitt and later became principal of Brasenose College
Brasenose College, Oxford
Brasenose College, originally Brazen Nose College , is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. As of 2006, it has an estimated financial endowment of £98m...
. In 1999, he was created Baron Hennessy, of Windlesham in the County of Surrey after the House of Lords Act 1999
House of Lords Act 1999
The House of Lords Act 1999 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that was given Royal Assent on 11 November 1999. The Act reformed the House of Lords, one of the chambers of Parliament. For centuries, the House of Lords had included several hundred members who inherited their seats;...
, so that he could continue sitting in the Lords. He had also been a visiting professor at Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
and various other institutions.
Family
Baron Windlesham was predeceased by his wife, the former Prudence Glynn, who died in 1986; he is survived by a son and a daughter.External links
- Announcement of his taking the oath under his new title at the House of Lords House of Lords minutes of proceedings, 22 November 1999
- Politics Obituaries: Lord Windlesham - website The Telegraph
- David James George Hennessy, 3rd Baron Windlesham, National Portrait Gallery