John Dunwoody
Encyclopedia
John Elliot Orr Dunwoody CBE
(3 June 1929 – 26 January 2006) was a British Labour
politician.
Dunwoody was educated at St Paul's School, then trained as a doctor at King's College London
, and Westminster Hospital Medical School
. A surgeon, he worked in Devon
as a senior house physician at Newton Abbot
Hospital from 1955 to 1956 and as a GP and medical officer in Totnes
District Hospital from 1956 to 1966. He was active in the Socialist Medical Association
.
Dunwoody contested the safe Conservative
seat of Tiverton
in 1959, and came close to winning Plymouth Sutton in 1964, losing by just 410 votes in a seat that David Owen
would later hold for several years for Labour. He became Member of Parliament
for Falmouth and Camborne at the 1966 general election
, succeeding Labour's Harold Hayman
in a long-term three-way marginal. He was a health minister from 1969 until 1970. A well-regarded orator at Labour Party Conference, Dunwoody was spoken of as a future leader of the Party. However, he lost his seat in 1970 and did not return to Parliament.
Dunwoody had campaigned hard for a total ban on smoking, before its negative health effects were universally recognised, and became the first director of Action on Smoking and Health
(ASH). He served as Chairman of the Kensington, Chelsea
and Westminster
Area Health Authority 1977–82, Chairman of the Family Planning Association
1981–87 and Chairman of the Bloomsbury
District Health Authority 1982–90. From 1996 he was Vice-Chairman of the Merton
, Sutton
and Wandsworth
Local Medical Committee
. He was awarded the CBE
in 1986.
Dunwoody married Gwyneth Dunwoody
(née Phillips), daughter of a General Secretary of the Labour Party
and a Baron
ess, in 1954. She also became a Labour MP in 1966 and had a long parliamentary career, till her death in 2008. They had two sons and a daughter - their daughter Tamsin Dunwoody served as a Member of the Welsh Assembly for one term (2003–07). Their marriage was dissolved in 1975 and in 1979 he married Evelyn Borner. He died aged 76 after an accident at his home at Béziers
, France.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(3 June 1929 – 26 January 2006) was a British Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
politician.
Dunwoody was educated at St Paul's School, then trained as a doctor at King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
, and Westminster Hospital Medical School
Westminster Hospital Medical School
The Westminster Hospital Medical School was formally founded in 1834 by George Guthrie, an ex-military surgeon - although students had been taken on at Westminster Hospital almost from the hospital's foundation in 1719 .The hospital and medical school moved to larger buildings several times in the...
. A surgeon, he worked in Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
as a senior house physician at Newton Abbot
Newton Abbot
Newton Abbot is a market town and civil parish in the Teignbridge District of Devon, England on the River Teign, with a population of 23,580....
Hospital from 1955 to 1956 and as a GP and medical officer in Totnes
Totnes
Totnes is a market town and civil parish at the head of the estuary of the River Dart in Devon, England within the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
District Hospital from 1956 to 1966. He was active in the Socialist Medical Association
Socialist Health Association
The Socialist Medical Association was founded in 1930, in order to campaign for a National Health Service in the United Kingdom. It took in many of those who had been active in the State Medical Service Association...
.
Dunwoody contested the safe Conservative
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...
seat of Tiverton
Tiverton (UK Parliament constituency)
Tiverton was a constituency located in east Devon, formerly represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Enfranchised as a parliamentary borough in 1615 and first represented in 1621, it elected two Members of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
in 1959, and came close to winning Plymouth Sutton in 1964, losing by just 410 votes in a seat that David Owen
David Owen
David Anthony Llewellyn Owen, Baron Owen CH PC FRCP is a British politician.Owen served as British Foreign Secretary from 1977 to 1979, the youngest person in over forty years to hold the post; he co-authored the failed Vance-Owen and Owen-Stoltenberg peace plans offered during the Bosnian War...
would later hold for several years for Labour. He became Member of Parliament
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 Falmouth and Camborne at the 1966 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1966
The 1966 United Kingdom general election on 31 March 1966 was called by sitting Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson. Wilson's decision to call an election turned on the fact that his government, elected a mere 17 months previously in 1964 had an unworkably small majority of only 4 MPs...
, succeeding Labour's Harold Hayman
Harold Hayman
Frank Harold Hayman was a British Labour Party politician.He joined the staff of Cornwall County Council in 1913, working as a clerk, and became a District Education Officer for Redruth in 1920...
in a long-term three-way marginal. He was a health minister from 1969 until 1970. A well-regarded orator at Labour Party Conference, Dunwoody was spoken of as a future leader of the Party. However, he lost his seat in 1970 and did not return to Parliament.
Dunwoody had campaigned hard for a total ban on smoking, before its negative health effects were universally recognised, and became the first director of Action on Smoking and Health
Action on Smoking and Health
Action on Smoking and Health is the name of a number of autonomous pressure groups/charities throughout the world which seek to publicize the risks associated with tobacco smoking and campaigns for greater restrictions on cigarette and tobacco sales....
(ASH). He served as Chairman of the Kensington, Chelsea
Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea is a central London borough of Royal borough status. After the City of Westminster, it is the wealthiest borough in England....
and Westminster
City of Westminster
The City of Westminster is a London borough occupying much of the central area of London, England, including most of the West End. It is located to the west of and adjoining the ancient City of London, directly to the east of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and its southern boundary...
Area Health Authority 1977–82, Chairman of the Family Planning Association
Family Planning Association
FPA is a UK registered charity working to enable people to make informed choices about sex and to enjoy sexual health. It is the national affiliate for the International Planned Parenthood Federation in the United Kingdom. It celebrated its 80th anniversary in 2010...
1981–87 and Chairman of the Bloomsbury
Bloomsbury
-Places:* Bloomsbury is an area in central London.* Bloomsbury , related local government unit* Bloomsbury, New Jersey, New Jersey, USA* Bloomsbury , listed on the NRHP in Maryland...
District Health Authority 1982–90. From 1996 he was Vice-Chairman of the Merton
London Borough of Merton
The London Borough of Merton is a borough in southwest London, England.The borough was formed under the London Government Act in 1965 by the merger of the Municipal Borough of Mitcham, the Municipal Borough of Wimbledon and the Merton and Morden Urban District, all formerly within Surrey...
, Sutton
London Borough of Sutton
The London Borough of Sutton is a London borough in South London, England and forms part of Outer London. It covers an area of and is the 80th largest local authority in England by population. It is one of the southernmost boroughs of London...
and Wandsworth
London Borough of Wandsworth
The London Borough of Wandsworth is a London borough in southwest London, England, and forms part of Inner London.-History:The borough was formed in 1965 from the former area of the Metropolitan Borough of Battersea and much of the former area of the Metropolitan Borough of Wandsworth, but...
Local Medical Committee
Local Medical Committee
In the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland , Local Medical Committees have been the local General Practictioner committees since 1911...
. He was awarded the CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1986.
Dunwoody married Gwyneth Dunwoody
Gwyneth Dunwoody
Gwyneth Patricia Dunwoody was a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Exeter from 1966 to 1970, and then for Crewe from 1974 to her death in 2008...
(née Phillips), daughter of a General Secretary of the Labour Party
General Secretary of the Labour Party
The General Secretary is the most senior employee of the British Labour Party, and acts as the non-voting secretary to the National Executive Committee...
and a Baron
Baron
Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
ess, in 1954. She also became a Labour MP in 1966 and had a long parliamentary career, till her death in 2008. They had two sons and a daughter - their daughter Tamsin Dunwoody served as a Member of the Welsh Assembly for one term (2003–07). Their marriage was dissolved in 1975 and in 1979 he married Evelyn Borner. He died aged 76 after an accident at his home at Béziers
Béziers
Béziers is a town in Languedoc in southern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the Hérault department. Béziers hosts the famous Feria de Béziers, centred around bullfighting, every August. A million visitors are attracted to the five-day event...
, France.