John Eccles, 2nd Viscount Eccles
Encyclopedia
John Dawson Eccles, 2nd Viscount Eccles CBE
(20 April 1931–) is a British
peer and businessman. He is one of the ninety hereditary peer
s elected to remain in the House of Lords
after the passing of the House of Lords Act 1999
.
The son of the 1st Viscount Eccles
and Sybil Dawson, he was educated at Winchester College
and Magdalen College, Oxford
, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts
in philosophy, politics and economics in 1954. He served in the 1st Battalion (60th Rifles), King's Royal Rifle Corps
, reaching the rank of 2nd Lieutenant.
In 1985, he was made a Commander
of the Order of the British Empire
and in 1999, he succeeded to his father's titles. Lord Eccles entered the House of Lords
upon his succession in 1999; however, due to the House of Lords Act that came in the same year, he was soon forced to leave the House. He was later elected as one of the 92 remaining hereditary peers in a by-election forced by the death of the 4th Baron Aberdare
, and returned to the House in 2005.
. The couple married in Bletchingley
, Surrey
, UK, and they have four children:
Viscountess Eccles was created a life peer
in her own right in 1990 as Baroness Eccles of Moulton, and so also sits in the House of Lords. They are one of the few couples who both hold titles in their own right.
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...
(20 April 1931–) is a British
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...
peer and businessman. He is one of the ninety hereditary peer
Hereditary peer
Hereditary peers form part of the Peerage in the United Kingdom. There are over seven hundred peers who hold titles that may be inherited. Formerly, most of them were entitled to sit in the House of Lords, but since the House of Lords Act 1999 only ninety-two are permitted to do so...
s elected to remain in 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....
after the passing of 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;...
.
The son of the 1st Viscount Eccles
David Eccles, 1st Viscount Eccles
David McAdam Eccles, 1st Baron Eccles and 1st Viscount Eccles, CH, KCVO, MP, PC was an English Conservative politician....
and Sybil Dawson, he was educated at Winchester College
Winchester College
Winchester College is an independent school for boys in the British public school tradition, situated in Winchester, Hampshire, the former capital of England. It has existed in its present location for over 600 years and claims the longest unbroken history of any school in England...
and Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million. Magdalen is currently top of the Norrington Table after over half of its 2010 finalists received first-class degrees, a record...
, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in philosophy, politics and economics in 1954. He served in the 1st Battalion (60th Rifles), King's Royal Rifle Corps
King's Royal Rifle Corps
The King's Royal Rifle Corps was a British Army infantry regiment, originally raised in colonial North America as the Royal Americans, and recruited from American colonists. Later ranked as the 60th Regiment of Foot, the regiment served for more than 200 years throughout the British Empire...
, reaching the rank of 2nd Lieutenant.
In 1985, he was made a Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
of the Order of the British Empire
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...
and in 1999, he succeeded to his father's titles. Lord Eccles entered 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....
upon his succession in 1999; however, due to the House of Lords Act that came in the same year, he was soon forced to leave the House. He was later elected as one of the 92 remaining hereditary peers in a by-election forced by the death of the 4th Baron Aberdare
Morys Bruce, 4th Baron Aberdare
Morys George Lyndhurst Bruce, 4th Baron Aberdare, KBE, PC, DL was a Conservative politician, and from 1999 until his death, one of ninety-two elected hereditary peers in the British House of Lords...
, and returned to the House in 2005.
Personal life
Since 29 January 1955, he has been married to Diana Catherine SturgeDiana Eccles, Viscountess Eccles
Diana Catherine Eccles, Viscountess Eccles, Baroness Eccles and Baroness Eccles of Moulton DL is a British noble and businesswoman.-Education and early career:...
. The couple married in Bletchingley
Bletchingley
Bletchingley is a village in Surrey, England. It is on the A25 road to the east of Redhill and to the west of Godstone.-History:The village lay within the Anglo-Saxon administrative division of Tandridge hundred....
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, UK, and they have four children:
- The Hon. Alice Belinda Eccles (15 January 1958–)
- The Hon. William David Eccles (9 June 1960–); heir apparentHeir apparentAn heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
to the Viscountcy - The Hon. Catherine Sara Eccles (3 March 1963–)
- The Hon. Emily Frances Eccles (17 November 1970–)
Viscountess Eccles was created a life peer
Life 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...
in her own right in 1990 as Baroness Eccles of Moulton, and so also sits in the House of Lords. They are one of the few couples who both hold titles in their own right.
Directorships and similar
- The Nuclear Power Group: director from 1968 to 1974
- Head Wrightson & Co Ltd: managing director from 1968 to 1977, chairman from 1976 to 1977
- Glynwed International plc: director from 1972 to 1996
- Investors in Industry plc3i3i Group plc is a multinational private equity and venture capital company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It has offices in 13 countries across Asia, Europe and the Americas and had total assets under management of £12.7 billion as at 31 March 2011...
: director from 1974 to 1988 - Monopolies and Mergers Commission: member from 1976 to 1986, deputy chairman from 1981 to 1985
- Davy International Ltd: director from 1977 to 1981
- Chamberlin & Hill plc: chairman from 1982 to 2004
- Industrial Development Advisory Board: member from 1989 to 1993
- Acker Deboeck corporate psychologists: chairman from 1994 to 2004
- Commonwealth Development CorporationCommonwealth Development CorporationThe Commonwealth Development Corporation, now known as CDC Group plc, is a British development organisation owned by the UK Government...
: member from 1982 to 1985, general manager and chief executive from 1985 to 1994. - Courtaulds Textiles plcCourtauldsCourtaulds was a United Kingdom-based manufacturer of fabric, clothing, artificial fibres, and chemicals.-Foundation:The Company was founded by George Courtauld and his cousin Peter Taylor in 1794 as a silk, crepe and textile business at Pebmarsh in north Essex trading as George Courtauld & Co...
: director from 1992 to 2000, chairman from 1995 to 2000 - Bowes MuseumBowes MuseumThe Bowes Museum has a nationally renowned art collection and is situated in the town of Barnard Castle, Teesdale, County Durham, England.The museum contains an El Greco, paintings by Francisco Goya, Canaletto, Jean-Honoré Fragonard, François Boucher and a sizable collection of decorative art,...
Trust: chairman from 2000
Styles & Honours
- Mr John Eccles (1931–1962)
- The Hon. John Eccles (1962–1985)
- The Hon. John Eccles CBE (1985–1999)
- The Rt. Hon. The Viscount Eccles CBE (1999-)