Mary Archer, Baroness Archer of Weston-super-Mare
Encyclopedia
Mary Doreen Archer, Baroness Archer of Weston-super-Mare (born Mary Doreen Weeden, on 22 December 1944) is a British
scientist specialising in solar power
conversion. She studied chemistry
at St Anne's College, Oxford, and physical chemistry
at Imperial College London
, before becoming a Cambridge University
lecturer. From 1988 to 2000 she was Chairwoman of the National Energy Foundation
, which promotes renewable energy
, and is now its president. In 2002 she was appointed Chairwoman of Addenbrooke's NHS
Trust, Cambridge
.
In 2002 she received the Melchett Medal on Realistic opportunities for renewables: innovative technology
Mary Weedon became Mary Archer when she married Jeffrey Archer in 1966. When he was granted a life peerage in 1992, she gained the title Lady Archer of Weston-super-Mare. In 1987 she gave evidence at the High Court in a libel case brought by her husband against the Daily Star newspaper. During his summing up at the end of the trial, Mr Justice Caulfield asked: "Has she elegance? Has she fragrance? Would she have, without the strain of this trial, radiance?" In 2001, when Jeffrey Archer was accused of perjury in the earlier trial, she appeared at the Old Bailey
to defend him. Jeffrey Archer was subsequently convicted and imprisoned for perjury. She is reported to have once said, "Jeffrey has a gift for inaccurate precis".
In 1994, Archer was a non-executive director
of Anglia Television
at a time when it was the target of a takeover bid. Following reports from the London Stock Exchange
, the Department of Trade and Industry appointed inspectors on 8 February 1994 to investigate possible insider dealing
contraventions by certain individuals, including her husband. No charges were brought.
She and Jeffrey have two children, William and James
.
She lives in the Old Vicarage, Grantchester
, near Cambridge, the former home immortalised by Rupert Brooke
in a poem of that title. She is a patron of the Rupert Brooke Society and also serves as President of the Guild of Church Musicians.
In 2011, she revealed that she had recently undergone major surgery (removal of bladder) for bladder cancer at Addenbrookes Hospital. Despite her husband's offer to pay for her to have this surgery privately, she opted to be treated as a standard NHS patient on the public wards of her local hospital.
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...
scientist specialising in solar power
Solar power
Solar energy, radiant light and heat from the sun, has been harnessed by humans since ancient times using a range of ever-evolving technologies. Solar radiation, along with secondary solar-powered resources such as wind and wave power, hydroelectricity and biomass, account for most of the available...
conversion. She studied chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
at St Anne's College, Oxford, and physical chemistry
Physical chemistry
Physical chemistry is the study of macroscopic, atomic, subatomic, and particulate phenomena in chemical systems in terms of physical laws and concepts...
at Imperial College London
Imperial College London
Imperial College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom, specialising in science, engineering, business and medicine...
, before becoming a Cambridge University
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
lecturer. From 1988 to 2000 she was Chairwoman of the National Energy Foundation
National Energy Foundation
The National Energy Foundation is an independent British charity, established to encourage the more sustainable use and generation of energy.- Aims :...
, which promotes renewable energy
Renewable energy
Renewable energy is energy which comes from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat, which are renewable . About 16% of global final energy consumption comes from renewables, with 10% coming from traditional biomass, which is mainly used for heating, and 3.4% from...
, and is now its president. In 2002 she was appointed Chairwoman of Addenbrooke's NHS
National Health Service
The National Health Service is the shared name of three of the four publicly funded healthcare systems in the United Kingdom. They provide a comprehensive range of health services, the vast majority of which are free at the point of use to residents of the United Kingdom...
Trust, Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
.
In 2002 she received the Melchett Medal on Realistic opportunities for renewables: innovative technology
Mary Weedon became Mary Archer when she married Jeffrey Archer in 1966. When he was granted a life peerage in 1992, she gained the title Lady Archer of Weston-super-Mare. In 1987 she gave evidence at the High Court in a libel case brought by her husband against the Daily Star newspaper. During his summing up at the end of the trial, Mr Justice Caulfield asked: "Has she elegance? Has she fragrance? Would she have, without the strain of this trial, radiance?" In 2001, when Jeffrey Archer was accused of perjury in the earlier trial, she appeared at the Old Bailey
Old Bailey
The Central Criminal Court in England and Wales, commonly known as the Old Bailey from the street in which it stands, is a court building in central London, one of a number of buildings housing the Crown Court...
to defend him. Jeffrey Archer was subsequently convicted and imprisoned for perjury. She is reported to have once said, "Jeffrey has a gift for inaccurate precis".
In 1994, Archer was a non-executive director
Non-executive director
A non-executive director or outside director is a member of the board of directors of a company who does not form part of the executive management team. He or she is not an employee of the company or affiliated with it in any other way...
of Anglia Television
Anglia Television
Anglia Television is the ITV franchise holder for the East Anglia franchise region. Although Anglia Television takes its name from East Anglia, its transmission coverage extends beyond the generally accepted boundaries of that region. The station is based at Anglia House in Norwich, with regional...
at a time when it was the target of a takeover bid. Following reports from the London Stock Exchange
London Stock Exchange
The London Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located in the City of London within the United Kingdom. , the Exchange had a market capitalisation of US$3.7495 trillion, making it the fourth-largest stock exchange in the world by this measurement...
, the Department of Trade and Industry appointed inspectors on 8 February 1994 to investigate possible insider dealing
Insider trading
Insider trading is the trading of a corporation's stock or other securities by individuals with potential access to non-public information about the company...
contraventions by certain individuals, including her husband. No charges were brought.
She and Jeffrey have two children, William and James
James Archer (stock trader)
James Howard Archer born 10 June 1974, is an English businessman and former stock market trader. His parents are Jeffrey Archer, an ex-Conservative politician, and Mary Archer, a British scientist specialising in solar power conversion.-Personal life:...
.
She lives in the Old Vicarage, Grantchester
Old Vicarage, Grantchester
The Old Vicarage in the Cambridgeshire village of Grantchester is a house associated with the poet Rupert Brooke, who lived nearby and in 1912 immortalised it in an eponymous poem....
, near Cambridge, the former home immortalised by Rupert Brooke
Rupert Brooke
Rupert Chawner Brooke was an English poet known for his idealistic war sonnets written during the First World War, especially The Soldier...
in a poem of that title. She is a patron of the Rupert Brooke Society and also serves as President of the Guild of Church Musicians.
In 2011, she revealed that she had recently undergone major surgery (removal of bladder) for bladder cancer at Addenbrookes Hospital. Despite her husband's offer to pay for her to have this surgery privately, she opted to be treated as a standard NHS patient on the public wards of her local hospital.