Richard Lyon-Dalberg-Acton, 4th Baron Acton
Encyclopedia
Richard Gerald Lyon-Dalberg-Acton, 4th Baron Acton and Baron Acton of Bridgnorth (30 July 1941 – 10 October 2010) was a British
Labour
politician.
The oldest son of John Lyon-Dalberg-Acton
and Daphne Strutt, daughter of Robert Strutt, 4th Baron Rayleigh, he was educated at St George's College, Harare
in Zimbabwe
and at Trinity College, Oxford
, from which he emerged with a Bachelor of Arts
in 1963 (later, he would receive a Master of Arts from the same institution).
He served a term as director of Coutts & Co
before being admitted into Inner Temple
in 1976 and practising law for about four years. He then served as a Senior Law Officer of the
Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs of Zimbabwe
from 1981 until 1985.
He became the 4th Baron Acton, as well as 11th Baronet of Aldenham in 1989, upon his father's death. He lost his seat in the House of Lords
after the passage of the House of Lords Act 1999
. However, in 2000, he was created a life peer
as Baron Acton of Bridgnorth, of Aldenham in the County of Shropshire
, enabling him to return to the House.
Lord Acton sat on the Labour
benches and served on the Constitution Committee and on the Joint Committee on Consolidation Bills
.
. After having been a widower for a year he married Judith Todd
, the daughter of Sir Garfield Todd
the former Rhodesian Prime Minister. The marriage ended in 1984.
In 1988 Acton married his third wife, Patricia Nassif, a professor at the University of Iowa College of Law
in Iowa City, Iowa
. He divided his time between London
and Cedar Rapids, Iowa
. The couple remained married until his death.
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...
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.
The oldest son of John Lyon-Dalberg-Acton
John Lyon-Dalberg-Acton, 3rd Baron Acton
John Emerich Henry Lyon-Dalberg-Acton, 3rd Baron Acton, CMG, MBE, TD, DL was a British Peer. The son of Richard Lyon-Dalberg-Acton, he succeeded to the barony upon the death of his father....
and Daphne Strutt, daughter of Robert Strutt, 4th Baron Rayleigh, he was educated at St George's College, Harare
St George's College, Harare
St George's College, is a private Catholic boys school based in Harare, Zimbabwe. It is recognised as one of the best secondary schools in Africa...
in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
and at 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,...
, from which he emerged 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 1963 (later, he would receive a Master of Arts from the same institution).
He served a term as director of Coutts & Co
Coutts
Coutts & Co. is one of the UK's private banking houses, now wholly owned by the Royal Bank of Scotland . RBS acquired Coutts and all of its overseas subsidiaries when it bought NatWest. On 1 January 2008, Coutts' international businesses were renamed RBS Coutts, aligning them more closely with...
before being admitted into Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
in 1976 and practising law for about four years. He then served as a Senior Law Officer of the
Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs of Zimbabwe
Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs (Zimbabwe)
The Ministry of Justice is a government ministry, responsible for courts in Zimbabwe. The incumbent minister is Patrick Chinamasa and the deputy minister is Jessie Majome.....
from 1981 until 1985.
He became the 4th Baron Acton, as well as 11th Baronet of Aldenham in 1989, upon his father's death. He lost his seat 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 passage 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;...
. However, in 2000, he 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...
as Baron Acton of Bridgnorth, of Aldenham in the County of Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
, enabling him to return to the House.
Lord Acton sat on the 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...
benches and served on the Constitution Committee and on the Joint Committee on Consolidation Bills
Joint Committee on Consolidation, &c., Bills
The Joint Committee on Consolidation, &c., Bills is a joint select committee of the House of Commons and House of Lords in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The Committee was first established in 1894 with a remit to consider consolidation bills...
.
Personal life
From 1965 to 1973 Acton was married to Hilary Cookson, with whom he got a son, JohnnyJohn Lyon-Dalberg-Acton, 5th Baron Acton
John Charles Harold Ferdinand Lyon-Dalberg-Acton, 5th Baron Acton .Born in Oxford, he was educated at Winchester College and Balliol College, Oxford . He married Lucinda Percival in 1998. He is today an author and farmer living in Gloucestershire, England...
. After having been a widower for a year he married Judith Todd
Judith Todd
Judith Todd is daughter of Garfield Todd , Rhodesian Prime Minister 1953-8, and a political activist regarding Zimbabwe. She had been married from 1974 for ten years to Sir Richard Acton....
, the daughter of Sir Garfield Todd
Garfield Todd
Sir Reginald Stephen Garfield Todd was a reformist Prime Minister of Southern Rhodesia from 1953 to 1958 and later became an opponent of white minority rule in Rhodesia. He was born in Invercargill, New Zealand.-Background:...
the former Rhodesian Prime Minister. The marriage ended in 1984.
In 1988 Acton married his third wife, Patricia Nassif, a professor at the University of Iowa College of Law
University of Iowa College of Law
The University of Iowa College of Law is one of the eleven professional graduate schools at the University of Iowa, located in Iowa City, Iowa. Founded in 1865, it is the oldest law school in continuous operation west of the Mississippi River. The law school was ranked as the 27th best law school...
in Iowa City, Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa
Iowa City is a city in Johnson County, State of Iowa. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total population of about 67,862, making it the sixth-largest city in the state. Iowa City is the county seat of Johnson County and home to the University of Iowa...
. He divided his time between London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Rapids is the second largest city in Iowa and is the county seat of Linn County. The city lies on both banks of the Cedar River, north of Iowa City and east of Des Moines, the state's capital and largest city...
. The couple remained married until his death.
External links
- Announcement of his taking the oath under his new title at the House of Lords House of Lords minutes of proceedings, 17 April 2000
- Obituary in The IndependentThe IndependentThe Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
, 25 October 2010