Robert Alexander, Baron Alexander of Weedon
Encyclopedia
Robert Scott Alexander, Baron Alexander of Weedon, QC
, FRSA (5 September 1936— 6 November 2005) was a British
barrister
, banker and Conservative
politician.
Educated at Brighton College
and King's College, Cambridge
, and called to the Bar at the Middle Temple
in 1961. An early case of note was his successful defence of Dr Caroline Deys before the General Medical Council
in 1972. Alexander was one of the leading barristers of his generation and served as Chairman of the Bar Council
1985-86.
As a barrister he came to greater public fame representing Lord Archer in his libel case against the Daily Star in 1987.
He retired from the Bar in 1989, and served as Chairman of the NatWest bank from 1989-99. He was also a Director of other companies, a member of the Government's Panel on Sustainable Development
and Chairman of the Royal Shakespeare Company
from 2000 until ill-health forced him to retire in 2004. He served the MCC
as President
and Chairman. He was Chancellor of the University of Exeter
from 1998-2005. He was also the Chair of JUSTICE
, the human rights and law reform group, from 1990–2005 and served on the Wakeham Commission's report into the reform of the House of Lords
.
Alexander was created a life peer
as Baron Alexander of Weedon, of Newcastle-under-Lyme
in the County of Staffordshire
, in 1988. He sat on the Conservative Party benches.
When offered a Peerage, Alexander requested that he be "of Weedon
," a very small village in Buckinghamshire
, just north of Aylesbury
, where he had lived for some years with his third wife, Marie, at Weedon Lodge. He and his family were hosts to the annual Weedon Jazz evening for several years, used to raise money for the village.
He was married three times and died from a stroke
in 2005, aged 69.
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
, FRSA (5 September 1936— 6 November 2005) was 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...
barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
, banker and 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...
politician.
Educated at Brighton College
Brighton College
Brighton College is an institution divided between a Senior School known simply as Brighton College, the Prep School and the Pre-Prep School. All of these schools are co-educational independent schools in Brighton, England, sited immediately next to each another. The Senior School caters for...
and King's College, Cambridge
King's College, Cambridge
King's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. The college's full name is "The King's College of our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge", but it is usually referred to simply as "King's" within the University....
, and called to the Bar at the Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
in 1961. An early case of note was his successful defence of Dr Caroline Deys before the General Medical Council
General Medical Council
The General Medical Council registers and regulates doctors practising in the United Kingdom. It has the power to revoke or restrict a doctor's registration if it deems them unfit to practise...
in 1972. Alexander was one of the leading barristers of his generation and served as Chairman of the Bar Council
Bar council
A bar council , in a Commonwealth country and in the Republic of Ireland, the Bar Council of Ireland is a professional body that regulates the profession of barristers together with the King's Inns. Solicitors are generally regulated by the Law society....
1985-86.
As a barrister he came to greater public fame representing Lord Archer in his libel case against the Daily Star in 1987.
He retired from the Bar in 1989, and served as Chairman of the NatWest bank from 1989-99. He was also a Director of other companies, a member of the Government's Panel on Sustainable Development
Sustainable development
Sustainable development is a pattern of resource use, that aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but also for generations to come...
and Chairman of the Royal Shakespeare Company
Royal Shakespeare Company
The Royal Shakespeare Company is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs 700 staff and produces around 20 productions a year from its home in Stratford-upon-Avon and plays regularly in London, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and on tour across...
from 2000 until ill-health forced him to retire in 2004. He served the MCC
Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
as President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
and Chairman. He was Chancellor of the University of Exeter
University of Exeter
The University of Exeter is a public university in South West England. It belongs to the 1994 Group, an association of 19 of the United Kingdom's smaller research-intensive universities....
from 1998-2005. He was also the Chair of JUSTICE
JUSTICE
JUSTICE is a human rights and law reform organisation based in the United Kingdom. It is the British section of the International Commission of Jurists, the international human rights organisation of lawyers devoted to the legal protection of human rights worldwide...
, the human rights and law reform group, from 1990–2005 and served on the Wakeham Commission's report into the reform of 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....
.
Alexander 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 Alexander of Weedon, of Newcastle-under-Lyme
Newcastle-under-Lyme
Newcastle-under-Lyme is a market town in Staffordshire, England, and is the principal town of the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme. It is part of The Potteries Urban Area and North Staffordshire. In the 2001 census the town had a population of 73,944...
in the County of Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked 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. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, in 1988. He sat on the Conservative Party benches.
When offered a Peerage, Alexander requested that he be "of Weedon
Weedon, Buckinghamshire
Weedon is a village and civil parish north of Aylesbury and south of Hardwick in the Aylesbury Vale district of Buckinghamshire, England.The toponym is derived from the Old English for "hill with a heathen temple". In records dated 1066 the village was recorded as Weodune.Weedon has a Methodist...
," a very small village in Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
, just north of Aylesbury
Aylesbury
Aylesbury is the county town of Buckinghamshire in South East England. However the town also falls into a geographical region known as the South Midlands an area that ecompasses the north of the South East, and the southern extremities of the East Midlands...
, where he had lived for some years with his third wife, Marie, at Weedon Lodge. He and his family were hosts to the annual Weedon Jazz evening for several years, used to raise money for the village.
He was married three times and died from a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
in 2005, aged 69.