Judith Henrietta Chetwood (née Pelham) 1943-2024

 Judith Henrietta Chetwood (née Pelham) who died 3 October, 2024, aged 81, was a scion of the Earls of Chichester.

She was born 13 March, 1943, the second daughter of Maj Anthony George Pelham (1911-1969), and his wife the former Ann Margaret Bergengren (who died 1990), daughter of Axel Bergengren, of Borås, Sweden; and married 26 October, 1968, Christopher John Chetwood (1940-1990), son of Leonard William Chetwood, of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, by whom she had issue, three sons, Thomas, Henry and Matthew, and a daughter, Henrietta.

5th Earl of Chichester > Hon Henry Pelham > Maj Anthony Pelham > Judith Pelham

-=-

Lieutenant-Colonel Christopher Richard Henry Wells 1929-2024

Lieutenant-Colonel Christopher Richard Henry Wells, died 28 September, 2024, aged 95.

He was born 24 February, 1929, son of Harry Robert Wells (1902-1986), and his wife the former Katharine Augusta Wrey (1902-1991), scion of the Wrey baronets; and married 9 March, 1957, Elizabeth Anne Daglish, daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel Edward Robert Daglish (1900-1991), of Thurston, Suffolk, by whom he had a son, Christopher (born 3 Dec, 1958), and a daughter, Philippa (born 1961).

Sir Henry Wrey, 10th Bt (1829-1900) > Edward Wrey (1875-1933) > Katharine Wrey > Christopher Wells (1929-2024)

-=-

Janet Odey 1934-2024

 Janet Odey (nee Carver), died 4 October, 2024, aged 90.

She was born at Driffield in 1934, a daughter of John Henton Carver (1902-68) and his wife the former Juliet Clitherow (1906-1969), scion of the Clitherow and Gurney landed gentry families; and married in 1954, (George) Richard Odey (1929-1993), of The Kennels, Hotham Hall, son of George William Odey, CBE, DL (1900-85), sometime Conservative MP for Howden and later Beverley, and his first wife the former Dorothy Christian Moir (1898-1975), by whom she had issue, a son, (Robin) Crispin William Odey (born 1959), the hedge fund manager and founder of Odey Asset Management, who married firstly 1985 (div 1986), Prudence Murdoch, daughter of Rupert Murdoch, and married 2ndly, 1991 (div 2021) Nichola Pease, a scion of the Pease baronets, and two daughters, Caroline Jane Odey (1956-2014), who married in 1982, the Hon Henry Montgomery (born 1954) (now the 3rd Viscount Montgomery of Alamein), and Virginia Odey (born 1962).

Her mother, Juliet Clitherow (born 3 Oct, 1906), was the elder of the three daughters, of Lieut-Col Thomas Claud Gurney, DSO, DL (1880-1963) of the Life Guards, sometime Private Secretary to HRH Prince Arthur of Connaught. Lt-Col Gurney, scion of the Gurneys of North Runcton assumed the surname and arms of Clitherow in lieu of his patronymic, on succeeding to the Hotham Hall estate. He married in 1906, Muriel Frances Sykes (who died in 1937).

Janet Odey's paternal grandfather was Maj. William Henton Carver (1868-1961), Conservative MP for Howdenshire 1926-45.

-=-

The Baron Leitch 1947-2024

 Lord Leitch, a life Baron, died 5 October, 2024. He was 76.

He was a businessman who was Group Chairman of FNZ, a global wealth management technology platform. He was also a Labour life peer, sitting in the House of Lords from 2004 until his death.

Alexander Park Leitch was born 20 October, 1947.

Career: In 1965, "Sandy" Leitch started his career as a computer programmer, writing the first ever UK life assurance ‘search engine’ program in 1967. He remained in the insurance industry throughout his early career, rising to become Chief Executive of Allied Dunbar, Executive Chair of Eagle Star and Threadneedle Asset Management before they were eventually merged with Zurich Financial Services in 1998. He was then appointed as a Chief Executive of Zurich Financial Services. He retired in 2004.

Leitch was raised to the peerage for life in June, 2004, taking the title Baron Leitch, of Oakley in Fife.  

In 2017 he set up the ‘What Is More?’ Foundation, to encourage spiritual and multi-faith debate. He also became a patron of the Stroke Association and the Medical Aid Films Charity where he was formerly founding Chairman. Lord Leitch was Deputy Chair of Business in the Community and received the Prince of Wales Ambassador award for charity work. Leitch was Group Chairman at FNZ, the global wealth management technology platform which partners with over 800 financial institutions and 8,000 wealth management firms. He was appointed to this role in 2013, and saw the company’s market value grow from $200 million to $20 billion over his tenure.

Leitch was previously founder and Chairman of Intrinsic Financial Services. Additionally, he was chairman at Scottish Widows plc, deputy chairman at Lloyds Banking Group plc, and on the Board of Old Mutual Wealth. He was a Trustee of the Lloyds Banking Group Charitable Foundation.

He was Chancellor of Carnegie College, chairman of a new think tank called ‘The Centre for Modern Families’ and strategic adviser to a Prince of Wales charity called PRIME. He was chairman of BUPA 2007-2018, and on the board of Lloyds Banking Group plc (2005–2012) – a board member with a variety of roles including Chairman of Scottish Widows plc, LBG Risk Oversight Committee Chair, LBG senior independent director and finally as LBG deputy chair. With Paternoster UK Ltd (2006–2010) – non-executive director for four years before selling the company to Goldman Sachs. Chair and chief executive, Zurich Financial Services UK, Ireland, South Africa and Asia Pacific. Chair of the Association of British Insurers. At United Business Media plc (2005–2007) – as a non-executive director and senior independent director. Medical Aid Films – Founding Chair of infant and maternal mortality charity. He served as a Trustee of National Galleries of Scotland. He was Chair of Stonar School in Wiltshire, and Trustee of the Philharmonia Orchestra. He was Deputy Chair of the Commonwealth Education Fund.

Lord Leitch leaves a widow Noelle. He had three daughters Fiona, Jacqueline and Joanne from his first marriage, and a young daughter Kathleen and two sons from his second marriage. 

He was a Freeman of the City of London. He had an honorary doctorate in business administration and a fellowship from Carnegie College.

-=-

Service of Thanksgiving for Lady Saltoun

 A Service of Thanksgiving will be held at St Peter’s Episcopal Church, Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, on 25 November, 2024, for the Lady Saltoun, widow of a cousin of the King, who died last month aged 93.

Lady Saltoun was the twenty first holder of a Scottish peerage, and until her retirement in 2014 she was the only holder of a lordship of Parliament who had a seat in the House of Lords as an elected hereditary peer. 

Lady Saltoun, of Cairnbulg Castle, Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, was, as a daughter-in-law of Lady Patricia Ramsay, a member of the Royal Family, and a regular visitor to Balmoral, and frequently seen on the platform of the Highland Games at Braemar as a guest of her husband's cousin, Queen Elizabeth II. The Braemar Gathering attended by the King and Queen is to take place on Saturday 7 September, 2024.

Lady Saltoun (pronounced Salton) was the Chief of the Name and Arms of Clan Fraser since 1 May 1984, by decree of the Court of the Lord Lyon. She was also the head of the Scottish lowland family the Frasers of Philorth.

The Saltoun title was created in 1445 for Sir Lawrence Abernethy, descendant of Hugh, Hereditary Abbot of the Pictish Abbacy of Abernethy on Tay, extant in 1172. The 4th Lord Saltoun fought at Flodden and escaped. On the death in 1669 of Margaret Abernethy, the title went to her cousin Alexander Fraser, a faithful supporter of both Charles I and Charles II, and has remained with the Frasers of Philorth ever since.

Flora Marjory Fraser was born 18 October, 1930, the only daughter of the 20th Lord Saltoun, MC, DL, JP (1886-1979), of Cairnbulg Castle, and his wife the former Dorothy Geraldine Welby (1890-1985), scion of the Welby baronets.

An elder brother, Lt Alexander Fraser, Master of Saltoun, MC, Grenadier Guards, was killed in action in February, 1944, aged 22, leaving Flora as heiress presumptive to her father's peerage.

She married 6 October, 1956, Capt Alexander Arthur Alfonso David Maule Ramsay of Mar, of the Grenadier Guards (born 21 December, 1919), scion of the Earls of Dalhousie, a godson of the then Prince of Wales (later Edward VIII and Duke of Windsor) and of Alfonso XIII, King of Spain, the only child of Admiral the Hon Sir Alexander Robert Maule Ramsay, GCVO, KCB, DSO (1881-1972), and his wife HRH Princess (Victoria) Patricia Helena Elizabeth of Connaught, CI, GCStJ (1886-1974), who on her marriage was authorised by Royal Licence to relinquish the style of royal highness and title of princess, and by another royal warrant was granted the style of Lady Patricia Ramsay, with precedence immendiately before marchionesses of England.

She succeeded her father in the Scottish peerage, 31 August, 1979.

Flora's husband succeeded his aunt Princess Arthur of Connaught, Duchess of Fife in the Mar Lodge estate, Aberdeenshire, and became the laird of Mar and was authorised by the Lord Lyon to add the designation 'of Mar' to his surname.

Lady Saltoun, as Chief of the Name and Arms of Fraser retained that name on marriage. Her husband died 20 December, 2000, the day before his 81st birthday. She died 3 September, 2024.

The last major royal event at which Lady Saltoun was present was the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton in Westminster Abbey in 2011. The King and Lord Lyon King of Arms had to be informed of her death before it could be made public, but the news was leaked several hours before.

Lady Saltoun leaves three daughters, the Hon Katharine Fraser (who retained that surname on her marriage), the Hon Alice, and the Hon Elizabeth. The eldest daughter, born 11 October, 1957), a goddaughter of Queen Ingrid of Denmark and the late Princess Mary, Princess Royal, succeeds to the Lordship of Saltoun (Peerage of Scotland, created 28 June, 1445).

-=-

The Most Rev Timothy Radcliffe to become a prince of the church

The Holy See has announced that Timothy Radcliffe is to be one of a group of 21 men to be installed as cardinals of the Catholic Church on 8 December, 2024.

Timothy Peter Joseph Radcliffe (born 22 August, 1945), is a scion of the Radcliffe baronets, formerly of Rudding Park, near Harrogate. He is as grandson of Sir Everard Joseph Radcliffe, 5th Baronet (1884-1969), of Rudding Park, and Lady Radcliffe (nee Marguerite Magdalen Ashton Case).

Timothy Radcliffe is an English Catholic priest and Dominican friar who served as Master of the Order of Preachers from 1992 to 2001. He is the only member of the order's English Province to hold that office. Radcliffe served as director of the Las Casas Institute of Blackfriars, Oxford, which promotes social justice and human rights.

The Most Rev Timothy Radcliffe is the third son of Lieutenant-Colonel Hugh John Reginald Joseph Radcliffe (1911-1993), and his wife the former Marie-Therese [Mariquita] Pereira (1916-2005), a descendent of the Lords Mowbray, Segrave & Stourton and the Lane Foxes of Bramham Park, near Wetherby.

-=-

Bateman/Paravicini engagement

 The engagement was announced 5 October, 2024, between Thomas Euan Bateman (born 1996), youngest son of Mark R. Bateman, of Petersfield, Hampshire, and his wife the former Amanda Jane Kench, & Sophie Mary E. Paravicini (born 1997), eldest daughter of Charles Vincent Somerset Paravicini (born 21 June, 1968), of Midhurst, West Sussex,  and his wife the former Lucia Francesca Laurie (born 1969).

Sophie Paravicini is a great-niece of Brigadier Andrew Parker Bowles, former husband of HM Queen Camilla.

-=-

Dr Harriette Virginia Charlotte Kevill-Davies 1976-2024

Dr Harriette Virginia Charlotte Kevill-Davies, who died in Chicago, 30 September, 2024, aged 48, was a scion of that landed gentry family, and descended from King Charles II, via her Beauclerk ancestors; she was born in 1976, daughter of the Rev Christopher Charles Kevill-Davies (born 30 November, 1944), and his wife the former Sally V. Mount.

Aubrey Beauclerk, 6th Duke of St Albans (1765-1815) > Lady Mary Beauclerk (1791-1845) > Hon Henry Amelius Coventry > Mary Augusta Henrietta Coventry >Ronald Arthur Hopwood > Virginia Louise Hopwood >Rev Christopher Kevill-Davies (b 1944) > Dr Harriette Kevill-Davies (1976-2024)

 -=-

The Earl of St Andrews appointed Senior Grand Warden, United Grand Lodge of England

The strong ties that bind the Royal House of Windsor with freemasonry have recently been strengthened by a senior appointment in the United Grand Lodge of England, the governing body or the majority of freemasons in England, Wales, and the Commonwealth of Nations.

In a poignant ceremony in London the Duke of Kent, Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England, installed his elder son, the Earl of St Andrews, as Senior Grand Warden. Traditionally the holder of the office of Senior Grand Warden, when a royal, has later succeeded to the office of Grand Master. The appointment of the 62 year-old Lord St Andrews comes at a time when the failing health of the Duke of Kent has been the cause of much speculation as to who would follow as head of UGLE.

George Philip Nicholas Windsor, styled Earl of St Andrews (born 26 June, 1962), is a former diplomat and a great-grandson of King George V and Queen Mary. He was a member of the Diplomatic Service in New York and Budapest. Lord St Andrews became chancellor of the University of Bolton in 2017. He is the trustee of the Next Century and Global eHealth foundations and patron of the Welsh Sinfonia. He is the elder son of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, and his wife the former Katharine Worsley and is the heir-apparent to his 88 year-old father. He is 42nd in the line of succession to the throne. 

The earl will be the first non-royal Duke of Kent in centuries. Only the grandchildren in the male line of the sovereign are HRH Prince/Princess. As a great-grandson of the monarch (George V) Lord St Andrews, will be His Grace the 3rd Duke of Kent, and rank with the dukes in the peerage of the United Kingdom.

St Andrews married in January, 1988, the Canadian-born Sylvana Palma Tomaselli (born 28 May, 1957), a noted historian and lecturer at the University of Cambridge. The couple have three children, a son, Edward, Lord Downpatrick (born Dec 1988), and two daughters, Lady Marina Charlotte (born Sept 1992), and Lady Amelia (born August, 1995).

Two members of the Royal Family are currently prominent freemasons and both are cousins once removed of His Majesty King Charles III, scions of the Kent branch of the Royal House of Windsor.  Prince Edward, Duke of Kent (born 9 Oct, 1935), is the tenth and longest-serving Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE), which serves as the governing body of Freemasonry in England and Wales. The duke was initiated into the Royal Alpha Lodge No. 16 on 16 December 1963. Two years later, he was chosen to be the Lodge’s Worshipful Master for 1965 and 1966. In 1967, he became the Grand Master of the UGLE during its 250th anniversary. He has now filled the role of Grand Master for 57 years, and continues to play and active role at Grand Lodge.

Prince Michael of Kent (born 4 July, 1942), younger brother of the Duke of Kent, is also an active  freemason. The prince holds two offices, the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons and Provincial Grand Master of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Middlesex from 1982. His Freemasonry career matches the same footsteps taken by his elder brother before. He was initiated into the fraternity in 1974 in Royal Alpha Lodge No. 16. Over the years, Prince Michael has become a member of different lodges and held numerous prestigious positions. 

With the King's cousin, the Duke of Kent, now 88, as the most senior freemason in England and Wales, and with the duke's elder son now as Senior Grand Warden it is safe to say that that House of Windsor's adherence to the brotherhood will continue for many years to come.

 In the past, many members of the Royal Family were members of the craft. George, Prince of Wales (1762-1830), later the Prince Regent and King George IV, was the first British Monarch to be regonised as a freemason. He was born in 1762 at St James’ Palace in London, the eldest son of King George III  and Queen Charlotte, and he succeeded his father on 29th January 1820 as the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. George, as Prince of Wales served as the Grand Master of the Premier Grand Lodge of England between 1790 and 1813. George IV died in June, 1830.

In January 1813, Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex (1773-1843), younger brother of King George IV, became Grand Master of the Premier Grand Lodge of England, and in December of that year his brother, Prince Edward Augustus, Duke of Kent and Strathearn (1767-1820) , became Grand Master of the Antient Grand Lodge of England. On 27 December 1813 the United Grand Lodge of England was constituted at Freemasons' Hall, London with the Duke of Sussex as Grand Master. In 1842, he founded the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution, and died 21 April, 1843.

King George’s IV was succeeded by his brother, William, Duke of Clarence, who reigned as King William IV between 1830 and 1837. The Duke of Clarence began his masonic career on 9 March 1786 when he was initiated into Prince George Lodge No. 86 at Plymouth. He was raised in rank to the Past Grand Master of Premier Grand Lodge in May 1787. Later, the Duke of Clarence became a permanent master of Prince of Wales’ lodge in 1827 until 1830 when he resigned after succeeding to the crown.  

Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, the eldest son of Queen Victoria, was initiated into the brotherhood on 20 December 1868. The ceremony was conducted in the Swedish Grand Master’s Lodge at the Royal Palace in Stockholm by Charles XV, King of Sweden and Norway. Albert Edward, known as 'Bertie' later became a member of the Royal Alpha Lodge No. 16, where he served as Master of the Lodge from time to time. Afterward, he became a member of several other Lodges, including the Apollo University Lodge No. 357, which is recognized as the Lodge for Oxford University Members. His life long journey in Freemasonry was remarkable. In 1874, he was elected to be the Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England. After his accession to the throne as King Edward VII, in January, 1901, he was raised to the position of Protector of the craft. King Edward VII was also the First Grand Principal of the Supreme Grand Chapter in 1874-1901.

King Edward VII's younger brother, Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught & Strathearn (1850-1942), succeeded his brother as Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England in 1901, and remained in the post for 38 years, until his resignation in 1939.

The Duke of Connaught was succeeded as Grand Master by his great-nephew, Prince George, Duke of Kent (1902-1942), who was killed in a flying accident on active service, in August, 1942.

Edward, Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII and Duke of Windsor),  was initiated into  freemasonry in 1919, as a member of the Household Brigade Lodge, No. 2614. King Edward VIII abdicated the throne in December, 1936, and his younger brother and successor the Duke of York described the moment of change in his own words as, ‘On entering the room, I bowed to him as King…when he and I said goodbye we kissed, parted as Freemasons and he bowed to me as his King,’ This statement is a clear indication of how the monarchs deeply valued Freemasonry ways and rituals. 

Prince Albert, Duke of York, later King George VI, the second son of King George V and Queen Mary was initiated into freemasonry on 2 December, 1919. He was initiated into Navy Lodge, No. 2612, after his service in World War I. At the time, he was a lieutenant of the Royal Navy. During the occasion, he said, ‘I have always wished to become a Freemason, but owing to the war, I have had no opportunity before of joining the Craft.’ This marked the beginning of his utmost dedication to the order.

Two years later, he was positioned as a permanent Master of Navy Lodge. He continued his mason career by joining other lodges. In 1923, he was inducted as the Senior Grand Warden of the United Grand Lodge of England.  He served as the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Scotland between 1936 until his coronation in May, 1937. 

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (1921-2021), the husband of Queen Elizabeth II, was initiated into the Navy Lodge No. 2612. However, he did not seem to have a passionate interest in involving himself with the organization. He contined to pay his annual Masonic subscription fee until his death in April, 2021, aged 99, even though he rarely associated himself with the business of the Craft.  

List of Grand Masters, United Grand Lodge of England:-

(1) HRH The Duke of Sussex, KG 1813-43

(2) The 2nd Earl of Zetland, KG 1844-1870

(3) The 1st Marquess of Ripon, KG, GCSI, CIE, PC 1870-74

(4) HRH The Prince of Wales, KG 1874-1901

(5) HRH The Duke of Connaught & Stratghearn 1901-39

(6) HRH The 1st Duke of Kent KG 1939-42

(7) The 6th Earl of Harewood, KG 1942-47

(8) The 10th Duke of Devonshire, KG 1947-50

(9) The 11th Earl of Scarbrough KG 1951-67

(10) HRH The 2nd Duke of Kent, KG 1967-

-=-

 

Violet Essex Pinney (née Cholmondeley) 1932-2024

Violet Essex Pinney, who died 24 September, 2024, aged 91, was a scion of the Barons Delamere.

She was born Violet Essex Cholmondeley, 4 December, 1932, daughter of Brigadier-General Hugh Cecil Cholmondeley (1852-1941), and his second wife the former Violet Maud Parker (1892-1993), scion of the Earls of Macclesfield; and married 23 May, 1964, Maj William James Pinney (1931-2010), son of Colonel George Ambrose Pinney, and his wife the former Silvia Crawford, by whom she had a son, Hugh Charles William (born 11 Nov, 1966).

The 1st Baron Delamere > Hon Thomas Cholmondeley > Brig Gen Hugh Cholmondeley >Violet Cholmondeley

Violet's father was born 172 years ago. 

-=-

Phyllis Lilian Hardinge 1925-2024

 Phyllis Lilian Hardinge, who died 17 September, 2024, aged 99, was a niece of the 5th Earl of Norbury, and scion of the Hardinge family (now Viscount Hardinge).

She was born in 1925 the daughter of George Nicholas Hardinge (1865-1943), and his wife the former Lady Lilian Frances Graham-Toler, who was raised to the rank of an earl's daughter in 1944 following her brother's succession to the peerage. Lady Lilian died in 1974.

Phyllis was a niece of the 5th Earl of Norbury (1893-1955), and a cousin of Noel, the 6th Earl (1939-2000).

Her home was at Bramdean Common, Alresford, Hampshire.

-=-

Minette Jane Finch-Knightley, MBE 1950-2024

 Minette Jane Finch-Knightley, who died 10 September, 2024, aged 74, was a scion of the Earls of Aylesford.

She was born 29 May, 1950, 1st daughter of the Hon Anthony Heneage Finch-Knightley (1920-1995), and his wife the former Susan Mary Palmer; and was a granddaughter paternally of Charles, 10th Earl of Aylesford (1886-1958), and was a niece of the 11th Earl (1918-2008). She married in 1983 (div) Nicholas Redfern, by whom she had one son, James Heneage Stuart Redfern (who was born 17 Sept, 1983).

Minette Finch-Knightley was appointed MBE in 1990,  for services to the Huntingdon and Peterborough Wishing Well Appeal, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children.

-=-

Sharon/Weatherall engagement

 The engagement was announced 4 October, 2024, between Capt Amit Sharon, son of Jonathan and Irit Sharon, of Tel Aviv, Israel, & Ruby Susanna Weatherall (born 1994), second daughter of (Edward) Percy Keswick Weatherall (born 1957), of Cowhill, Dumfries, by his wife the former Clara Mary Johnston (born 1960).

Ruby is a granddaughter of Capt Anthony Edward Weatherall (1924-2013), of Cowhill, Dumfries, and his wife the former Amelia Sophie Keswick (1930-2017), scion of the dynasty that built the Far Eastern trading empire Jardine Matheson.

Ruby is a niece of Isobel Weatherall who married (and divorced) the 18th Earl of Strathmore & Kinghorne, and of Catherine Weatherall, who married (and divorced) the Hon Nicholas Soames (now Baron Soames of Fletching).

-=-

Mylo Oscar Jenner Jerram (born 2024)

Harriet Jerram (née Kerchiss)wife of George Edward Jenner Jerram (born 1986), gave birth to a son, Mylo Oscar Jenner, 18 September, 2024, a brother for Jasper Roman Jenner Jerram (born 21 June, 2022)

George Jerram is a son of Christopher Edward Jenner Jerram, and and wife the former Caroline Margaret Jenyns (born 1954), scion of that landed gentry family.

-=-

The Baron Ouseley 1945-2024

  The Lord Ouseley, who died 2 October, 2024, aged 79, was a life peer who ran public authorities, including local councils and was an adviser and reviewer of public services organisations.

Herman Ouseley had expertise in equality and diversity issues and was the Chairperson of several charitable organisations as well as being a Patron for dozens of organisations. He was at the forefront of challenging institutional racism in organisations and was an advocate on behalf of individuals from disadvantaged and deprived backgrounds. He sat in the House of Lords as a crossbencher from 2001 until his retirement in 2019. He was also included in the 2003 list of "100 Great Black Britons". The peer was a local government officer between 1963 and 1993. He was appointed as the first principal race relations advisor in local government. From 1981, he served as Principal Race Relations Adviser and head of the Greater London Council's Ethnic Minority Unit. He later became Chief Executive of the London Borough of Lambeth and the former Inner London Education Authority (the first black person to hold such an office), responsible for over 1000 schools and colleges across the capital. Ouseley was chair and chief executive in the Commission for Racial Equality from 1993 to 2000.

Herman George Ouseley was born 24 March, 1945. He was knighted in 1997, and raised to the peerage for life in 2001 as Baron Ouseley, of Peckham Rye, in the London Borough of Southwark.

-=-