Peter Lovell Lovell-Davis, Baron Lovell-Davis (born Peter Lovell Davis; 8 July 1924 – 6 January 2001) was a British publishing executive and politician. He was influential in the success of the 1964, 1966 and 1974 general election campaigns for the Labour Party, and his association with

Harold Wilson James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, (11 March 1916 – 24 May 1995) was a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from October 1964 to June 1970, and again from March 1974 to April 1976. He ...

saw him raised to the peerage to serve in government between 1974 and 1976.

Early life and publishing career

Davis was born on 8 July 1924 to William Lovell Davis and Winifred Mary Davis. He was educated at Christ's College, Finchley and

King Edward VI School, Stratford-upon-Avon The Grammar School of King Edward VI at Stratford-upon-Avon (commonly referred to as King Edward VI School or shortened to K.E.S.) is a grammar school and academy in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England, traditionally for boys only. However ...

before joining an RAF officer training course in 1943. He qualified as a

Spitfire The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft used by the Royal Air Force and other Allied countries before, during, and after World War II. Many variants of the Spitfire were built, from the Mk 1 to the Rolls-Royce Griff ...

pilot and saw service during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. He left the RAF in 1947 after reaching the rank of

flight lieutenant Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in air forces that use the Royal Air Force (RAF) system of ranks, especially in Commonwealth countries. It has a NATO rank code of OF-2. Flight lieutenant is abbreviated as Flt Lt in the India ...

and returned to study English at

Jesus College, Oxford Jesus College (in full: Jesus College in the University of Oxford of Queen Elizabeth's Foundation) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship St ...

. After writing for the Oxford student magazine ''

Isis Isis (; ''Ēse''; ; Meroitic: ''Wos'' 'a''or ''Wusa''; Phoenician: 𐤀𐤎, romanized: ʾs) was a major goddess in ancient Egyptian religion whose worship spread throughout the Greco-Roman world. Isis was first mentioned in the Old Kingd ...

'' during his studies, he joined Central Press Features. With Davis as Managing Director (1952–1970), the agency "flourished" with its political commentary syndicated around the world.

Politics

Soon after the 1959 general election, Davis met

, a member of the Labour Party's National Executive, and tried to persuade him to get the party to use modern techniques in advertising, market research and television campaigning. Though he was unsuccessful at first, the Executive were eventually persuaded. Davis, together with David Kingsley and

Dennis Lyons Dennis 'Joe' Lyons (26 August 1916 – 29 March 2011) was a British scientist who researched topics ranging from rockets to roundabouts. He led the research of the Blue Streak and Black Knight rockets that were developed at the Royal Aircraft Es ...

, became unpaid advisers to the party known as the "Three Wise Men" and helped with the success of the

1964 Events January * January 1 – The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved. * January 5 - In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches since the fifteenth century, Pope Paul VI and Patriarch ...

and

1966 Events January * January 1 – In a coup, Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa takes over as military ruler of the Central African Republic, ousting President David Dacko. * January 3 – 1966 Upper Voltan coup d'état: President Maurice Yaméogo i ...

campaigns, employing

Bob Worcester Sir Robert Milton Worcester, (born 21 December 1933) is an American-born British pollster who is the founder of MORI (Market & Opinion Research International Ltd.) and a member and contributor to many voluntary organisations. He is a well-kno ...

MORI Mori is a Japanese and Italian surname, and also a Persian pet name for Morteza. It is also the name of two clans in Japan, and one clan in India. Italian surname *Barbara Mori, Uruguayan-Mexican actress *Camilo Mori, Chilean painter * Cesare ...

to carry out public opinion surveys for them. The campaign ahead of the 1970 election was criticised as distastefully personal and Wilson vetoed it; Labour went on to lose. He maintained close links with Wilson, and the successful campaign for the February 1974 election saw Wilson's return to government. Davis accepted a

life peer In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the peerage whose titles cannot be inherited, in contrast to hereditary peers. In modern times, life peerages, always created at the rank of baron, are created under the Life Peerages ...

age and on 26 June 1974 he was created Baron Lovell-Davis, of Highgate in Greater London. He served under Wilson in the Labour government as a

Lord-in-waiting Lords-in-waiting (male) or baronesses-in-waiting (female) are peers who hold office in the Royal Household of the sovereign of the United Kingdom. In the official Court Circular they are styled "Lord in Waiting" or "Baroness in Waiting" (without ...

from 1974, becoming Under-Secretary of State for Energy in 1975. In 1976, after Wilson's resignation and

James Callaghan Leonard James Callaghan, Baron Callaghan of Cardiff, ( ; 27 March 191226 March 2005), commonly known as Jim Callaghan, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1976 to 1979 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1976 to 1980. Callaghan is ...

's succession as Prime Minister, Lovell-Davis was sacked along with a number of other Wilson supporters. He subsequently served as a member of the

Commonwealth Development Corporation British International Investment, (formerly CDC Group plc, Commonwealth Development Corporation, and Colonial Development Corporation) is the development finance institution of the UK government. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office ...

board (1978–1984), a member of the London Consortium (1978–1988), and Vice-President of the Youth Hostels Association (1978–2001). He was a trustee of the Whittington Hospital Academic Centre (1980–2001) and of the Museum of the Port of London and Docklands (1985–1998), and he was chairman of Lee Cooper Licensing Services (1983–1990), and Pettifor, Morrow & Associates (1986–1999).

Personal life

In 1950 he married Jean Graham (1929-2020), after they met at Oxford. Lady Lovell-Davis became a children's broadcaster. She was director of the National Association for the Welfare of Children in Hospital, founded in 1961, focused on improving parental care and contact for young patients. They had two children: * Stephen (b.1955), a photographer * Catherine (b.1958) Peter Lovell-Davis died on 6 January 2001 and his ashes were buried on the western side of

Highgate Cemetery Highgate Cemetery is a place of burial in north London, England. There are approximately 170,000 people buried in around 53,000 graves across the West and East Cemeteries. Highgate Cemetery is notable both for some of the people buried there as ...

.Highgate Cemetery records, square 54, grave no. 52310

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Lovell-Davis, Peter Lovell-Davis, Baron 1924 births 2001 deaths Burials at Highgate Cemetery People educated at King Edward VI School, Stratford-upon-Avon Alumni of Jesus College, Oxford Royal Air Force officers British World War II pilots British newspaper publishers (people) Labour Party (UK) life peers Labour Party (UK) Baronesses- and Lords-in-Waiting Life peers created by Elizabeth II