Peter Pilkington, Baron Pilkington of Oxenford (5 September 1933 – 14 February 2011
The Daily Telegraph, 15 February 2011) was a British public school headmaster and a

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization ...

member of the House of Lords.

Education

Pilkington was educated at Dame Allan's School, Newcastle where he came to faith and developed both his love of scholarship and his combative personality. In 1952 he went up to

Jesus College, Cambridge Jesus College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college's full name is The College of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint John the Evangelist and the glorious Virgin Saint Radegund, near Cambridge. Its common name comes f ...

and read history, being influenced by Conservative-minded figures such as Maurice Cowling, Herbert Butterfield and

Michael Oakeshott Michael Joseph Oakeshott FBA (; 11 December 1901 – 19 December 1990) was an English philosopher and political theorist who wrote about philosophy of history, philosophy of religion, aesthetics, philosophy of education, and philosophy of law.F ...

. He graduated in 1955, and took his MA in 1959.

Ecclesiastical career

Pilkington trained for ordination at Westcott House, Cambridge, and was ordained as a deacon in the Diocese of Derby in 1959, and as a priest the following year. He served for three years as

curate A curate () is a person who is invested with the ''care'' or ''cure'' (''cura'') ''of souls'' of a parish. In this sense, "curate" means a parish priest; but in English-speaking countries the term ''curate'' is commonly used to describe clergy w ...

at the historic parish church of All Saints', Bakewell during the incumbency of

George Sinker George Sinker (5 May 1900 – 19 January 1986) was bishop of Nagpur and provost of Birmingham Cathedral. He was born in Hyderabad, India, the son of the Reverend R Sinker, and was educated at Rossall School and Brasenose College, Oxford. In 192 ...

. He left parochial work to take up his first school chaplaincy position. In 1975 he was appointed an honorary

canon Canon or Canons may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Canon (fiction), the conceptual material accepted as official in a fictional universe by its fan base * Literary canon, an accepted body of works considered as high culture ** Western can ...

Canterbury Cathedral Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, Kent, is one of the oldest and most famous Christian structures in England. It forms part of a World Heritage Site. It is the cathedral of the Archbishop of Canterbury, currently Justin Welby, leader of the C ...

Educational career

In 1962 Pilkington became a schoolmaster at Eton College, teaching history, and a college chaplain. Later he became Conduct (senior chaplain), and for 10 years also served as

Master in College Master in College is the title of the housemaster of College, the oldest boarding house at Eton College, which is reserved for the seventy King's Scholars. King's Scholars (Collegers) attend Eton on scholarships provided under the original foundat ...

, the housemaster of the scholars' house, until his resignation in 1975. He was Headmaster of The King's School, Canterbury from 1975 to 1986. His final appointment in education was the post of High Master of St Paul's School, London, from 1986 to 1992.

Retirement

Following his retirement from education Pilkington was appointed Chairman of the Broadcasting Complaints Commission, serving from 1992 to 1996. In 1995, he was made a life peer as Baron Pilkington of Oxenford, of West Dowlish in the County of

Somerset Somerset ( , ; Archaism, archaically Somersetshire , , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, county in South West England which borders Gloucestershire and Bristol to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east and Devon to the so ...

.the Peerage.com
/ref> He also assisted in retirement as an honorary curate of

St Mary's, Bourne Street St Mary's, Bourne Street, is an Anglican church on Bourne Street near Sloane Square in London. It was built 'quickly and cheaply' in 1874 by Robert Jewell Withers, with the intention of providing ministry to the poor living in the nearby slums of ...

, a prominent

Anglo-Catholic Anglo-Catholicism comprises beliefs and practices that emphasise the Catholic heritage and identity of the various Anglican churches. The term was coined in the early 19th century, although movements emphasising the Catholic nature of Anglican ...

church in Pimlico, where he served from 1992 to 2005. Although his entire teaching career was spent in the private sector, Pilkington was a vociferous supporter of selective state education. During his retirement he served for several years as Chairman of the National Grammar Schools Association.

Personal life

In 1966 Pilkington married Helen Wilson, who predeceased him in 1997. He was survived by two daughters, Celia and Sarah Pilkington.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pilkington, Peter Baron Pilkington of Oxenford 1933 births 2011 deaths Politicians from Newcastle upon Tyne Alumni of Jesus College, Cambridge Conservative Party (UK) life peers Headmasters of the King's School, Canterbury High Masters of St Paul's School Ordained peers 20th-century English Anglican priests People educated at Dame Allan's School Teachers at Eton College Life peers created by Elizabeth II