Charles Lyell, 3rd Baron Lyell, DL (27 March 1939 – 11 January 2017) was a British politician and

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

member of the

House of Lords The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the lower house, the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster in London, England. One of the oldest ext ...

. Lord Lyell was the son of

Charles Lyell, 2nd Baron Lyell Captain Charles Antony Lyell, 2nd Baron Lyell, VC (14 June 1913 – 27 April 1943) was a British recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Co ...

and Sophie Mary Trafford (1916–2012). He succeeded to the peerage in 1943 at the age of 4 when his father was killed in action during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

and was posthumously awarded the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British ...

. He was educated at

Eton College Eton College ( ) is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school providing boarding school, boarding education for boys aged 13–18, in the small town of Eton, Berkshire, Eton, in Berkshire, in the United Kingdom. It has educated Prime Mini ...

and

Christ Church, Oxford Christ Church (, the temple or house, ''wikt:aedes, ædes'', of Christ, and thus sometimes known as "The House") is a Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1546 by Henry V ...

. On the formation of a Conservative government after the 1979 general election, Lord Lyell was made a House of Lords

whip A whip is a blunt weapon or implement used in a striking motion to create sound or pain. Whips can be used for flagellation against humans or animals to exert control through pain compliance or fear of pain, or be used as an audible cue thro ...

, serving until 1984. He was then moved to the

Northern Ireland Office The Northern Ireland Office (NIO; , Ulster-Scots: ''Norlin Airlann Oaffis'') is a ministerial department of the Government of the United Kingdom. It is responsible for handling Northern Ireland affairs. The NIO is led by the Secretary of S ...

as a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State where he remained until he left the government in 1989. With the passage of the

House of Lords Act 1999 The House of Lords Act 1999 (c. 34) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed the House of Lords, one of the chambers of Parliament. The Act was given royal assent on 11 November 1999. For centuries, the House of Lords ...

, Lord Lyell along with almost all other hereditary peers lost his automatic right to sit in the House of Lords. He was however elected as one of the 92 elected hereditary peers to remain in the House of Lords pending completion of House of Lords reform. Lyell was Honorary Patron of Forfar Athletic F.C. and had been a supporter since a young age. He was a regular visitor to Station Park, always sponsoring the last home game of the season. He died on 11 January 2017. At that time, he was the third longest serving member of the House of Lords, after

Lord Carrington Peter Alexander Rupert Carington, 6th Baron Carrington, Baron Carington of Upton (6 June 1919 – 9July 2018), was a British Conservative Party politician and hereditary peer who served as Defence Secretary from 1970 to 1974, Foreign Secreta ...

and Lord Denham. The barony became extinct on his death.

Arms

References

Ministerial posts
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External links

The Telegraph obituary
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lyell, Charles 3rd Baron Lyell Lyell, Charles Lyell, Charles Nobility from Angus, Scotland People educated at Eton College Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford Lyell, Charles Lyell, 3rd Baron Lyell, Charles Deputy lieutenants of Angus Schuyler family Van Cortlandt family English people of Dutch descent Northern Ireland Office junior ministers Hereditary peers elected under the House of Lords Act 1999