Edward Charles Gurney Boyle, Baron Boyle of Handsworth, (31 August 1923 – 28 September 1981), known as Sir Edward Boyle, 3rd Baronet, between 1945 and 1970, was a British
Conservative Party politician and
Vice-Chancellor
A vice-chancellor (commonly called a VC) serves as the chief executive of a university in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Kenya, other Commonwealth of Nati ...
of the
University of Leeds
The University of Leeds is a public research university in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It was established in 1874 as the Yorkshire College of Science. In 1884, it merged with the Leeds School of Medicine (established 1831) and was renamed Y ...
.
Early life and career
Boyle was born in
Kensington
Kensington is an area of London in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, around west of Central London.
The district's commercial heart is Kensington High Street, running on an east–west axis. The north-east is taken up by Kensingt ...
,
London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
, the eldest son of
Sir Edward Boyle, 2nd Baronet, and succeeded to his father's
baronet
A baronet ( or ; abbreviated Bart or Bt) or the female equivalent, a baronetess (, , or ; abbreviation Btss), is the holder of a baronetcy, a hereditary title awarded by the British Crown. The title of baronet is mentioned as early as the 14th ...
cy in 1945.
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
The ''Dictionary of National Biography'' (''DNB'') is a standard work of reference on notable figures from History of the British Isles, British history, published since 1885. The updated ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (''ODNB'') ...
accessed 26 July 2009 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 graduated from
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 ...
, in 1949 with a third-class
BA (later converted to an
MA) in history.
From 1942 to 1945, he was a temporary junior administration officer at the
Foreign Office
Foreign may refer to:
Government
* Foreign policy, how a country interacts with other countries
* Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in many countries
** Foreign Office, a department of the UK government
** Foreign office and foreign minister
* United ...
. He worked at
Bletchley Park
Bletchley Park is an English country house and Bletchley Park estate, estate in Bletchley, Milton Keynes (Buckinghamshire), that became the principal centre of Allies of World War II, Allied World War II cryptography, code-breaking during the S ...
in intelligence.
[University of Leeds Library]
Catalogue of Correspondence of Edward Boyle
Political career
The then Sir Edward Boyle entered Parliament in 1950 as
MP for
Birmingham Handsworth, a seat he would hold until his retirement in 1970. He served as
Parliamentary Private Secretary to the
Under-Secretary of State for Air from 1951 to 1952 and to the
Under-Secretary of State
Undersecretary (or under secretary) is a title for a person who works for and has a lower rank than a secretary (person in charge). It is used in the executive branch of government, with different meanings in different political systems, and is a ...
for Defence in 1952,
Parliamentary Secretary to the
Minister of Supply
Minister may refer to:
* Minister (Christianity), a Christian cleric
** Minister (Catholic Church)
* Minister (government), a member of government who heads a ministry (government department)
** Minister without portfolio, a member of government w ...
from 1954 to 1955,
Economic Secretary to the Treasury
The Economic Secretary to the Treasury is a junior ministerial post in HM Treasury, His Majesty's Treasury, ranked below the First Lord of the Treasury, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, the Paymaster General a ...
from 1955 to 1956 (he resigned from this role in protest of the
Suez Crisis
The Suez Crisis, also known as the Second Arab–Israeli War, the Tripartite Aggression in the Arab world and the Sinai War in Israel, was a British–French–Israeli invasion of Egypt in 1956. Israel invaded on 29 October, having done so w ...
), Parliamentary Secretary to the
Minister of Education
An education minister (sometimes minister of education) is a position in the governments of some countries responsible for dealing with educational matters. Where known, the government department, ministry, or agency that develops policy and deli ...
from 1957 to 1959,
Financial Secretary to the Treasury
The Financial Secretary to the Treasury is a mid-level ministerial post in HM Treasury. It is nominally the fifth most significant ministerial role within the Treasury after the first lord of the Treasury, the chancellor of the Exchequer, the ch ...
from 1959 to 1962,
Minister of Education
An education minister (sometimes minister of education) is a position in the governments of some countries responsible for dealing with educational matters. Where known, the government department, ministry, or agency that develops policy and deli ...
from 1962 to 1964 and
Minister of State for Education and Science in 1964.
In 1957 he opened the new teaching block and science block extension at
Abingdon School
Abingdon School is an independent day and boarding school in Abingdon-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, England. It is the List of the oldest schools in the United Kingdom, twentieth oldest Independent School (UK), independent British school. In May 202 ...
.
University of Leeds
Boyle was appointed Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leeds in 1970. He was a Trustee of the
British Museum
The British Museum is a Museum, public museum dedicated to human history, art and culture located in the Bloomsbury area of London. Its permanent collection of eight million works is the largest in the world. It documents the story of human cu ...
from 1970 to 1981 and Chairman of the
Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals of UK Universities from 1977 to 1979.
In 1977 he had been due to deliver the
Reith Lectures
The Reith Lectures is a series of annual BBC radio lectures given by leading figures of the day. They are commissioned by the BBC and broadcast on Radio 4 and the World Service. The lectures were inaugurated in 1948 to mark the historic contrib ...
for the BBC. Despite 2 years preparation time, he withdrew with 3 months notice.
[The Independent 4 June 2008]
Robert Hanks: The Week in Radio
Boyle died from cancer in Leeds on 28 September 1981, aged 58. He was unmarried and childless and whilst his life peerage became extinct at his death, his baronetcy passed to his brother,
Richard
Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic language">Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' and ''*hardu-'' 'strong, brave, hardy', and it therefore means 'st ...
.
Honours
On his retirement from parliament in 1970, Boyle was awarded 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. Life peers are appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister. With the exception of the D ...
age as Baron Boyle of Handsworth, ''of
Salehurst
Salehurst is a village in the Rother district of East Sussex, England, within the civil parish of Salehurst and Robertsbridge. It lies immediately to the north-east of the larger village of Robertsbridge, on a minor road; it is approximately ...
in the
County of Sussex''.
Boyle was awarded the
honorary degree
An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or '' ad hon ...
of
Doctor of Laws
A Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) is a doctoral degree in legal studies. The abbreviation LL.D. stands for ''Legum Doctor'', with the double “L” in the abbreviation referring to the early practice in the University of Cambridge to teach both canon law ...
(LLD) by the following universities:
* University of Leeds (1965)
*
University of Southampton
The University of Southampton (abbreviated as ''Soton'' in post-nominal letters) is a public university, public research university in Southampton, England. Southampton is a founding member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universit ...
(1965)
*
University of Bath
The University of Bath is a public research university in Bath, England. Bath received its royal charter in 1966 as Bath University of Technology, along with a number of other institutions following the Robbins Report. Like the University ...
(1968)
*
University of Sussex
The University of Sussex is a public university, public research university, research university located in Falmer, East Sussex, England. It lies mostly within the city boundaries of Brighton and Hove. Its large campus site is surrounded by the ...
(1972)
*
University of Liverpool
The University of Liverpool (abbreviated UOL) is a Public university, public research university in Liverpool, England. Founded in 1881 as University College Liverpool, Victoria University (United Kingdom), Victoria University, it received Ro ...
(1981)
Boyle also received an
Honorary Doctorate
An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or '' ad hon ...
from
Heriot-Watt University
Heriot-Watt University () is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. It was established in 1821 as the School of Arts of Edinburgh, the world's first mechanics' institute, and was subsequently granted university status by roya ...
in 1977.
Boyle was appointed a
Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour (CH) on 13 June 1981.
Flanders and Swann
Flanders and Swann were a British comedy duo and musicians. Michael Flanders (1922–1975) was a lyricist, actor, and singer. He collaborated with Donald Swann (1923–1994), a composer and pianist, in writing and performing comedy music, comic ...
satirically cited
"Edward Boyle's Law" : The greater the external pressure, the greater the volume of hot air.
Edward Boyle Memorial Trust Foundation Scholarship
Th
Edward Boyle Memorial Trustwas established in the wake of the death of the Lord Edward Boyle, in September 1981.
Its aims were the advancement of education, learning and music and its guidelines are as follows:
* support will be given to talented young people at a time when they are in most need;
* the Trust does not intend to do what institutions or individuals should do for themselves. It will help those with proven talent who have shown that they deserve help and are prepared to make their own substantial contribution;
* the Trust will support originality and excellence;
* administration costs will be kept to a minimum;
* because some donors have indicated ways in which they wish their contributions to be used the Trustees will endeavor to meet their requests.
The Trust offered the following support:
* Ove Arup/Edward Boyle Scholarships, intended for students from Hong Kong, Singapore or Malaysia following an undergraduate course in mechanical or electrical and electronic engineering, and
* Medical Elective Bursaries intended for Commonwealth students.
Publications
*''The politics of education: Edward Boyle and Anthony Crosland in conversation with Maurice Kogan (Penguin education specials)'', ed. M. Kogan, Harmondsworth : Penguin, 1971.
*''The Bedside 'Guardian' 22 (1972–73)''. Introduction, London: Collins, 1973.
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Boyle, Edward
1923 births
1981 deaths
Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford
Baronets in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom
Bletchley Park people
British Secretaries of State for Education
Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies
Conservative Party (UK) life peers
Deaths from cancer in England
Members of the Order of the Companions of Honour
Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Ministers in the Eden government, 1955–1957
Ministers in the Macmillan and Douglas-Home governments, 1957–1964
Ministers in the third Churchill government, 1951–1955
People educated at Eton College
Presidents of the Association for Science Education
Presidents of the Oxford Union
Presidents of the Oxford University Conservative Association
Trustees of the British Museum
UK MPs 1950–1951
UK MPs 1951–1955
UK MPs 1955–1959
UK MPs 1959–1964
UK MPs 1964–1966
UK MPs 1966–1970
UK MPs who were granted peerages
Vice-chancellors of the University of Leeds
Foreign Office personnel of World War II
Life peers created by Elizabeth II
Presidents of the Classical Association