Frederick James Erroll, 1st Baron Erroll of Hale, Baron Erroll of Kilmun, (27 May 1914 – 14 September 2000) was a British

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 ...

politician. He was the last surviving non-royal hereditary peer of the first creation.

Background and education

Erroll was the son of George Murison Bergmans, an engineer, and Kathleen, daughter of George Brodrick Edington, a Glasgow ironmaster. The family changed their German surname to Erroll during the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. He was educated at

Oundle School Oundle School is a public school (United Kingdom), public school (English Private schools in the United Kingdom, fee-charging boarding school, boarding and day school) for pupils 11–18 situated in the market town of Oundle in Northamptonshire ...

and at

Trinity College, Cambridge Trinity College is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, Trinity is one of the largest Cambridge colleges, with the largest financial endowment of any ...

, graduating with a bachelor's degree in mechanical sciences.

Early life and Second World War

Erroll was an engineer at

Metropolitan-Vickers Metropolitan-Vickers, Metrovick, or Metrovicks, was a British heavy electrical engineering company of the early-to-mid 20th century formerly known as British Westinghouse. Highly diversified, it was particularly well known for its industrial el ...

Electrical Co. Ltd, Manchester, 1936–38. He was commissioned into 4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters), Territorial Army in 1939, and held technical appointments in connection with tank construction and testing (advising SEAC, 1940–43) and served in

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

and

Burma Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and also referred to as Burma (the official English name until 1989), is a country in northwest Southeast Asia. It is the largest country by area in Mainland Southeast Asia and ha ...

, 1944–45. He left the forces in 1945 with the rank of

colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

Political career

Erroll was elected as Member of Parliament for Altrincham and Sale in 1945, holding the seat until 1964. He was

Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Supply The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Supply was a role in the Government of the United Kingdom His Majesty's Government, abbreviated to HM Government or otherwise UK Government, is the central government, central executive aut ...

, 1955–56;

Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade The Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade in the United Kingdom was a member of Parliament assigned to assist the Board of Trade and its President with administration and liaison with Parliament. It replaced the Vice-President of the Board ...

, 1956–58;

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 ...

, 1958–59;

Minister of State for Trade The Minister of State for Trade Policy and Economic Security, formerly Minister of State for Trade Policy and Minister of State for Trade, is a mid-level role at the Department for Business and Trade in the Government of the United Kingdom. I ...

, 1959–61;

President of the Board of Trade The president of the Board of Trade is head of the Board of Trade. A committee of the His Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, Privy Council of the United Kingdom, it was first established as a temporary committee of inquiry in the 17th centur ...

, 1961–63; and Minister of Power, 1963–64. In 1964 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Erroll of Hale, of Kilmun in the County of

Argyll Argyll (; archaically Argyle; , ), sometimes called Argyllshire, is a Shires of Scotland, historic county and registration county of western Scotland. The county ceased to be used for local government purposes in 1975 and most of the area ...

. In 1972 he was President of the Electric Vehicle Association of Great Britain. In 1999, aged 85, he 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 Erroll of Kilmun, of Kilmun in Argyll and Bute, to allow him to sit in 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 ...

following the passing 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 ...

, which excluded hereditary peers. He was a Member of the

Select committee on Science and Technology, 1985–91. He held a large number of business appointments.

Personal life

He married Elizabeth Barrow in 1950. Lord Erroll of Hale died in Kensington and Chelsea aged 86. As they had no children, the hereditary barony became extinct on his death.

References

External links

* , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Erroll of Hale, Frederick Erroll, 1st Baron 1914 births 2000 deaths 3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters) officers Alumni of Trinity College, Cambridge British Army personnel of World War II Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies Erroll of Kilmun Engineers from London 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 Parliamentary Secretaries to the Board of Trade People educated at Oundle School Presidents of the Board of Trade UK MPs 1945–1950 UK MPs 1950–1951 UK MPs 1951–1955 UK MPs 1955–1959 UK MPs 1959–1964 UK MPs 1964–1966 UK MPs who were granted peerages Hereditary barons created by Elizabeth II Life peers created by Elizabeth II Erroll of Hale