Arthur James Michael Milner, 2nd Baron Milner of Leeds (12 September 1923 – 20 August 2003), was a British solicitor and Labour Party politician.

Biography

Milner was the only son of

James Milner, 1st Baron Milner of Leeds James Milner, 1st Baron Milner of Leeds, (12 August 1889 – 16 July 1967), was a British Labour Party politician. Biography Milner was educated at the University of Leeds and became a solicitor. He was a major in World War I and was wound ...

, and was born in

Leeds Leeds () is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the thi ...

in 1923. He was educated in

Oundle School Oundle School is a public school (English independent day and boarding school) for pupils 11–18 situated in the market town of Oundle in Northamptonshire, England. The school has been governed by the Worshipful Company of Grocers of the ...

and

Trinity Hall, Cambridge Trinity Hall (formally The College or Hall of the Holy Trinity in the University of Cambridge) is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. It is the fifth-oldest surviving college of the university, having been founded in 1350 by ...

, with an interruption of four years, when Milner served in the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...

as a

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 Indi ...

. He graduated with a

Master of Arts A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. ...

in 1948, working then as solicitor in his family firm. In July 1967, he inherited his father's title. Milner was Assistant Labour Whip from 1971 to 1974, and retired when

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 ...

became

prime minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is ...

again. After 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 ...

, he was one of the 92 hereditary peers elected to remain in the

House of Lords The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by appointment, heredity or official function. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster ...

, a reference to his continual support for Labour and to his father. He was further a Member of the Worshipful Company of Clothworkers and Honorary Treasurer of the Society of Yorkshiremen in London between 1967 and 1970.

Marriage and children

Milner married twice. Firstly, he married Sheila Margaret Hartley on 31 March 1951. They had three children:The peerage.com, entry for 2nd Lord Milner of Leeds
/ref> * Hon. Geraldine Jane Milner (born 24 November 1954) * Hon. Meredith Ann Milner (born 28 September 1956, died 31 December 1993) * Richard James Milner, 3rd Baron Milner of Leeds (born 16 May 1959) After his wife's death in 2000, Milner married secondly Helen Cutting Wilmerding in 2002. Milner died in 2003 at the age of 79 and was succeeded in the barony by his only son Richard.

References

* 1923 births 2003 deaths Alumni of Trinity Hall, Cambridge Barons in the Peerage of the United Kingdom Labour Party (UK) hereditary peers British solicitors {{UK-baron-stub Hereditary peers elected under the House of Lords Act 1999