John Beavan, Baron Ardwick
The Lord Ardwick | |
|---|---|
| Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal | |
| In office 16 January 1970 – 18 August 1994 Life Peerage | |
| Member of the European Parliament | |
| In office 1975–1979 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | John Cowburn Beavan 9 April 1910 Manchester, England |
| Died | 18 August 1994 (aged 84) London, England |
| Party | Labour |
| Spouse |
Gladys Jones (m. 1934) |
| Children | 2 (including Matthew Symonds) |
| Relatives | Carrie Johnson (granddaughter) |
| Alma mater | Manchester Grammar School |
| Occupation | Politician, editor, reporter |
John Cowburn Beavan, Baron Ardwick (9 April 1910 – 18 August 1994) was a British journalist, Labour life peer and Member of the European Parliament. He began his journalistic career in local newspapers before a long associations with The Guardian and Mirror. He was a staunch Labour supporter and was appointed as a life peer by Harold Wilson in 1970, namely to represent journalism in the House of Lords.
Early life and education
Beavan was born at Ardwick, in Manchester, on 9 April 1910, a son of Silas Morgan Beavan (1881–1964; of Welsh origin and a miner, later greengrocer)[1] and Emily Esther (née Hussey; 1882–1972), who from 'humble origins' went on to serve as a Manchester City Councillor, alderman, and justice of the peace, and was a campaigner for women's rights.[2][3] Beavan was educated at Manchester Grammar School.[4]
Career
Beavan's early career involved work at a number of newspapers, including the Manchester Evening Chronicle, the Blackpool Times, and the Evening Standard.[3] In 1943, he became editor of the Manchester Evening News.[3] Between 1946 and 1955, he was London editor of The Guardian.[5] For two years, 1960 to 1962, he was editor of the Daily Herald, then becoming political advisor to the Mirror Group, a post he retained until 1976.[6] He was a Labour Member of the European Parliament from 1975 to 1979.[5]
On 16 January 1970, he was created a life peer as Baron Ardwick, of Barnes in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames.[7]
Personal life
He married Gladys Jones in 1934, with whom he adopted a daughter.[3] By Anne Symonds, a BBC World Service journalist, he was also the father of Matthew Symonds.[8] Symonds' daughter Carrie is the spouse of the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson, a Conservative.[9]
On 18 August 1994, Beavan died from cancer at Parkside Hospital in Wimbledon, London, at the age of 84.[3]
Arms
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References
- ^ First Lady- Intrigue at the court of Carrie and Boris Johnson, Michael Ashcroft, Biteback Publishing, 2022, p. 2
- ^ First Lady- Intrigue at the court of Carrie and Boris Johnson, Michael Ashcroft, Biteback Publishing, 2022, p. 2
- ^ a b c d e Lancaster, Terence (2004). "Beavan, John Cowburn, Baron Ardwick (1910–1994), journalist". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/54708. (Subscription, Wikipedia Library access or UK public library membership required.)
- ^ 2007 "Ardwick, Baron cr 1970 (Life Peer), of Barnes, (John Cowburn Beavan) (29 April 1910–18 Aug. 1994)." WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO. 26 Jul. 2019
- ^ a b Terence Lancaster Obituary: Lord Ardwick, The Independent, 19 August 1994
- ^ Dennis Griffiths (ed) The Encyclopedia of the British Press, 1422–1992, London & Basingstoke: Macmillan, 1992, p,97
- ^ "No. 45021". The London Gazette. 16 January 1970. p. 658.
- ^ 2018 "Symonds, Matthew John, (born 20 Dec. 1953), Executive Director, Lawrence Ellison Foundation, since 2018." WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO. 26 Jul. 2019
- ^ ITV Report, Carrie Symonds: Who is Boris Johnson's partner? at itv.com dated 22 June 2019, accessed 24 June 2019