Austin Ardill
Encyclopedia
Captain Robert Austin Ardill MC
(1917 – 12 October 2010) was a former Northern Irish
unionist politician
.
Ardill was born in Belfast
and educated at Coleraine Academical Institution
. He later worked as the managing director of a feedstuffs company. He served in the Royal Irish Fusiliers
from 1939 to 1946, winning the Military Cross
for his bravery on the Greek island of Leros
and retiring as a captain. He was a prisoner of war
for 18 months before being freed by Allied troops after the D-Day
landings. He also served as chairman of the Irish Temperance
League.
After the war he became involved with the Ulster Unionist Party
(UUP) and was elected as a member of Larne Rural District Council. In 1965 he was elected as a member of the Parliament of Northern Ireland
, representing
Carrick. He was opposed to the political reform programme of the Prime Minister
Terence O'Neill
and as a result lost the UUP nomination for Carrick in 1969 to Anne Dickson
.
Subsequently, he became involved in the Ulster Vanguard movement, as one of its deputy leaders. The movement was launched on opposed to any further reforms which would threaten the status quo. When the movement broke away from the UUP to form a separate political party
, Ardill chose to remain with the UUP.
In 1973, Ardill was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly
, representing South Antrim
. Although he signed the pledge to support the former Prime Minister Brian Faulkner
, he changed sides after the election to oppose the Sunningdale Agreement
. Ardill was courted by the Democratic Unionist Party
and considered switching to that party before ultimately deciding to remain an Ulster Unionist.He was re-elected for South Antrim in the Constitutional Convention
election of 1975.
In September 1979 he stood in the UUP leadership election
but lost to James Molyneaux
.
In the wake of the Anglo-Irish Agreement
in 1985, he became involved in the Charter Group, a pressure group within the UUP which had the restoration of devolution
as its main objective and accepted an Irish dimension in Northern Ireland politics. A close friend of Rev Martin Smyth
, Ardill would briefly return to politics in the late 1990s when he joined Smyth in campaigning against the Belfast Agreement
.
His wife Molly Ardill later served on Carrick Borough council
as a UUP, Independent Unionist
and Conservative
councillor, reaching the post of deputy mayor.
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
(1917 – 12 October 2010) was a former Northern Irish
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
unionist politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
.
Ardill was born in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
and educated at Coleraine Academical Institution
Coleraine Academical Institution
Coleraine Academical Institution , styled locally as Coleraine Inst, is a voluntary grammar school for boys, situated in Coleraine, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland....
. He later worked as the managing director of a feedstuffs company. He served in the Royal Irish Fusiliers
Royal Irish Fusiliers
The Royal Irish Fusiliers was an Irish infantry regiment of the British Army, formed by the amalgamation of the 87th Regiment of Foot and the 89th Regiment of Foot in 1881. The regiment's first title in 1881 was Princess Victoria's , changed in 1920 to The Royal Irish Fusiliers...
from 1939 to 1946, winning the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
for his bravery on the Greek island of Leros
Leros
Leros is a Greek island and municipality in the Dodecanese in the southern Aegean Sea. It lies 317 km from Athens's port of Piraeus, from which it can be reached by an 11-hour ferry ride . Leros is part of the Kalymnos peripheral unit...
and retiring as a captain. He was a prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
for 18 months before being freed by Allied troops after the D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
landings. He also served as chairman of the Irish Temperance
Temperance movement
A temperance movement is a social movement urging reduced use of alcoholic beverages. Temperance movements may criticize excessive alcohol use, promote complete abstinence , or pressure the government to enact anti-alcohol legislation or complete prohibition of alcohol.-Temperance movement by...
League.
After the war he became involved with the Ulster Unionist Party
Ulster Unionist Party
The Ulster Unionist Party – sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or, in a historic sense, simply the Unionist Party – is the more moderate of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland...
(UUP) and was elected as a member of Larne Rural District Council. In 1965 he was elected as a member of the Parliament of Northern Ireland
Parliament of Northern Ireland
The Parliament of Northern Ireland was the home rule legislature of Northern Ireland, created under the Government of Ireland Act 1920, which sat from 7 June 1921 to 30 March 1972, when it was suspended...
, representing
Carrick. He was opposed to the political reform programme of the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Northern Ireland
The Prime Minister of Northern Ireland was the de facto head of the Government of Northern Ireland. No such office was provided for in the Government of Ireland Act 1920. However the Lord Lieutenant, as with Governors-General in other Westminster Systems such as in Canada, chose to appoint someone...
Terence O'Neill
Terence O'Neill
Terence Marne O'Neill, Baron O'Neill of the Maine, PC was the fourth Prime Minister of Northern Ireland and leader of the Ulster Unionist Party...
and as a result lost the UUP nomination for Carrick in 1969 to Anne Dickson
Anne Dickson
Anne Letitia Dickson is a former Northern Ireland Unionist politician.Born in London, she moved with her family to Northern Ireland at an early age and was educated at Holywood and Richmond Lodge School. After service as the Chair of the Northern Ireland Advisory Board of the Salvation Army she...
.
Subsequently, he became involved in the Ulster Vanguard movement, as one of its deputy leaders. The movement was launched on opposed to any further reforms which would threaten the status quo. When the movement broke away from the UUP to form a separate political party
Vanguard Progressive Unionist Party
The Vanguard Unionist Progressive Party , informally known as Ulster Vanguard, was a unionist political party which existed in Northern Ireland between 1973 and 1978...
, Ardill chose to remain with the UUP.
In 1973, Ardill was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly
Northern Ireland Assembly (1973)
The Northern Ireland Assembly was a legislative assembly set up by the Government of the United Kingdom on 3 May 1973 to restore devolved government to Northern Ireland with the power-sharing Northern Ireland Executive made up of unionists and nationalists....
, representing South Antrim
South Antrim (Assembly constituency)
South Antrim is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Assembly, 1973...
. Although he signed the pledge to support the former Prime Minister Brian Faulkner
Brian Faulkner
Arthur Brian Deane Faulkner, Baron Faulkner of Downpatrick, PC was the sixth and last Prime Minister of Northern Ireland from March 1971 until his resignation in March 1972...
, he changed sides after the election to oppose the Sunningdale Agreement
Sunningdale Agreement
The Sunningdale Agreement was an attempt to establish a power-sharing Northern Ireland Executive and a cross-border Council of Ireland. The Agreement was signed at the Civil Service College in Sunningdale Park located in Sunningdale, Berkshire, on 9 December 1973.Unionist opposition, violence and...
. Ardill was courted by the Democratic Unionist Party
Democratic Unionist Party
The Democratic Unionist Party is the larger of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland. Founded by Ian Paisley and currently led by Peter Robinson, it is currently the largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly and the fourth-largest party in the House of Commons of the...
and considered switching to that party before ultimately deciding to remain an Ulster Unionist.He was re-elected for South Antrim in the Constitutional Convention
Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention
The Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention was an elected body set up in 1975 by the UK Labour government of Harold Wilson as an attempt to deal with constitutional issues surrounding the status of Northern Ireland....
election of 1975.
In September 1979 he stood in the UUP leadership election
Ulster Unionist Party leadership election, 1979
The Ulster Unionist Party leadership election of 1979 saw James Molyneaux succeed Harry West as leader on 7 September. At a specially convened meeting of the Ulster Unionist Council at the Ulster Hall, Belfast in early September, Molyneaux beat Reverend Robert Bradford by a three to one majority...
but lost to James Molyneaux
James Molyneaux
James Henry Molyneaux, Baron Molyneaux of Killead, KBE, PC is a Northern Irish Unionist politician and was leader of the Ulster Unionist Party from 1979 to 1995. He was a leading member and sometime Vice-President of the Conservative Monday Club...
.
In the wake of the Anglo-Irish Agreement
Anglo-Irish Agreement
The Anglo-Irish Agreement was an agreement between the United Kingdom and Ireland which aimed to help bring an end to the Troubles in Northern Ireland...
in 1985, he became involved in the Charter Group, a pressure group within the UUP which had the restoration of devolution
Devolution
Devolution is the statutory granting of powers from the central government of a sovereign state to government at a subnational level, such as a regional, local, or state level. Devolution can be mainly financial, e.g. giving areas a budget which was formerly administered by central government...
as its main objective and accepted an Irish dimension in Northern Ireland politics. A close friend of Rev Martin Smyth
Martin Smyth
Reverend William Martin Smyth is a Northern Irish unionist politician, and was Ulster Unionist Party Member of Parliament for Belfast South from 1982-2005...
, Ardill would briefly return to politics in the late 1990s when he joined Smyth in campaigning against the Belfast Agreement
Belfast Agreement
The Good Friday Agreement or Belfast Agreement , sometimes called the Stormont Agreement, was a major political development in the Northern Ireland peace process...
.
His wife Molly Ardill later served on Carrick Borough council
Carrickfergus Borough Council
Carrickfergus Borough Council is a district council in County Antrim in Northern Ireland. The council headquarters are in Carrickfergus and the council administers the town, on the north shore of Belfast Lough, and surrounding area, which extends from Greenisland in the south-west to Whitehead in...
as a UUP, Independent Unionist
Independent Unionist
See also Independent .Independent Unionist has been a label sometimes used by candidates in elections in the United Kingdom, indicating a support for Unionism, retaining the unity of the British state....
and Conservative
Conservatives in Northern Ireland
The Conservatives Northern Ireland is the section of the Conservative and Unionist Party of the United Kingdom that operates in Northern Ireland...
councillor, reaching the post of deputy mayor.