Christopher Kearton, Baron Kearton
Encyclopedia
Frank Kearton, Baron Kearton OBE
FRS
FRSA
(17 February 1911–2 July 1992) was a British life peer
in the House of Lords
. He was also a scientist
and industrialist and former Chancellor of the University of Bath
. He usually known by his middle name of Frank, and was Frank Kearton OBE between 1945 and 1966, and Sir Frank Kearton OBE between 1966 and his elevation to the peerage in 1970.
; although the family moved to Tunstall in the Potteries
not long after his birth. He completed his secondary education at Hanley High School before going up to St John's College, Oxford
in 1929 as an open exhibitioner to read Chemistry
. He graduated with a First in 1933 although he did not apply for the transferral of his BA to an Oxbridge MA until 1959.
His wife, Kathleen, became styled Lady Kearton when he was knighted in 1966 and Baroness Kearton when he was elevated to the peerage in 1970. She would, however, have been known socially as Lady Kearton following her husband's elevation to the peerage as is convention for wives of Barons.
Lord Kearton died from cancer on 2 July 1992 at Stoke Mandeville Hospital
in Buckinghamshire
and was buried at Whitchurch
. He left an estate, according to probate of 14 August 1992, of £337,670.
(DSc) by the University of Bath
in 1966 when Lord Hinton was appointed the university's first Chancellor. Kearton himself was appointed Chancellor of the university in 1980 and, according to Sir Norman Wooding
, was a "notably active member of the University." He was still in office as Chancellor upon his death in 1991.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
FRS
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
FRSA
Royal Society of Arts
The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers and Commerce is a British multi-disciplinary institution, based in London. The name Royal Society of Arts is frequently used for brevity...
(17 February 1911–2 July 1992) was a British life peer
Life peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
. He was also a scientist
Scientist
A scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...
and industrialist and former Chancellor of the University of Bath
University of Bath
The University of Bath is a campus university located in Bath, United Kingdom. It received its Royal Charter in 1966....
. He usually known by his middle name of Frank, and was Frank Kearton OBE between 1945 and 1966, and Sir Frank Kearton OBE between 1966 and his elevation to the peerage in 1970.
Early life and education
Kearton was born to Christopher John Kearton, a bricklayer, and Lilian (née Hancock) in Congleton, CheshireCheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
; although the family moved to Tunstall in the Potteries
Potteries
Potteries may refer to:* Pottery, or pottery manufacturing* The Stoke-on-Trent area, known as the Staffordshire Potteries after its once-important ceramics industry...
not long after his birth. He completed his secondary education at Hanley High School before going up to St John's College, Oxford
St John's College, Oxford
__FORCETOC__St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford, one of the larger Oxford colleges with approximately 390 undergraduates, 200 postgraduates and over 100 academic staff. It was founded by Sir Thomas White, a merchant, in 1555, whose heart is buried in the chapel of...
in 1929 as an open exhibitioner to read Chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
. He graduated with a First in 1933 although he did not apply for the transferral of his BA to an Oxbridge MA until 1959.
Marriage
Three years after leaving Oxford, on 16 April 1936, he married Kathleen Agnes (née Kay) whom he had met when at school through playing tennis. She had completed a French degree at Bedford College, London and was a teacher at Morecambe Grammar School. The couple later had two sons and two daughters who were styled 'The Honourable First name Surname when their father was awarded a life peerage in 1970.His wife, Kathleen, became styled Lady Kearton when he was knighted in 1966 and Baroness Kearton when he was elevated to the peerage in 1970. She would, however, have been known socially as Lady Kearton following her husband's elevation to the peerage as is convention for wives of Barons.
Lord Kearton died from cancer on 2 July 1992 at Stoke Mandeville Hospital
Stoke Mandeville Hospital
Stoke Mandeville Hospital is a large National Health Service hospital within Aylesbury Urban Area to the south of the town of Aylesbury, near the village of Stoke Mandeville in Buckinghamshire...
in Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
and was buried at Whitchurch
Whitchurch
Whitchurch can refer to:Towns in the United Kingdom:*Whitchurch, Shropshire*Whitchurch, HampshireVillages in the United Kingdom:*Whitchurch, Bristol*Whitchurch, Buckinghamshire*Whitchurch, Cardiff*Whitchurch, Devon...
. He left an estate, according to probate of 14 August 1992, of £337,670.
Other appointments
Kearton was made an honorary Doctor of ScienceDoctor of Science
Doctor of Science , usually abbreviated Sc.D., D.Sc., S.D. or Dr.Sc., is an academic research degree awarded in a number of countries throughout the world. In some countries Doctor of Science is the name used for the standard doctorate in the sciences, elsewhere the Sc.D...
(DSc) by the University of Bath
University of Bath
The University of Bath is a campus university located in Bath, United Kingdom. It received its Royal Charter in 1966....
in 1966 when Lord Hinton was appointed the university's first Chancellor. Kearton himself was appointed Chancellor of the university in 1980 and, according to Sir Norman Wooding
Norman Wooding
Sir Norman Wooding CBE was a leading British industrialist with a PhD in Chemistry. He was also a friend of former Chancellor of the University of Bath, Sir Frank Kearton, later Lord Kearton.-References:...
, was a "notably active member of the University." He was still in office as Chancellor upon his death in 1991.
- President, Society of Chemical Industry (1972–1974)
- Chairman, Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (1973–1980)
- Chairman, British Association for the Advancement of Science (1978–1979)
- Chairman, Association of Special Libraries (1980–1982)
Awards
- Honorary Fellow, St John's College, OxfordSt John's College, Oxford__FORCETOC__St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford, one of the larger Oxford colleges with approximately 390 undergraduates, 200 postgraduates and over 100 academic staff. It was founded by Sir Thomas White, a merchant, in 1555, whose heart is buried in the chapel of...
(1965) - Companion of the Textile Institute (1965)
- Honorary Doctor of Science (DSc), University of BathUniversity of BathThe University of Bath is a campus university located in Bath, United Kingdom. It received its Royal Charter in 1966....
(1966) - Honorary Fellow, UMISTUMISTThe University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology was a university based in the centre of the city of Manchester in England. It specialised in technical and scientific subjects and was a major centre for research...
(1966) - Honorary Doctor of Laws (LLD), University of LeedsUniversity of LeedsThe University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
(1966) - Honorary Fellow, Institution of Chemical Engineers (1968)
- Honorary Doctor of Science (DSc), Aston UniversityAston UniversityAston University is a "plate glass" campus university situated at Gosta Green, in the city centre of Birmingham, England.Established in 1895 as the Birmingham Municipal Technical School, Aston was granted its Royal Charter as Aston University on 22 April 1966...
(1970) - Honorary Doctor of Science (DSc), University of ReadingUniversity of ReadingThe University of Reading is a university in the English town of Reading, Berkshire. The University was established in 1892 as University College, Reading and received its Royal Charter in 1926. It is based on several campuses in, and around, the town of Reading.The University has a long tradition...
(1970) - Honorary Doctor of Science (DSc), Keele UniversityKeele UniversityKeele University is a campus university near Newcastle-under-Lyme in Staffordshire, England. Founded in 1949 as an experimental college dedicated to a broad curriculum and interdisciplinary study, Keele is most notable for pioneering the dual honours degree in Britain...
(1970) - Fellow (FRSA), Royal Society of ArtsRoyal Society of ArtsThe Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers and Commerce is a British multi-disciplinary institution, based in London. The name Royal Society of Arts is frequently used for brevity...
(1970) - Fellow, Society of Dyers and Colourists (1974)
- Honorary Doctor of Science (DSc), University of UlsterUniversity of UlsterThe University of Ulster is a multi-campus, co-educational university located in Northern Ireland. It is the largest single university in Ireland, discounting the federal National University of Ireland...
(1975) - Fellow, Imperial College, London (1976)
- Grand Officiale, Order of Merit, Italy (1977)
- Doctor of Civil Law (DCL), University of OxfordUniversity of OxfordThe University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
(1978) - Doctor of the University (DUniv), Heriot-Watt UniversityHeriot-Watt UniversityHeriot-Watt University is a university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. The name commemorates George Heriot, the 16th century financier to King James, and James Watt, the great 18th century inventor and engineer....
(1979) - Companion of the British Institute of Management (1980)
- Honorary Doctor of Laws (LLD), University of StrathclydeUniversity of StrathclydeThe University of Strathclyde , Glasgow, Scotland, is Glasgow's second university by age, founded in 1796, and receiving its Royal Charter in 1964 as the UK's first technological university...
(1981) - Honorary Doctor of Laws (LLD), University of BristolUniversity of BristolThe University of Bristol is a public research university located in Bristol, United Kingdom. One of the so-called "red brick" universities, it received its Royal Charter in 1909, although its predecessor institution, University College, Bristol, had been in existence since 1876.The University is...
(1988)
Styles and honours
- Mr Frank Kearton (1911–1945)
- Mr Frank Kearton OBE (1945–1961)
- Mr Frank Kearton OBE FRS (1961–1966)
- Sir Frank Kearton LLD DSc OBE FRS (1966–1970)
- The Rt. Hon. The Lord Kearton LLD DSc OBE FRS FRSA (1970–1978)
- The Rt. Hon. The Lord Kearton DCL LLD DSc OBE FRS FRSA (1978–1979)
- The Rt. Hon. The Lord Kearton DCL LLD DSc DUniv OBE FRS FRSA (1979–1991)