David Cunliffe-Lister, 2nd Earl of Swinton
Encyclopedia
David Yarburgh Cunliffe-Lister, 2nd Earl of Swinton, JP
, DL
(21 March 1937–26 March 2006) was a British peer
and politician.
David Cunliffe-Lister was born to the Hon. John Yarburgh Cunliffe-Lister and his wife Anne Irvine Medlicott. His father died in 1943 of wounds received in action in during the Second World War. David was educated at Winchester College
and the Royal Agricultural College
, Cirencester.
In 1959, he married Susan Lilian Primrose Sinclair. He and his wife were one of the few couples who both hold noble titles in their own right. They have two adopted
children, Claire and John.
His grandfather, Philip Cunliffe-Lister
, the first Earl of Swinton
, had been an MP
and a veteran of 11 Conservative
cabinets. His great-grandfather was Samuel Lister
, the founder of Lister's Mill in Bradford
. Before the nationalisation of the coal industry, the family had owned the colliery in Featherstone
and David never forgot his links with the area, being a fervent supporter, as well as president of, Featherstone Rovers
rugby league
club.
Cunliffe-Lister was a member of the North Riding of Yorkshire
County Council 1961–1974, and of its successor, North Yorkshire County Council, 1973–1977.
He inherited the title Earl of Swinton
on the death of his grandfather in 1972 and served as Deputy Chief Whip
in the House of Lords
under Margaret Thatcher
from 1982 to 1986. He was also government spokesman on agriculture and education from 1983 to 1986. He left the House of Lords following the House of Lords Act in 1999.
Lord Swinton was a magistrate
and Deputy Lieutenant
of North Yorkshire. He was also formerly a member of the Countryside Commission
and a director of the Leeds Permanent Building Society.
Dogged by illness for the latter 10 years of his life, he had suffered a stroke and was disabled by its effects and those of Parkinson's disease
. He also suffered from diabetes and eventually cancer. He died 5 days after his 69th birthday.
His funeral took place at St Mary's Church, Masham
on 6 April 2006.
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
, DL
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
(21 March 1937–26 March 2006) was a British peer
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
and politician.
David Cunliffe-Lister was born to the Hon. John Yarburgh Cunliffe-Lister and his wife Anne Irvine Medlicott. His father died in 1943 of wounds received in action in during the Second World War. David was educated at Winchester College
Winchester College
Winchester College is an independent school for boys in the British public school tradition, situated in Winchester, Hampshire, the former capital of England. It has existed in its present location for over 600 years and claims the longest unbroken history of any school in England...
and the Royal Agricultural College
Royal Agricultural College
The Royal Agricultural College is a higher education institution located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, UK. Established in 1845, it was the first agricultural college in the English speaking world...
, Cirencester.
In 1959, he married Susan Lilian Primrose Sinclair. He and his wife were one of the few couples who both hold noble titles in their own right. They have two adopted
Adoption
Adoption is a process whereby a person assumes the parenting for another and, in so doing, permanently transfers all rights and responsibilities from the original parent or parents...
children, Claire and John.
His grandfather, Philip Cunliffe-Lister
Philip Cunliffe-Lister, 1st Earl of Swinton
Philip Cunliffe-Lister, 1st Earl of Swinton GBE, CH, MC, PC , known as Philip Lloyd-Greame until 1924 and as The Viscount Swinton from 1935 until 1955, was a prominent British Conservative politician from the 1920s until the 1950s.-Background and early life:Born as Philip Lloyd-Graeme, he was the...
, the first Earl of Swinton
Earl of Swinton
Earl of Swinton is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1955 for the prominent Conservative politician Philip Cunliffe-Lister, 1st Viscount Swinton. He had already been created Viscount Swinton, of Masham in the County of York, in 1935, and was made Baron Masham, of...
, had been an MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
and a veteran of 11 Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
cabinets. His great-grandfather was Samuel Lister
Samuel Lister, 1st Baron Masham
Samuel Cunliffe Lister, 1st Baron Masham, was an English inventor and industrialist, notable for inventing the Lister nip comb.-Early life:...
, the founder of Lister's Mill in Bradford
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
. Before the nationalisation of the coal industry, the family had owned the colliery in Featherstone
Featherstone
Featherstone is a town and civil parish in the City of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England. It lies south-west of Pontefract and has a population of 14,175.Featherstone railway station is on the Pontefract Line.-History:...
and David never forgot his links with the area, being a fervent supporter, as well as president of, Featherstone Rovers
Featherstone Rovers
Featherstone Rovers are a semi-professional rugby league club, based in Featherstone, West Yorkshire, England. They currently play in the Championship. The Rovers are one of the last vestiges of "small town teams" that were once common in rugby league during the early twentieth century...
rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
club.
Cunliffe-Lister was a member of the North Riding of Yorkshire
North Riding of Yorkshire
The North Riding of Yorkshire was one of the three historic subdivisions of the English county of Yorkshire, alongside the East and West Ridings. From the Restoration it was used as a Lieutenancy area. The three ridings were treated as three counties for many purposes, such as having separate...
County Council 1961–1974, and of its successor, North Yorkshire County Council, 1973–1977.
He inherited the title Earl of Swinton
Earl of Swinton
Earl of Swinton is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1955 for the prominent Conservative politician Philip Cunliffe-Lister, 1st Viscount Swinton. He had already been created Viscount Swinton, of Masham in the County of York, in 1935, and was made Baron Masham, of...
on the death of his grandfather in 1972 and served as Deputy Chief Whip
Chief Whip
The Chief Whip is a political office in some legislatures assigned to an elected member whose task is to administer the whipping system that ensures that members of the party attend and vote as the party leadership desires.-The Whips Office:...
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....
under Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
from 1982 to 1986. He was also government spokesman on agriculture and education from 1983 to 1986. He left the House of Lords following the House of Lords Act in 1999.
Lord Swinton was a magistrate
Magistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
and Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
of North Yorkshire. He was also formerly a member of the Countryside Commission
Countryside Commission
The Countryside Commission was a statutory body in England and Wales, and later in England only...
and a director of the Leeds Permanent Building Society.
Dogged by illness for the latter 10 years of his life, he had suffered a stroke and was disabled by its effects and those of Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system...
. He also suffered from diabetes and eventually cancer. He died 5 days after his 69th birthday.
His funeral took place at St Mary's Church, Masham
Masham
Masham is a small market town and civil parish in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England. It has a population of 1,235. Situated in Wensleydale on the western bank of the River Ure, the name derives from the Anglo-Saxon "Mæssa's Ham", the homestead belonging to Mæssa. The Romans had...
on 6 April 2006.
Titles from birth to death
- David Yarburgh Cunliffe-Lister, Esq (1937–1955)
- Lord Masham (1955–1972)
- The Right Honourable The Earl of Swinton (1972–2006)