John Edmondson, 2nd Baron Sandford
Encyclopedia
Commander
John Cyril Edmondson, 2nd Baron Sandford, DSC
(22 December 1920 – 13 January 2009) was a decorated Royal Navy
officer, Church of England
clergyman, conservationist
and Conservative
politician. As a junior minister charged with a review of policy on National Park
s, he formulated what became known as the "Sandford principle": if there is a conflict between leisure use of the National Park, and protecting its natural state, the state of the park must be preserved.
Sandford was the eldest son of Albert Edmondson, 1st Baron Sandford
, and his wife Edith Elizabeth (née Freeman). He was educated at St Cyprian's School
, Eton
, and the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth and later trained for Holy Orders
at Westcott House, Cambridge
. He served in the Royal Navy
in the Second World War, notably at the landings in North Africa, Sicily
and Normandy
, where he was wounded. For his actions at Normandy he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross
. After the war he was wounded on HMS Saumarez
in the Corfu Channel Incident
in 1946. He was on the staff of the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth from 1947 to 1949, served on HMS Vengeance
in 1950 and on HMS Cleopatra
from 1951 to 1952, was on the staff of the Commander-in-Chief in the Far East from 1953 to 1955, and was commander of the Home Fleet Flagship HMS Tyne in 1956. The latter year Sandford retired from the Royal Navy with the rank of Commander
. In 1958 he was ordained
in the Church of England
and served as Curate
of the Parish of St Nicholas in Harpenden
from 1958 to 1963 and as Executive Chaplain to the Bishop of St Albans
from 1965 to 1968.
Sandford succeeded his father in the barony in 1959 and took his seat on the Conservative benches in the House of Lords
. He was an Opposition Whip in the House of Lords from 1966 to 1970 and served in the Conservative administration
of Edward Heath
as Joint Parliamentary Secretary
to the Ministry of Housing and Local Government
in 1970, as Joint Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
for the Department of the Environment
from 1970 to 1973 and as Joint Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
for the Department of Education and Science
from 1973 to 1974. As chair of the National Parks Policy Review Committee from 1971 to 1974 he gave name to the Sandford Principle
. He was the Chairman of the Institution of Environmental Sciences
, from 1977-1980, and was awarded Honorary Fellowship in 1981. Sandford has later served as President of the Council for Environmental Education from 1975 to 1984, as Chairman of the Community Task Force from 1977 to 1982 and of the Conference in South-East regional Planning from 1981 to 1988, as President of the Association of District Councils from 1980 to 1986 and as a Church Commissioner
from 1981 to 1988. He remained a member of the House of Lords until the passing of the House of Lords Act 1999
removed the automatic right of hereditary peer
s sit in the upper chamber of Parliament.
Sandford married Catharine Mary, daughter of Reverend Oswald Andrew Hunt, in 1947. They had two sons and two daughters. His eldest son, James, succeeded him.
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
John Cyril Edmondson, 2nd Baron Sandford, DSC
Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Service Cross is the third level military decoration awarded to officers, and other ranks, of the British Armed Forces, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and British Merchant Navy and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries.The DSC, which may be awarded posthumously, is...
(22 December 1920 – 13 January 2009) was a decorated Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
officer, Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
clergyman, conservationist
Conservationist
Conservationists are proponents or advocates of conservation. They advocate for the protection of all the species in an ecosystem with a strong focus on the natural environment...
and 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...
politician. As a junior minister charged with a review of policy on National Park
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
s, he formulated what became known as the "Sandford principle": if there is a conflict between leisure use of the National Park, and protecting its natural state, the state of the park must be preserved.
Sandford was the eldest son of Albert Edmondson, 1st Baron Sandford
Albert Edmondson, 1st Baron Sandford
Albert James Edmondson, 1st Baron Sandford was a British Conservative Party politician.At the 1922 general election, he was elected to the House of Commons as Member of Parliament for Banbury, and held the seat until he stepped down at the 1945 general election...
, and his wife Edith Elizabeth (née Freeman). He was educated at St Cyprian's School
St Cyprian's School
St Cyprian's School was an English preparatory school for boys, which operated in the early 20th century in Eastbourne, East Sussex. Like other preparatory schools, its purpose was to train pupils to do well enough in the examinations to gain admission to leading public schools, and to provide an...
, Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
, and the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth and later trained for Holy Orders
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
at Westcott House, Cambridge
Westcott House, Cambridge
Westcott House is a Church of England theological college based in Jesus Lane located in the centre of the university city of Cambridge in the United Kingdom.Its main activity is training people for ordained ministry in Anglican churches...
. He served in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
in the Second World War, notably at the landings in North Africa, Sicily
Allied invasion of Sicily
The Allied invasion of Sicily, codenamed Operation Husky, was a major World War II campaign, in which the Allies took Sicily from the Axis . It was a large scale amphibious and airborne operation, followed by six weeks of land combat. It launched the Italian Campaign.Husky began on the night of...
and Normandy
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
, where he was wounded. For his actions at Normandy he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross
Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Service Cross is the third level military decoration awarded to officers, and other ranks, of the British Armed Forces, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and British Merchant Navy and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries.The DSC, which may be awarded posthumously, is...
. After the war he was wounded on HMS Saumarez
HMS Saumarez (G12)
HMS Saumarez was an S class destroyer of the Royal Navy, completed on 1 July 1943. As a flotilla leader, her standard displacement was 20 tons heavier than other ships of her class...
in the Corfu Channel Incident
Corfu Channel Incident
The Corfu Channel Incident refers to three separate events involving Royal Navy ships in the Channel of Corfu which took place in 1946, and it is considered an early episode of the Cold War. During the first incident, Royal Navy ships came under fire from Albanian fortifications...
in 1946. He was on the staff of the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth from 1947 to 1949, served on HMS Vengeance
HMS Vengeance (R71)
HMS Vengeance was a Colossus class light aircraft carrier built for the Royal Navy during World War II. The carrier served in three navies during her career: the Royal Navy, the Royal Australian Navy , and the Brazilian Navy .Constructed during World War II, Vengeance was...
in 1950 and on HMS Cleopatra
HMS Cleopatra (33)
HMS Cleopatra was a Dido-class cruiser of the Royal Navy. She was built by R. and W. Hawthorn, Leslie and Company, Limited , with the keel being laid down on 5 January 1939...
from 1951 to 1952, was on the staff of the Commander-in-Chief in the Far East from 1953 to 1955, and was commander of the Home Fleet Flagship HMS Tyne in 1956. The latter year Sandford retired from the Royal Navy with the rank of Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
. In 1958 he was ordained
Ordination
In general religious use, ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies. The process and ceremonies of ordination itself varies by religion and denomination. One who is in preparation for, or who is...
in the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
and served as Curate
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
of the Parish of St Nicholas in Harpenden
Harpenden
Harpenden is a town in Hertfordshire, England.The town's total population is just under 30,000.-Geography and administration:There are two civil parishes: Harpenden and Harpenden Rural....
from 1958 to 1963 and as Executive Chaplain to the Bishop of St Albans
Bishop of St Albans
The Bishop of St Albans is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of St Albans in the Province of Canterbury. The bishop is supported in his work by two suffragan bishops, the Bishop of Hertford and the Bishop of Bedford, and three archdeacons....
from 1965 to 1968.
Sandford succeeded his father in the barony in 1959 and took his seat on the Conservative benches 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 an Opposition Whip in the House of Lords from 1966 to 1970 and served in the Conservative administration
Conservative Government 1970-1974
Members of the Cabinet are in bold face.incompleteSource: D. Butler and G. Butler, Twentieth Century British Political Facts 1900-2000...
of Edward Heath
Edward Heath
Sir Edward Richard George "Ted" Heath, KG, MBE, PC was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and as Leader of the Conservative Party ....
as Joint Parliamentary Secretary
Parliamentary Secretary
A Parliamentary Secretary is a member of a Parliament in the Westminster system who assists a more senior minister with his or her duties.In the parliamentary systems of several Commonwealth countries, such as the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, it is customary for the prime minister to...
to the Ministry of Housing and Local Government
Ministry of Housing and Local Government
The Ministry of Housing and Local Government was a United Kingdom government department formed after the Second World War, covering the areas of housing and local government....
in 1970, as Joint Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
A Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State is the lowest of three tiers of government minister in the government of the United Kingdom, junior to both a Minister of State and a Secretary of State....
for the Department of the Environment
Secretary of State for the Environment
The Secretary of State for the Environment was a UK cabinet position, responsible for the Department of the Environment . This was created by Edward Heath as a combination of the Ministry of Housing and Local Government, the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Public Building and Works on 15...
from 1970 to 1973 and as Joint Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
A Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State is the lowest of three tiers of government minister in the government of the United Kingdom, junior to both a Minister of State and a Secretary of State....
for the Department of Education and Science
Department of Education and Science
The phrase Department of Education and Science refers to government departments in the UK or Ireland* For the former Irish government department, see Department of Education and Skills...
from 1973 to 1974. As chair of the National Parks Policy Review Committee from 1971 to 1974 he gave name to the Sandford Principle
Sandford Principle
The Sandford Principle is a concept in the management of protected landscapes in the United Kingdom. It is called the Sandford Principle after Lord Sandford who chaired the National Parks Policy...
. He was the Chairman of the Institution of Environmental Sciences
Institution of Environmental Sciences
The Institution of Environmental Sciences is a professional body for environmental scientists, representing a very broad spectrum of practices in the environmental field....
, from 1977-1980, and was awarded Honorary Fellowship in 1981. Sandford has later served as President of the Council for Environmental Education from 1975 to 1984, as Chairman of the Community Task Force from 1977 to 1982 and of the Conference in South-East regional Planning from 1981 to 1988, as President of the Association of District Councils from 1980 to 1986 and as a Church Commissioner
Church Commissioners
The Church Commissioners is a body managing the historic property assets of the Church of England. It was set up in 1948 combining the assets of Queen Anne's Bounty, a fund dating from 1704 for the relief of poor clergy, and of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners formed in 1836...
from 1981 to 1988. He remained a member of the House of Lords until the passing of the House of Lords Act 1999
House of Lords Act 1999
The House of Lords Act 1999 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that was given Royal Assent on 11 November 1999. The Act reformed the House of Lords, one of the chambers of Parliament. For centuries, the House of Lords had included several hundred members who inherited their seats;...
removed the automatic right of hereditary peer
Hereditary peer
Hereditary peers form part of the Peerage in the United Kingdom. There are over seven hundred peers who hold titles that may be inherited. Formerly, most of them were entitled to sit in the House of Lords, but since the House of Lords Act 1999 only ninety-two are permitted to do so...
s sit in the upper chamber of Parliament.
Sandford married Catharine Mary, daughter of Reverend Oswald Andrew Hunt, in 1947. They had two sons and two daughters. His eldest son, James, succeeded him.