John Hunt, Baron Hunt of Tanworth
Encyclopedia
John Joseph Benedict Hunt, Baron Hunt of Tanworth, GCB
, MC
, KCPO
(23 October 1919 – 17 July 2008) was a British
civil servant and politician.
He was born in Minehead
, west Somerset
, to Major LA Hunt and Daphne Aston-Caves. He attended Downside School
and Magdalene College, Cambridge
, before joining the Civil Service in 1946. He was Secretary of the Cabinet from 1973 to 1979. He was the first Roman Catholic to hold this post since its creation in 1916.
Lord Hunt of Tanworth was a brother-in-law of the late Basil Hume, Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster.
. He was appointed as Companion of the Order of the Bath
(CB) in 1968 and subsequently made a Knight Commander (KCB) of the same order in 1973. KCB
in 1973. He was created a life peer
with the title Baron Hunt of Tanworth, of Stratford-on-Avon in the County of Warwickshire
on 8 February 1980, and invested as a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
in the same year. Hunt was also invested as Knight Commander of the Order of Pius IX
by the Holy See
.
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, MC
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....
, KCPO
Order of Pius IX
The Order of Pius IX , also referred as the Pian Order , is a Papal order of knighthood founded on 17 June 1847 by Pope Pius IX.-Classes:The Order comprises five classes:...
(23 October 1919 – 17 July 2008) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
civil servant and politician.
He was born in Minehead
Minehead
Minehead is a coastal town and civil parish in Somerset, England. It lies on the south bank of the Bristol Channel, north-west of the county town of Taunton, from the border with the county of Devon and in proximity of the Exmoor National Park...
, west Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, to Major LA Hunt and Daphne Aston-Caves. He attended Downside School
Downside School
Downside School is a co-educational Catholic independent school for children aged 11 to 18, located in Stratton-on-the-Fosse, between Norton Radstock and Shepton Mallet in Somerset, south west England. It is attached to Downside Abbey...
and Magdalene College, Cambridge
Magdalene College, Cambridge
Magdalene College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1428 as a Benedictine hostel, in time coming to be known as Buckingham College, before being refounded in 1542 as the College of St Mary Magdalene...
, before joining the Civil Service in 1946. He was Secretary of the Cabinet from 1973 to 1979. He was the first Roman Catholic to hold this post since its creation in 1916.
Lord Hunt of Tanworth was a brother-in-law of the late Basil Hume, Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster.
Honours and awards
Hunt was a recipient of the Military Cross (MC)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....
. He was appointed as Companion of the Order of the Bath
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(CB) in 1968 and subsequently made a Knight Commander (KCB) of the same order in 1973. KCB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
in 1973. He was created a 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...
with the title Baron Hunt of Tanworth, of Stratford-on-Avon in the County of Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
on 8 February 1980, and invested as a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
in the same year. Hunt was also invested as Knight Commander of the Order of Pius IX
Order of Pius IX
The Order of Pius IX , also referred as the Pian Order , is a Papal order of knighthood founded on 17 June 1847 by Pope Pius IX.-Classes:The Order comprises five classes:...
by the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
.