Merlyn Rees, Baron Merlyn-Rees
Encyclopedia
Merlyn Rees, later Merlyn Merlyn-Rees, Baron Merlyn-Rees, PC
(18 December 1920 – 5 January 2006) was a Welsh-born Labour party Member of Parliament
from 1963 until 1992, having served as Home Secretary
. He also served as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
(1974 – 1976).
, Glamorgan
, Wales, and educated at Harrow Weald
Grammar School
, Harrow
, England and Goldsmiths College
, London where he was president of the Students' union
from 1939 to 1941. He served in the RAF
the University of Nottingham
Air Squadron during World War II
, becoming a squadron leader at 25. He attended the London School of Economics
where he received BSc(Econ)
and MSc(Econ)
. He was appointed schoolmaster
at his old school in Harrow in 1949, teaching economics
and history
. He taught for eleven years, during which time he was three times an unsuccessful parliamentary candidate for Harrow East. He was a member of the Institute of Education
at the University of London
from 1959 to 1962.
in 1963, he stood successfully as the Labour candidate for Leeds South
, succeeding Labour leader Hugh Gaitskell
, who had died in office. He held the seat until he stepped down from the House of Commons at the 1992 general election
. The constituency was renamed as Morley and Leeds South in 1983. He was Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
from March 1974 until September 1976, when he was appointed Home Secretary
. For two years before the Labour government came to power in 1974 he had been Labour Party spokesman on Northern Ireland
. Rees wrote of his views on Northern Ireland in: Northern Ireland: a Personal Perspective. One month after his appointment as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Rees lifted the proscription against the illegal loyalist
paramilitary organisation, the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) in an attempt to bring them into the democratic process, however, the organisation was implicated in the Dublin and Monaghan bombings
on the 17 May 1973 and the group was once more banned by the British Government on 3 October 1975.
in 1992, he was created a life peer
as Baron Merlyn-Rees, of Morley and South Leeds in the County of West Yorkshire
and of Cilfynydd in the County of Mid Glamorgan and entered the House of Lords
, having changed his name by deed poll
to Merlyn Merlyn-Rees to allow his title to be Merlyn-Rees rather than Rees.
He was president of the Video Standards Council
from 1990 and the first Chancellor of the University of Glamorgan
from 1994 to 2002.
, dying at the age of 85. He was survived by his wife Colleen and three sons.
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Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
(18 December 1920 – 5 January 2006) was a Welsh-born Labour party Member of Parliament
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,...
from 1963 until 1992, having served as Home Secretary
Home Secretary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
. He also served as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, informally the Northern Ireland Secretary, is the principal secretary of state in the government of the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State is a Minister of the Crown who is accountable to the Parliament of...
(1974 – 1976).
Early life
Born in Cilfynydd, near PontypriddPontypridd
Pontypridd is both a community and a principal town of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales and is situated 12 miles/19 km north of the Welsh capital city of Cardiff...
, Glamorgan
Glamorgan
Glamorgan or Glamorganshire is one of the thirteen historic counties and a former administrative county of Wales. It was originally an early medieval kingdom of varying boundaries known as Glywysing until taken over by the Normans as a lordship. Glamorgan is latterly represented by the three...
, Wales, and educated at Harrow Weald
Harrow Weald
Harrow Weald is an area in north-west London, England. It includes a suburban development and forms part of the London Borough of Harrow.-Locale, geography and history:...
Grammar School
Grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
, Harrow
Harrow, London
Harrow is an area in the London Borough of Harrow, northwest London, United Kingdom. It is a suburban area and is situated 12.2 miles northwest of Charing Cross...
, England and Goldsmiths College
Goldsmiths College
Goldsmiths, University of London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom which specialises in the arts, humanities and social sciences, and a constituent college of the federal University of London. It was founded in 1891 as Goldsmiths' Technical and Recreative Institute...
, London where he was president of the Students' union
Students' union
A students' union, student government, student senate, students' association, guild of students or government of student body is a student organization present in many colleges and universities, and has started appearing in some high schools...
from 1939 to 1941. He served in the RAF
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
the University of Nottingham
University of Nottingham
The University of Nottingham is a public research university based in Nottingham, United Kingdom, with further campuses in Ningbo, China and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia...
Air Squadron during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, becoming a squadron leader at 25. He attended the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
where he received BSc(Econ)
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
and MSc(Econ)
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
. He was appointed schoolmaster
Schoolmaster
A schoolmaster, or simply master, once referred to a male school teacher. This usage survives in British public schools, but is generally obsolete elsewhere.The teacher in charge of a school is the headmaster...
at his old school in Harrow in 1949, teaching economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
and history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
. He taught for eleven years, during which time he was three times an unsuccessful parliamentary candidate for Harrow East. He was a member of the Institute of Education
Institute of Education
The Institute of Education is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom specialised in postgraduate study and research in the field of education and a constituent college of the federal University of London. It is the largest education research body in the United Kingdom, with...
at the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
from 1959 to 1962.
Member of Parliament
At a by-electionBy-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
in 1963, he stood successfully as the Labour candidate for Leeds South
Leeds South (UK Parliament constituency)
Leeds South was a parliamentary constituency in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 until it was abolished for the 1983 general election...
, succeeding Labour leader Hugh Gaitskell
Hugh Gaitskell
Hugh Todd Naylor Gaitskell CBE was a British Labour politician, who held Cabinet office in Clement Attlee's governments, and was the Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition from 1955, until his death in 1963.-Early life:He was born in Kensington, London, the third and youngest...
, who had died in office. He held the seat until he stepped down from the House of Commons at the 1992 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1992
The United Kingdom general election of 1992 was held on 9 April 1992, and was the fourth consecutive victory for the Conservative Party. This election result was one of the biggest surprises in 20th Century politics, as polling leading up to the day of the election showed Labour under leader Neil...
. The constituency was renamed as Morley and Leeds South in 1983. He was Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, informally the Northern Ireland Secretary, is the principal secretary of state in the government of the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State is a Minister of the Crown who is accountable to the Parliament of...
from March 1974 until September 1976, when he was appointed Home Secretary
Home Secretary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
. For two years before the Labour government came to power in 1974 he had been Labour Party spokesman on Northern Ireland
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...
. Rees wrote of his views on Northern Ireland in: Northern Ireland: a Personal Perspective. One month after his appointment as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Rees lifted the proscription against the illegal loyalist
Ulster loyalism
Ulster loyalism is an ideology that is opposed to a united Ireland. It can mean either support for upholding Northern Ireland's status as a constituent part of the United Kingdom , support for Northern Ireland independence, or support for loyalist paramilitaries...
paramilitary organisation, the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) in an attempt to bring them into the democratic process, however, the organisation was implicated in the Dublin and Monaghan bombings
Dublin and Monaghan Bombings
The Dublin and Monaghan bombings of 17 May 1974 were a series of car bombings in Dublin and Monaghan in the Republic of Ireland. The attacks killed 33 civilians and wounded almost 300 – the highest number of casualties in any single day during the conflict known as The Troubles.A loyalist...
on the 17 May 1973 and the group was once more banned by the British Government on 3 October 1975.
Retirement
When he retired from the House of CommonsBritish House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
in 1992, 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...
as Baron Merlyn-Rees, of Morley and South Leeds in the County of West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
and of Cilfynydd in the County of Mid Glamorgan and entered 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....
, having changed his name by deed poll
Deed of Change of Name
A deed of change of name is a legal document in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, which enables a single person or a family to officially change his or her name...
to Merlyn Merlyn-Rees to allow his title to be Merlyn-Rees rather than Rees.
He was president of the Video Standards Council
Video Standards Council
Video Standards Council was established in 1989 to establish a Code of Practice for the UK video industry. VSC is the designated body responsible for the age rating of video games supplied in the UK....
from 1990 and the first Chancellor of the University of Glamorgan
University of Glamorgan
The University of Glamorgan is a university based in Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales with campuses in Treforest, Glyntaff, Merthyr Tydfil, Tyn y Wern and Cardiff...
from 1994 to 2002.
Death
He suffered injuries in a number of falls, and failing to recover from these, fell into a comaComa
In medicine, a coma is a state of unconsciousness, lasting more than 6 hours in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light or sound, lacks a normal sleep-wake cycle and does not initiate voluntary actions. A person in a state of coma is described as...
, dying at the age of 85. He was survived by his wife Colleen and three sons.
External links
- Merlyn Rees (The Second World War Experience Centre)
- Catalogue of the Merlyn-Rees papers at the Archives Division of the London School of EconomicsLondon School of EconomicsThe London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
.
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