Michael Marshall (politician)
Encyclopedia
Sir Robert Michael Marshall, DL
(21 June 1930 - 6 September 2006), usually known as Michael Marshall, was a businessman, politician, cricketer and author.
After a career in the steel industry, he was Conservative
Member of Parliament
for Arundel
for 23 years, from the February 1974 general election
until the constituency was abolished in 1997.
He was the first MP with an MBA from Harvard, and was a junior government minister in Margaret Thatcher
's first government, from 1979 to 1981. He was heavily engaged with the Inter-Parliamentary Union, and had interests in theatre, cricket, golf, and wrote a number of books.
. His father was a printer, and his mother performed in music hall
. He was educated at Bradfield College
before began he a business career.
He joined United Steel in Sheffield in 1951, managed a branch in Calcutta from 1954 to 1958, obtained an MBA from Harvard University
in 1960, and also studied at Stanford University
, and then managed a branch in Bombay until 1964. He was commercial director at the company's steelworks in Workington
from 1964, and then moved to become managing director of engineering group Head Wrightson Export
in 1967. He joined Urwick Orr & Partners as a management consultant in 1969.
He married Caroline Oliphant in 1972, acquiring two stepdaughters
, a safe Labour seat. He became MP for Arundel
in the February 1974 general election
, and retained his seat until his retirement from politics in 1997.
In Parliament, his knowledge of the steel industry made him an effective critic of Sir Don Ryder
's plan to nationalise British Leyland. He was a member of the Select Committee on Nationalised Industries, and realised that British Steel
needed major reconstruction. He was able to implement his ideas when he became Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
at the Department of Industry in 1979, under Sir Keith Joseph
, where his portfolio that included aerospace, information technology, telecommunications, the Post Office, shipbuilding, space and steel. He was a strong supporter of Japan
ese investment in British industry. He oversaw the denationalisation of Cable & Wireless
and the launch of Teletext
.
Marshall returned to the back benches
in 1981. He took an interest in the fledgling British space industry, lobbying for British participation in Ariane
. He was also a member of the Defence Select Committee, a role that was controversial as he was a paid adviser to British Aerospace
. He was also involved in the parliamentary-industry discussion group, Pitcom, becoming its chairman in 1987.
He was closely involved with the Inter-Parliamentary Union, being a vice-chairman from 1985 to 1987, chairman from 1987 to 1990, presiding over its Centenary Conference in 1989, was its world president from 1991 to 1994, and was then appointed honorary life president. He was knighted and appointed a deputy lieutenant
of West Sussex
in 1990.
He retired at the 1997 general election
, when the boundaries of his seat were changed. He continued his business interests in retirement. After converting to Roman Catholicism in later life, he became a non-executive director of The Catholic Herald
in 2003.
er, having played for Harvard and Nepal. He captained the Lords and Commons Cricket XI, was a member of the MCC
, and was active in the Lord's Taverners
. He also commentated on cricket in India for the BBC, and was a member of the All India Radio
Test match panel during his 10 years working in India. He also played golf, and was a member of the Royal & Ancient in St Andrews
and a club near Worthing
.
He was also an author. He published Top Hat and Tails in 1979, a biography of Jack Buchanan
; The Timetable of Technology in 1982; Gentlemen and Players in 1987, an account of the annual Gentlemen versus Players cricket matches held between English first-class cricket
amateurs and their professional colleagues from 1919 to 1962; Cricket at the Castle in 1995, about cricket at Arundel Castle
Cricket Club; and More Sussex Seams in 1999. He also wrote five plays for television, and biographies for radio, and edited two volumes of monologues by Stanley Holloway
, published in 1979 and 1980, as well as The Book of Comic and Dramatic Monologues, published in 1981.
He was interested in the theatre
, and was a member of Equity
and Bafta. He was a trustee of the Theatres Trust from 1987 to 1999, and became Chairman of the Chichester Festival Theatre
Trust in 1997. He was a member of the Garrick Club
and the Beefsteak Club
. He was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts
.
He was diagnosed with cancer in 1998, but continued to be active. He died in Chichester
and his funeral was held at Slindon Roman Catholic Church
. At his subsequent memorial service at Arundel
Cathedral, John Major
gave an address.
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 June 1930 - 6 September 2006), usually known as Michael Marshall, was a businessman, politician, cricketer and author.
After a career in the steel industry, he was 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...
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,...
for Arundel
Arundel (UK Parliament constituency)
Arundel was twice a parliamentary constituency in the Kingdom of England, the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the United Kingdom. The first incarnation strictly comprised the town centre of Arundel and was a borough constituency first enfranchised in 1332 and disfranchised in 1868 under the Reform...
for 23 years, from the February 1974 general election
United Kingdom general election, February 1974
The United Kingdom's general election of February 1974 was held on the 28th of that month. It was the first of two United Kingdom general elections held that year, and the first election since the Second World War not to produce an overall majority in the House of Commons for the winning party,...
until the constituency was abolished in 1997.
He was the first MP with an MBA from Harvard, and was a junior government minister in Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
's first government, from 1979 to 1981. He was heavily engaged with the Inter-Parliamentary Union, and had interests in theatre, cricket, golf, and wrote a number of books.
Early and private life
Marshall was born in SheffieldSheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
. His father was a printer, and his mother performed in music hall
Music hall
Music Hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment which was popular between 1850 and 1960. The term can refer to:# A particular form of variety entertainment involving a mixture of popular song, comedy and speciality acts...
. He was educated at Bradfield College
Bradfield College
Bradfield College is a coeducational independent school located in the small village of Bradfield in the English county of Berkshire.The college was founded in 1850 by Thomas Stevens, Rector and Lord of the Manor of Bradfield...
before began he a business career.
He joined United Steel in Sheffield in 1951, managed a branch in Calcutta from 1954 to 1958, obtained an MBA from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 1960, and also studied at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
, and then managed a branch in Bombay until 1964. He was commercial director at the company's steelworks in Workington
Workington
Workington is a town, civil parish and port on the west coast of Cumbria, England, at the mouth of the River Derwent. Lying within the Borough of Allerdale, Workington is southwest of Carlisle, west of Cockermouth, and southwest of Maryport...
from 1964, and then moved to become managing director of engineering group Head Wrightson Export
Head Wrightsons
Head Wrightson was a big heavy industrial firm based at Thornaby-on-Tees on Teesside in England. They specialised in the manufacture of large industrial products such as fractional distillation columns that needed special transport to get them to site...
in 1967. He joined Urwick Orr & Partners as a management consultant in 1969.
He married Caroline Oliphant in 1972, acquiring two stepdaughters
Political career
He joined the Young Conservatives in 1950, but remained relatively inactive in politics until 1970, when he contested HartlepoolHartlepool (UK Parliament constituency)
Hartlepool is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post system of election.- Boundaries :...
, a safe Labour seat. He became MP for Arundel
Arundel (UK Parliament constituency)
Arundel was twice a parliamentary constituency in the Kingdom of England, the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the United Kingdom. The first incarnation strictly comprised the town centre of Arundel and was a borough constituency first enfranchised in 1332 and disfranchised in 1868 under the Reform...
in the February 1974 general election
United Kingdom general election, February 1974
The United Kingdom's general election of February 1974 was held on the 28th of that month. It was the first of two United Kingdom general elections held that year, and the first election since the Second World War not to produce an overall majority in the House of Commons for the winning party,...
, and retained his seat until his retirement from politics in 1997.
In Parliament, his knowledge of the steel industry made him an effective critic of Sir Don Ryder
Don Ryder
Sydney Thomas Franklin Ryder, Baron Ryder of Eaton Hastings , known as Don Ryder, was a businessman and Labour peer...
's plan to nationalise British Leyland. He was a member of the Select Committee on Nationalised Industries, and realised that British Steel
British Steel
British Steel was a major British steel producer. It originated as a nationalised industry, the British Steel Corporation , formed in 1967. This was converted to a public limited company, British Steel PLC, and privatised in 1988. It was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index...
needed major reconstruction. He was able to implement his ideas when he became 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....
at the Department of Industry in 1979, under Sir Keith Joseph
Keith Joseph
Keith St John Joseph, Baron Joseph, Bt, CH, PC , was a British barrister and politician. A member of the Conservative Party, he served in the Cabinet under three Prime Ministers , and is widely regarded to have been the "power behind the throne" in the creation of what came to be known as...
, where his portfolio that included aerospace, information technology, telecommunications, the Post Office, shipbuilding, space and steel. He was a strong supporter of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese investment in British industry. He oversaw the denationalisation of Cable & Wireless
Cable & Wireless
Cable & Wireless Worldwide PLC is a global telecommunications company headquartered in Bracknell, United Kingdom. Cable & Wireless specialises in providing communication networks and services to large corporates, governments, carrier customers and resellers...
and the launch of Teletext
Teletext
Teletext is a television information retrieval service developed in the United Kingdom in the early 1970s. It offers a range of text-based information, typically including national, international and sporting news, weather and TV schedules...
.
Marshall returned to the back benches
Backbencher
In Westminster parliamentary systems, a backbencher is a Member of Parliament or a legislator who does not hold governmental office and is not a Front Bench spokesperson in the Opposition...
in 1981. He took an interest in the fledgling British space industry, lobbying for British participation in Ariane
Ariane
Ariane is a feminine name. It is a French translation of the Greek name Ariadne. It may refer to:-People:* Princess Ariane of the Netherlands * Ariane Ascaride , French actress and screenwriter...
. He was also a member of the Defence Select Committee, a role that was controversial as he was a paid adviser to British Aerospace
British Aerospace
British Aerospace plc was a UK aircraft, munitions and defence-systems manufacturer. Its head office was in the Warwick House in the Farnborough Aerospace Centre in Farnborough, Hampshire...
. He was also involved in the parliamentary-industry discussion group, Pitcom, becoming its chairman in 1987.
He was closely involved with the Inter-Parliamentary Union, being a vice-chairman from 1985 to 1987, chairman from 1987 to 1990, presiding over its Centenary Conference in 1989, was its world president from 1991 to 1994, and was then appointed honorary life president. He was knighted and appointed a 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 West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
in 1990.
He retired at the 1997 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
, when the boundaries of his seat were changed. He continued his business interests in retirement. After converting to Roman Catholicism in later life, he became a non-executive director of The Catholic Herald
The Catholic Herald
The Catholic Herald is a London-based Roman Catholic newspaper, published in broadsheet format and retailing at £1.50 ....
in 2003.
Outside politics
Marshall was a keen cricketCricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er, having played for Harvard and Nepal. He captained the Lords and Commons Cricket XI, was a member of the MCC
Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
, and was active in the Lord's Taverners
Lord's Taverners
The Lord’s Taverners is a thriving club, the official charity for recreational cricket and the UK’s leading youth cricket and disability sports charity whose objective is to 'give young people, particularly those with special needs, a sporting chance'.The Lord’s Taverners was founded in 1950 by a...
. He also commentated on cricket in India for the BBC, and was a member of the All India Radio
All India Radio
All India Radio , officially known since 1956 as Akashvani , is the radio broadcaster of India and a division of Prasar Bharati. Established in 1936, it is the sister service of Prasar Bharati's Doordarshan, the national television broadcaster. All India Radio is one of the largest radio networks...
Test match panel during his 10 years working in India. He also played golf, and was a member of the Royal & Ancient in St Andrews
St Andrews
St Andrews is a university town and former royal burgh on the east coast of Fife in Scotland. The town is named after Saint Andrew the Apostle.St Andrews has a population of 16,680, making this the fifth largest settlement in Fife....
and a club near Worthing
Worthing
Worthing is a large seaside town with borough status in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, forming part of the Brighton/Worthing/Littlehampton conurbation. It is situated at the foot of the South Downs, west of Brighton, and east of the county town of Chichester...
.
He was also an author. He published Top Hat and Tails in 1979, a biography of Jack Buchanan
Jack Buchanan
Walter John "Jack" Buchanan was a British theatre and film actor, singer, producer and director. He was known for three decades as the embodiment of the debonair man-about-town in the tradition of George Grossmith Jr., and was described by The Times as "the last of the knuts." He is best known in...
; The Timetable of Technology in 1982; Gentlemen and Players in 1987, an account of the annual Gentlemen versus Players cricket matches held between English first-class cricket
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
amateurs and their professional colleagues from 1919 to 1962; Cricket at the Castle in 1995, about cricket at Arundel Castle
Arundel Castle
Arundel Castle in Arundel, West Sussex, England is a restored medieval castle. It was founded by Roger de Montgomery on Christmas Day 1067. Roger became the first to hold the earldom of Arundel by the graces of William the Conqueror...
Cricket Club; and More Sussex Seams in 1999. He also wrote five plays for television, and biographies for radio, and edited two volumes of monologues by Stanley Holloway
Stanley Holloway
Stanley Augustus Holloway, OBE was an English stage and film actor, comedian, singer, poet and monologist. He was famous for his comic and character roles on stage and screen, especially that of Alfred P. Doolittle in My Fair Lady...
, published in 1979 and 1980, as well as The Book of Comic and Dramatic Monologues, published in 1981.
He was interested in the theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
, and was a member of Equity
British Actors' Equity Association
Equity is the trade union for actors, stage managers and models in the United Kingdom. It was formed in 1930 by a group of West End performers....
and Bafta. He was a trustee of the Theatres Trust from 1987 to 1999, and became Chairman of the Chichester Festival Theatre
Chichester Festival Theatre
Chichester Festival Theatre, located in Chichester, England, was designed by Philip Powell and Hidalgo Moya, and opened by its founder Leslie Evershed-Martin in 1962. Subsequently the smaller and more intimate Minerva Theatre was built nearby in 1989....
Trust in 1997. He was a member of the Garrick Club
Garrick Club
The Garrick Club is a gentlemen's club in London.-History:The Garrick Club was founded at a meeting in the Committee Room at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane on Wednesday 17 August 1831...
and the Beefsteak Club
Beefsteak Club
Beefsteak Club is the name, nickname and historically common misnomer applied by sources to several 18th and 19th century male dining clubs that celebrated the beefsteak as a symbol of patriotic and often Whig concepts of liberty and prosperity....
. He was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts
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...
.
He was diagnosed with cancer in 1998, but continued to be active. He died in Chichester
Chichester
Chichester is a cathedral city in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, South-East England. It has a long history as a settlement; its Roman past and its subsequent importance in Anglo-Saxon times are only its beginnings...
and his funeral was held at Slindon Roman Catholic Church
Slindon
Slindon is a small village and civil parish in the Arun District of West Sussex, England, nestling in woodlands on the southern edge of the South Downs. Slindon lies approximately seven miles north-east of Chichester...
. At his subsequent memorial service at Arundel
Arundel
Arundel is a market town and civil parish in the South Downs of West Sussex in the south of England. It lies south southwest of London, west of Brighton, and east of the county town of Chichester. Other nearby towns include Worthing east southeast, Littlehampton to the south and Bognor Regis to...
Cathedral, John Major
John Major
Sir John Major, is a British Conservative politician, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1990–1997...
gave an address.