Noel Moore
Encyclopedia
Noel Ernest Ackroyd Moore (November 25, 1928 – May 30, 2008) was a British
civil servant who was responsible for running the process leading to the decimalisation of the UK's currency
in 1971. He was later principal of the Civil Service College.
, he went up to Gonville and Caius College
, Cambridge
on a scholarship to read modern languages, graduating in 1950. During his time at Cambridge he won a half-blue for chess
, and developed what would be a life-long interest in the history and culture of Europe
. University was followed by National Service
, a period in the ranks
was followed by a commission as a second lieutenant
in the Royal Army Educational Corps
.
on 16 February 1953, acting captain
on 1 June 1954 and substantive captain on 25 November 1955. He transferred to the TA reserve of officers on 2 May 1956. He was promoted to the grade of principal in 1957.
Moore began his association with decimalisation
in 1961 when he was appointed secretary to the British Committee of Inquiry on Decimal Currency, chaired by John Giffard, 3rd Earl of Halsbury
. From 1966 he played the same role for the Decimal Currency Board, chaired by Lord Fiske, effectively giving him day-to-day responsibility for managing the transition to decimal currency. Despite the scale of the project, it encountered few problems, and the changeover was largely free from problems. His 1973 book, The Decimalisation of Britain’s Currency is considered the definitive account of the changeover.
With the successful conclusion of decimalisation, Moore transferred to the Civil Service Department in 1972, with the grade of under secretary. He was much concerned with improving management in the civil service, ultimately serving as principal of the Civil Service College in Sunningdale
from 1981–86.
on how to manage the transition to the Euro
. He also advised the Bank of England
for an exhibition marking 25 years since the introduction of the decimal currency.
With his wife, Mary, whom he had married in 1954, he was a regular volunteer at an Oxfam
shop in Brentwood
. Mary died in January 2008. Moore died of a brain tumour on May 30, 2008, leaving two sons, David and Richard.
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 who was responsible for running the process leading to the decimalisation of the UK's currency
Decimal Day
Decimal Day was the day the United Kingdom and Ireland decimalised their currencies.-Old system:Under the old currency of pounds, shillings and pence, the pound was made up of 240 pence , with 12 pence in a shilling and 20 shillings in a...
in 1971. He was later principal of the Civil Service College.
Early life
Born in Yorkshire, on November 25, 1928, Moore was the son of a monumental mason. Schooled at Penistone Grammar SchoolPenistone Grammar School
Penistone Grammar School is a comprehensive school and former grammar school in Penistone, in the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England. It was founded in 1392 and its most notable alumnus is Nicholas Saunderson, the probable inventor of Bayes theorem, in the eighteenth...
, he went up to Gonville and Caius College
Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge
Gonville and Caius College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. The college is often referred to simply as "Caius" , after its second founder, John Keys, who fashionably latinised the spelling of his name after studying in Italy.- Outline :Gonville and...
, Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
on a scholarship to read modern languages, graduating in 1950. During his time at Cambridge he won a half-blue for chess
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
, and developed what would be a life-long interest in the history and culture of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. University was followed by National Service
National service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
, a period in the ranks
Other Ranks
Other Ranks in the British Army, Royal Marines and Royal Air Force are those personnel who are not commissioned officers. In the Royal Navy, these personnel are called ratings...
was followed by a commission as a second lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
in the Royal Army Educational Corps
Royal Army Educational Corps
The Royal Army Educational Corps was a corps of the British Army tasked with educating and instructing personnel in a diverse range of skills...
.
Civil service
Moore entered the Post Office in 1952 in the grade of assistant principal. He initially retained an army commission in the Territorial Army, transferring to the Intelligence Corps on 26 November 1952. He was promoted to lieutenantFirst Lieutenant
First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...
on 16 February 1953, acting captain
Captain (OF-2)
The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery...
on 1 June 1954 and substantive captain on 25 November 1955. He transferred to the TA reserve of officers on 2 May 1956. He was promoted to the grade of principal in 1957.
Moore began his association with decimalisation
Decimalisation
Decimal currency is the term used to describe any currency that is based on one basic unit of currency and a sub-unit which is a power of 10, most commonly 100....
in 1961 when he was appointed secretary to the British Committee of Inquiry on Decimal Currency, chaired by John Giffard, 3rd Earl of Halsbury
John Giffard, 3rd Earl of Halsbury
John Anthony Hardinge Giffard 3rd Earl of Halsbury FRS, British peer and scientist, succeeded to the title in 1943. He was Managing Director of the National Research Development Corporation 1949–1959, after having been Director of Research of Decca Record Company 1947–1949, and previously worked...
. From 1966 he played the same role for the Decimal Currency Board, chaired by Lord Fiske, effectively giving him day-to-day responsibility for managing the transition to decimal currency. Despite the scale of the project, it encountered few problems, and the changeover was largely free from problems. His 1973 book, The Decimalisation of Britain’s Currency is considered the definitive account of the changeover.
With the successful conclusion of decimalisation, Moore transferred to the Civil Service Department in 1972, with the grade of under secretary. He was much concerned with improving management in the civil service, ultimately serving as principal of the Civil Service College in Sunningdale
Sunningdale
Sunningdale is a large village and civil parish in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, England.-Location:Sunningdale is located close to the present border with Surrey, and is not far from Ascot, Sunninghill and Virginia Water. It is situated 24 miles west of London and 7...
from 1981–86.
Retirement
Following Moore's retirement in 1986 he continued to be in demand as an advisor to the European UnionEuropean Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
on how to manage the transition to the Euro
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
. He also advised the Bank of England
Bank of England
The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom and the model on which most modern central banks have been based. Established in 1694, it is the second oldest central bank in the world...
for an exhibition marking 25 years since the introduction of the decimal currency.
With his wife, Mary, whom he had married in 1954, he was a regular volunteer at an Oxfam
Oxfam
Oxfam is an international confederation of 15 organizations working in 98 countries worldwide to find lasting solutions to poverty and related injustice around the world. In all Oxfam’s actions, the ultimate goal is to enable people to exercise their rights and manage their own lives...
shop in Brentwood
Brentwood, Essex
Brentwood is a town and the principal settlement of the Borough of Brentwood, in the county of Essex in the east of England. It is located in the London commuter belt, 20 miles east north-east of Charing Cross in London, and near the M25 motorway....
. Mary died in January 2008. Moore died of a brain tumour on May 30, 2008, leaving two sons, David and Richard.