Robert Methuen, 7th Baron Methuen
Encyclopedia
Robert Alexander Holt Methuen, 7th Baron Methuen (born 22 July 1931) is a British
Liberal Democrat
peer. He is one of the ninety hereditary peer
s elected to remain in the House of Lords
after the House of Lords Act 1999
.
Methuen is the third and youngest son of Anthony Methuen, 5th Baron Methuen, by his wife Grace Durning, daughter of Sir Richard Durning Holt, 1st Baronet. He was educated at Shrewsbury School
and Trinity College, Cambridge
, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts
in engineering in 1957. In 1994, he succeeded his elder brother in the title. Methuen worked as design engineer for Westinghouse Brake and Signal Company
from 1957 to 1967, and then as computer systems engineer for IBM UK Ltd
from 1968 to 1975 and for Rolls-Royce plc
from 1975 to 1994. During his time in the House of Lords he has served on the Science and Technology Select Committee and other committees.
Lord Methuen married firstly Mary Catherine Jane Hooper in 1958. Divorced in 1993, he married secondly Margrit Andrea Hadwiger one year later. He has two daughters by his first wife: Charlotte Methuen (born 1964) and Henrietta Christian Methuen-Jones (born 1965). Christian is married to Robert Jones (who took the surname Methuen-Jones) and has three daughters: Teresa Methuen-Jones (born 1990), Keziah Methuen-Jones (born 1992) and Miriam Methuen-Jones (born 1997).
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...
Liberal Democrat
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
peer. He is one of the ninety 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 elected to remain 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....
after 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;...
.
Methuen is the third and youngest son of Anthony Methuen, 5th Baron Methuen, by his wife Grace Durning, daughter of Sir Richard Durning Holt, 1st Baronet. He was educated at Shrewsbury School
Shrewsbury School
Shrewsbury School is a co-educational independent school for pupils aged 13 to 18, founded by Royal Charter in 1552. The present campus to which the school moved in 1882 is located on the banks of the River Severn in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England...
and Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in engineering in 1957. In 1994, he succeeded his elder brother in the title. Methuen worked as design engineer for Westinghouse Brake and Signal Company
Westinghouse Rail Systems
Westinghouse Rail Systems Ltd is a British supplier of railway signalling and control equipment to the rail industry worldwide. Its head office is in Chippenham, Wiltshire, where it manufactures a variety of mechanical and electrical/electronic railway signalling equipment...
from 1957 to 1967, and then as computer systems engineer for IBM UK Ltd
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
from 1968 to 1975 and for Rolls-Royce plc
Rolls-Royce plc
Rolls-Royce Group plc is a global power systems company headquartered in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom. It is the world’s second-largest maker of aircraft engines , and also has major businesses in the marine propulsion and energy sectors. Through its defence-related activities...
from 1975 to 1994. During his time in the House of Lords he has served on the Science and Technology Select Committee and other committees.
Lord Methuen married firstly Mary Catherine Jane Hooper in 1958. Divorced in 1993, he married secondly Margrit Andrea Hadwiger one year later. He has two daughters by his first wife: Charlotte Methuen (born 1964) and Henrietta Christian Methuen-Jones (born 1965). Christian is married to Robert Jones (who took the surname Methuen-Jones) and has three daughters: Teresa Methuen-Jones (born 1990), Keziah Methuen-Jones (born 1992) and Miriam Methuen-Jones (born 1997).