Robin Medforth-Mills
Encyclopedia
Leslie Robin Medforth-Mills (born 8 December 1942 in Sproatley
, East Riding of Yorkshire
, England
- died 2 February 2002 Geneva
, Switzerland
) was a professor and former UN official.
(born 1950) at a civil ceremony on 20 July 1983 in Durham
, England
which was followed by a religious ceremony on 24 September 1983 in Lausanne
, Switzerland
. The family lived at Flass Hall, Esh Winning
, Durham. The couple divorced on 28 November 1991 in Sutherland
, Scotland
after having two children, Nicholas Michael de Roumanie Medforth-Mills (b. 1 April 1985), who has been named a Prince of Romania by his grandfather King Michael, and Elisabetta Karina Medforth-Mills (b. 4 January 1989), whose godmother was the novelist Catherine Cookson
.
Medforth-Mills graduated with a BA
degree, subsequently obtained a PhD
degree, and later became a professor of geography at Durham University
.
system, serving as a UN expert in a manpower project implemented by the International Labour Organization
in Sudan
in the mid-1970s, in UNICEF in its fund-raising office in Geneva
in the early 1990s, and later in its humanitarian operations in northern Iraq
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/0/e9751eb31a890a05c125694c004ec27a?OpenDocument&Click=, in the mid-1990s after the first Gulf War
. He was later posted with UNICEF again in Geneva, and also briefly in New York in the late 1990s. For several years after the fall of the Ceauşescu
regime, he was involved in efforts to bring humanitarian aid to institutionalized orphans and other destitute people in Romania
, and was a founder-member of the North-East Relief Fund for Romania, set up with Princess Elena of Romania
, and the then-Lord Mayor
of Newcastle
, Terry Cooney, and Harry Charrington.
Sproatley
Sproatley is a village and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is situated approximately north east of Hull city centre and north of Hedon at the junction of the B1238 and B1240 roads.The village church, dedicated to St...
, East Riding of Yorkshire
East Riding of Yorkshire
The East Riding of Yorkshire, or simply East Yorkshire, is a local government district with unitary authority status, and a ceremonial county of England. For ceremonial purposes the county also includes the city of Kingston upon Hull, which is a separate unitary authority...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
- died 2 February 2002 Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
) was a professor and former UN official.
Family
Medforth-Mills was the son of Cyril Mills and Nora Medforth. He married Princess Elena of RomaniaPrincess Elena of Romania
-Titles and styles:* 15 November 1950–present: Her Royal Highness, Princess Elena of Romania, Princess of Hohenzollern-Ancestry:-External links:* *...
(born 1950) at a civil ceremony on 20 July 1983 in Durham
Durham
Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
which was followed by a religious ceremony on 24 September 1983 in Lausanne
Lausanne
Lausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. The family lived at Flass Hall, Esh Winning
Esh Winning
Esh Winning is a village, and location of a former colliery, in County Durham, England. It is situated in the Deerness Valley to the west of Durham...
, Durham. The couple divorced on 28 November 1991 in Sutherland
Sutherland
Sutherland is a registration county, lieutenancy area and historic administrative county of Scotland. It is now within the Highland local government area. In Gaelic the area is referred to according to its traditional areas: Dùthaich 'IcAoidh , Asainte , and Cataibh...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
after having two children, Nicholas Michael de Roumanie Medforth-Mills (b. 1 April 1985), who has been named a Prince of Romania by his grandfather King Michael, and Elisabetta Karina Medforth-Mills (b. 4 January 1989), whose godmother was the novelist Catherine Cookson
Catherine Cookson
Dame Catherine Cookson DBE was a British author. She became the United Kingdom's most widely read novelist, with sales topping 100 million, while retaining a relatively low profile in the world of celebrity writers...
.
Education
After being educated at South Holderness County Secondary School, near Preston, where in 1960 he was Head Boy, he went to University.Medforth-Mills graduated with a BA
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...
degree, subsequently obtained a PhD
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
degree, and later became a professor of geography at Durham University
Durham University
The University of Durham, commonly known as Durham University, is a university in Durham, England. It was founded by Act of Parliament in 1832 and granted a Royal Charter in 1837...
.
Career
In addition to being professor of geography in Durham University at various periods in his life, he also worked for the United NationsUnited Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
system, serving as a UN expert in a manpower project implemented by the International Labour Organization
International Labour Organization
The International Labour Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that deals with labour issues pertaining to international labour standards. Its headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland. Its secretariat — the people who are employed by it throughout the world — is known as the...
in Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
in the mid-1970s, in UNICEF in its fund-raising office in Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
in the early 1990s, and later in its humanitarian operations in northern Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/0/e9751eb31a890a05c125694c004ec27a?OpenDocument&Click=, in the mid-1990s after the first Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
. He was later posted with UNICEF again in Geneva, and also briefly in New York in the late 1990s. For several years after the fall of the Ceauşescu
Nicolae Ceausescu
Nicolae Ceaușescu was a Romanian Communist politician. He was General Secretary of the Romanian Communist Party from 1965 to 1989, and as such was the country's second and last Communist leader...
regime, he was involved in efforts to bring humanitarian aid to institutionalized orphans and other destitute people in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, and was a founder-member of the North-East Relief Fund for Romania, set up with Princess Elena of Romania
Princess Elena of Romania
-Titles and styles:* 15 November 1950–present: Her Royal Highness, Princess Elena of Romania, Princess of Hohenzollern-Ancestry:-External links:* *...
, and the then-Lord Mayor
Lord Mayor
The Lord Mayor is the title of the Mayor of a major city, with special recognition.-Commonwealth of Nations:* In Australia it is a political position. Australian cities with Lord Mayors: Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin, Hobart, Melbourne, Newcastle, Parramatta, Perth, Sydney, and Wollongong...
of Newcastle
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
, Terry Cooney, and Harry Charrington.