Ronald Dearing, Baron Dearing
Encyclopedia
Ronald Ernest, Baron Dearing, CB
(27 July 1930 – 19 February 2009) was a senior civil servant before becoming Chairman and Chief Executive of the Post Office Ltd.
. He was the eldest son of a docks clerk. His father was killed whilst fire watching during an air raid. He attended Doncaster Grammar School (now called Hall Cross School
) in Doncaster
, then in the West Riding of Yorkshire
, whilst living in Thorne. At the University of Hull
, he gained a BSc
in Economics in 1954 during a two year break from the Ministry of Power.
on the question of the possible removal of Lord Robens
as chair of the National Coal Board
in the wake of the damning Davies Report, which found the Coal Board wholly responsible for the disaster, and on the issue of the removal of the remaining tips above the town.
He was chairman of Ufi Ltd
between 1998 and 2001 and their Sheffield
based head office is named Dearing House after him.
of the University of Nottingham
1993-2000 and the author of the Dearing Report
into Higher Education. The annual teaching awards at Nottingham (initiated in 1999) are named after Lord Dearing as is a more recent series of teaching fellowships. The name Dearing Report is also applied to the 2001 report which he chaired "The Way Ahead: Church of England schools in the new millennium".
. They had two daughters and lived in Surbiton
. He had had cancer since the mid-1990s.
as Ronald, Lord Dearing, of Kingston upon Hull
in the County of the East Riding of Yorkshire
. He had been appointed a CB in 1979.
In 2000, Lord Dearing visited Malet Lambert School Language College
, Kingston upon Hull
, to open a new building constructed for the use of science and geography, it being named the Dearing Centre. Similarly, in 2004, he visited Hymers College
, Kingston upon Hull
, whereupon he opened the new science block with the purpose of educating the children in the areas of physics and chemistry. The Dearing Building on the University of Nottingham's Jubilee Campus is named after this former chancellor of the University.
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(27 July 1930 – 19 February 2009) was a senior civil servant before becoming Chairman and Chief Executive of the Post Office Ltd.
Early life
He was born in Kingston upon HullKingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
. He was the eldest son of a docks clerk. His father was killed whilst fire watching during an air raid. He attended Doncaster Grammar School (now called Hall Cross School
Hall Cross School
Hall Cross School, founded in 1350, is a co-educational comprehensive school in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England.-Admissions:The school is split over two sites, with the Upper School located in the centre of Doncaster and the Lower School in the north of Bessacarr, near the Dome. Hall Cross...
) in Doncaster
Doncaster
Doncaster is a town in South Yorkshire, England, and the principal settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster. The town is about from Sheffield and is popularly referred to as "Donny"...
, then in the West Riding of Yorkshire
West Riding of Yorkshire
The West Riding of Yorkshire is one of the three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county, County of York, West Riding , was based closely on the historic boundaries...
, whilst living in Thorne. At the University of Hull
University of Hull
The University of Hull, known informally as Hull University, is an English university, founded in 1927, located in Hull, a city in the East Riding of Yorkshire...
, he gained a BSc
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...
in Economics in 1954 during a two year break from the Ministry of Power.
Career
Dearing joined the civil service as a 16-year-old clerical officer in 1946. By 1967, aged 37, he was one of the two deputy heads of the coal division of the Ministry of Power, with the rank of assistant secretary. In 1967 Dearing had responsibility for two major issues arising from the 1966 Aberfan Disaster, in which a huge coal waste tip collapsed onto the town of Aberfan in Wales, killing 144 people including 116 school children. Dearing briefed the then Minister, Richard MarshRichard Marsh, Baron Marsh
Richard William Marsh, Baron Marsh PC was an English politician and business executive.Marsh was educated at Woolwich Polytechnic and was elected as Labour Party Member of Parliament for Greenwich at the 1959 general election...
on the question of the possible removal of Lord Robens
Alfred Robens, Baron Robens of Woldingham
Alfred Robens, Baron Robens of Woldingham CBE PC was an English trade unionist, Labour politician and industrialist...
as chair of the National Coal Board
National Coal Board
The National Coal Board was the statutory corporation created to run the nationalised coal mining industry in the United Kingdom. Set up under the Coal Industry Nationalisation Act 1946, it took over the mines on "vesting day", 1 January 1947...
in the wake of the damning Davies Report, which found the Coal Board wholly responsible for the disaster, and on the issue of the removal of the remaining tips above the town.
He was chairman of Ufi Ltd
Ufi Ltd
Ufi Ltd is a not-for-profit organisation created in 1998 to take forward the UK Government's vision of a University for Industry in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
between 1998 and 2001 and their Sheffield
Sheffield
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...
based head office is named Dearing House after him.
University of Nottingham
He was later the 5th ChancellorChancellor (education)
A chancellor or vice-chancellor is the chief executive of a university. Other titles are sometimes used, such as president or rector....
of 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...
1993-2000 and the author of the Dearing Report
Dearing Report
The Dearing Report, formally known as the reports of the National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education is a series of major reports into the future of Higher Education in the United Kingdom, published in 1997. The report was commissioned by the UK government and was the largest review of...
into Higher Education. The annual teaching awards at Nottingham (initiated in 1999) are named after Lord Dearing as is a more recent series of teaching fellowships. The name Dearing Report is also applied to the 2001 report which he chaired "The Way Ahead: Church of England schools in the new millennium".
Personal life
He married Margaret (Meg) Patricia Riley in 1954, whom he had met in a Methodist church when living in BermondseyBermondsey
Bermondsey is an area in London on the south bank of the river Thames, and is part of the London Borough of Southwark. To the west lies Southwark, to the east Rotherhithe, and to the south, Walworth and Peckham.-Toponomy:...
. They had two daughters and lived in Surbiton
Surbiton
Surbiton, a suburban area of London in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, is situated next to the River Thames, with a mixture of Art-Deco courts, more recent residential blocks and grand, spacious 19th century townhouses blending into a sea of semi-detached 20th century housing estates...
. He had had cancer since the mid-1990s.
Recognition
In 1998, he was made a life peerLife 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 Ronald, Lord Dearing, of Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
in the County of the 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...
. He had been appointed a CB in 1979.
In 2000, Lord Dearing visited Malet Lambert School Language College
Malet Lambert High School
Malet Lambert School is a comprehensive secondary school for 11-16 year old pupils in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire. The school is situated on James Reckitt Avenue in the east of the city and its front facade stands overlooking East Park...
, Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
, to open a new building constructed for the use of science and geography, it being named the Dearing Centre. Similarly, in 2004, he visited Hymers College
Hymers College
Hymers College is a co-educational independent school located on the site of the old Botanic Gardens of Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It was established in 1893 as a boys' school, but expanded to include girls from the 1970s onwards.-History:...
, Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
, whereupon he opened the new science block with the purpose of educating the children in the areas of physics and chemistry. The Dearing Building on the University of Nottingham's Jubilee Campus is named after this former chancellor of the University.