Terry Major-Ball
Encyclopedia
Terry Major-Ball was the elder brother of the former British Prime Minister
Sir John Major
, who during his brother's seven-year premiership had a brief career as a television and radio personality and newspaper columnist. Despite the media attention, he always remained loyal and discreet.
, Surrey
. His father, Tom Major-Ball
(real name Abraham Thomas Ball), was a music hall
performer and circus artiste under the name Tom Major, and combined the two surnames when he started a garden ornament
business. His mother, Gwen, Tom's second wife, was a dancer. Unlike his elder sister Pat and younger brother John
, Major-Ball failed his 11 plus exam and went to Stoneleigh East Central Secondary Modern School. During the Second World War
, they were evacuated to Norfolk
. After the War, Major-Ball did National Service with the Royal Army Medical Corps
in Germany.
After being demobilised, Major-Ball unsuccessfully tried to save his ailing father's business, Major's Garden Ornaments, which was finally taken over by a competitor in 1962. The family's reduced circumstances forced them to move into rented rooms in Coldharbour Lane
in Brixton
. To supplement the family's income, Terry Major-Ball took many menial jobs. While working at Woolworths
in Brixton
in 1958, he met Shirley Wilson, whom he married in 1960. Major-Ball later became a meter installer for South Eastern Electricity Board
and a bank
er.
after the overthrow of Margaret Thatcher
and the subsequent Conservative leadership election
. During Major's premiership his brother became a media favourite. In 1994 he published his autobiography Major Major: Memories of an Older Brother, which was ghost-written by the journalist James Hughes-Onslow. It received good reviews and Major-Ball became a regular at book launches. It was praised as "one of the great comic books of the year" by John Wells
and "exquisitely funny" by Auberon Waugh
. He always remained loyal to his brother and, amongst other things, kept secret his knowledge of the affair between Major and Edwina Currie
and the details of a secret half-brother. In 1995 he appeared on Have I Got News for You
and The Mrs Merton Show
.
In 1993, after noting that he had only been abroad once, to Germany
while on National Service, and had never stayed in a hotel, The Evening Standard
arranged for him to fly first-class to New York
, where he met Liza Minnelli
. Terry Major-Ball later went to Christchurch
, New Zealand
, to open a garden gnome
festival. He had columns in The Daily Express
, The Daily Mail
and The Guardian
. Major-Ball also made a BBC2
travel programme called A Postcard to my Brother, where he visited France
, Germany
and Poland
.
, Terry Major-Ball's fame dwindled. In 2003, he moved to Somerset
from Croydon
. He died from prostate cancer
on 13 March 2007 in a hospice in Chard, Somerset
. He had a private funeral, and his death was announced on 20 April 2007. He was survived by his wife and children.
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
Sir 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...
, who during his brother's seven-year premiership had a brief career as a television and radio personality and newspaper columnist. Despite the media attention, he always remained loyal and discreet.
Early life
Terry Major-Ball was born in 1932, and grew up in Worcester ParkWorcester Park
Worcester Park is a suburb of London, England covering both the extreme north west of the London Borough of Sutton in Greater London , part of the Borough of Epsom and Ewell in Surrey and The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames. The area is south west of Charing Cross...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
. His father, Tom Major-Ball
Tom Major-Ball
Tom Major-Ball was a music hall performer and circus artiste. He was the father of Sir John Major, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.-Early life:...
(real name Abraham Thomas Ball), was a 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...
performer and circus artiste under the name Tom Major, and combined the two surnames when he started a garden ornament
Garden ornament
A Garden ornament is an item used for garden, landscape, and park enhancement and decoration.The category can include:*bird baths,**bird feeders,**nest box-bird houses*columns - cast stone*fountains,**rocks and boulders with basins...
business. His mother, Gwen, Tom's second wife, was a dancer. Unlike his elder sister Pat and younger brother John
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...
, Major-Ball failed his 11 plus exam and went to Stoneleigh East Central Secondary Modern School. During the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, they were evacuated to Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
. After the War, Major-Ball did National Service with the Royal Army Medical Corps
Royal Army Medical Corps
The Royal Army Medical Corps is a specialist corps in the British Army which provides medical services to all British Army personnel and their families in war and in peace...
in Germany.
After being demobilised, Major-Ball unsuccessfully tried to save his ailing father's business, Major's Garden Ornaments, which was finally taken over by a competitor in 1962. The family's reduced circumstances forced them to move into rented rooms in Coldharbour Lane
Coldharbour Lane
Coldharbour Lane is a road in South London that leads south-westwards from Camberwell to Brixton. In total the road is over 1 mile long with a mixture of residential, business and retail buildings - the stretch of Coldharbour Lane near Brixton Market contains shops, bars and restaurants...
in Brixton
Brixton
Brixton is a district in the London Borough of Lambeth in south London, England. It is south south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
. To supplement the family's income, Terry Major-Ball took many menial jobs. While working at Woolworths
Woolworths Group
Woolworths Group plc was a listed British company that owned the high-street retail chain, Woolworths, as well as other brands such as the entertainment distributor Entertainment UK and book and resource distributor Bertram Books...
in Brixton
Brixton
Brixton is a district in the London Borough of Lambeth in south London, England. It is south south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
in 1958, he met Shirley Wilson, whom he married in 1960. Major-Ball later became a meter installer for South Eastern Electricity Board
SEEBOARD
SEEBOARD, formerly South Eastern Electricity Board , was a British electricity company. The electrical power industry in the United Kingdom was nationalised by the Electricity Act 1947, when over 600 electric power companies were merged into twelve Area Boards, one of which was the South Eastern...
and a bank
Bank
A bank is a financial institution that serves as a financial intermediary. The term "bank" may refer to one of several related types of entities:...
er.
Brother's premiership
Terry Major-Ball first came to the spotlight in November 1990, when his brother John became Prime MinisterPrime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
after the overthrow of Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
and the subsequent Conservative leadership election
Conservative Party (UK) leadership election, 1990
The 1990 Conservative Party leadership election in the United Kingdom took place in November 1990 following the decision of former Defence and Environment Secretary Michael Heseltine to stand against the incumbent Conservative leader and Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher.Thatcher failed to win...
. During Major's premiership his brother became a media favourite. In 1994 he published his autobiography Major Major: Memories of an Older Brother, which was ghost-written by the journalist James Hughes-Onslow. It received good reviews and Major-Ball became a regular at book launches. It was praised as "one of the great comic books of the year" by John Wells
John Wells (satirist)
John Wells was an English actor, writer and satirist, educated at Eastbourne College and St Edmund Hall, Oxford...
and "exquisitely funny" by Auberon Waugh
Auberon Waugh
Auberon Alexander Waugh was a British author and journalist, son of the novelist Evelyn Waugh. He was known to his family and friends as Bron Waugh.-Life and career:...
. He always remained loyal to his brother and, amongst other things, kept secret his knowledge of the affair between Major and Edwina Currie
Edwina Currie
Edwina Jonesnée Cohen is a former British Member of Parliament. First elected as a Conservative Party MP in 1983, she was a Junior Health Minister for two years, before resigning in 1988 over the controversy over salmonella in eggs...
and the details of a secret half-brother. In 1995 he appeared on Have I Got News for You
Have I Got News for You
Have I Got News for You is a British television panel show produced by Hat Trick Productions for the BBC. It is based loosely on the BBC Radio 4 show The News Quiz, and has been broadcast since 1990, currently the BBC's longest-ever running television panel show...
and The Mrs Merton Show
The Mrs Merton Show
The Mrs Merton Show is a mock talk show starring Caroline Aherne as the elderly host Mrs Merton. It ran from 1994 to 1998, and was produced by Granada Television.The writers included Aherne, Craig Cash, Dave Gorman and Henry Normal....
.
In 1993, after noting that he had only been abroad once, to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
while on National Service, and had never stayed in a hotel, The Evening Standard
Evening Standard
The Evening Standard, now styled the London Evening Standard, is a free local daily newspaper, published Monday–Friday in tabloid format in London. It is the dominant regional evening paper for London and the surrounding area, with coverage of national and international news and City of London...
arranged for him to fly first-class to New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, where he met Liza Minnelli
Liza Minnelli
Liza May Minnelli is an American actress and singer. She is the daughter of singer and actress Judy Garland and film director Vincente Minnelli....
. Terry Major-Ball later went to Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, to open a garden gnome
Gnome
A gnome is a diminutive spirit in Renaissance magic and alchemy, first introduced by Paracelsus and later adopted by more recent authors including those of modern fantasy literature...
festival. He had columns in The Daily Express
Daily Express
The Daily Express switched from broadsheet to tabloid in 1977 and was bought by the construction company Trafalgar House in the same year. Its publishing company, Beaverbrook Newspapers, was renamed Express Newspapers...
, The Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
and The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
. Major-Ball also made a BBC2
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
travel programme called A Postcard to my Brother, where he visited France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
.
Later years
Following John Major's departure from office after the 1997 general electionUnited 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...
, Terry Major-Ball's fame dwindled. In 2003, he moved to Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
from Croydon
Croydon
Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
. He died from prostate cancer
Prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. Most prostate cancers are slow growing; however, there are cases of aggressive prostate cancers. The cancer cells may metastasize from the prostate to other parts of the body, particularly...
on 13 March 2007 in a hospice in Chard, Somerset
Chard, Somerset
Chard is a town and civil parish in the Somerset county of England. It lies on the A30 road near the Devon border, south west of Yeovil. The parish has a population of approximately 12,000 and, at an elevation of , it is the southernmost and highest town in Somerset...
. He had a private funeral, and his death was announced on 20 April 2007. He was survived by his wife and children.