The Lord Neill of Bladen | |
|---|---|
 Neill in 2012 | |
| Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford | |
| In office 1985–1989 | |
| Chancellor | |
| Preceded by | Sir Geoffrey Warnock |
| Succeeded by | Sir Richard Southwood |
| Warden of All Souls College, Oxford | |
| In office 1977–1995 | |
| Preceded by | John Hanbury Angus Sparrow |
| Succeeded by | John Davis |
| Member of the House of Lords | |
| Life peerage 28 November 1997 – 18 May 2016 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Francis Patrick Neill 8 August 1926 |
| Died | 28 May 2016 (aged 89) |
| Political party | Crossbencher |
| Spouse |
Caroline Susan Debenham
(m. 1954; died 2010) |
| Children | 6 |
| Parent |
|
| Education | Highgate School |
| Alma mater | University of Oxford |
Francis Patrick Neill, Baron Neill of Bladen, QC (8 August 1926 – 28 May 2016) was a British barrister and a crossbench member of the House of Lords.
Early life and education
A son of Sir Thomas Neill, Patrick Neill was educated at Highgate School and Magdalen College, Oxford.
Legal career
He became a barrister in 1951 and took silk in 1966. After heading One Hare Court, he became head of chambers of Serle Court in Lincoln's Inn when the two merged in 1999.[1] He worked alongside Henry Fisher, Roger Parker, Gordon Slynn, and Richard Southwell QC. Lord Neill left Serle Court in 2008 to join his elder brother Sir Brian Neill, a former Court of Appeal judge, at 20 Essex Street.[2]
University of Oxford
He was Warden of All Souls College, Oxford, from 1977 until 1995, and appointed an Honorary Fellow in 1995. He was Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University from 1985 until 1989,[3] and played a major part in the University's decision to undertake The Campaign for Oxford. He was an unsuccessful candidate in the 2003 University of Oxford Chancellor election.
Family life
In 1954, he married Caroline Susan Debenham, daughter of Sir Piers Kenrick Debenham.[4] They had six children: He died in May 2016 at the age of 89.[5]
Honours
Having been knighted in 1983,[6] Neill was made a Life Peer as Baron Neill of Bladen, of Briantspuddle in the County of Dorset, on 28 November 1997.[7] He sat in the House of Lords as a crossbencher until 18 May 2016, at which point he ceased to be a member pursuant to section 2 of the House of Lords Reform Act 2014, having failed to attend during the whole of the 2015–16 session without being on leave of absence.[8]
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References
- ↑ "One Hare Court and Serle Court merge". The Lawyer. 1999.
- ↑ "New Head of Chambers". Serle Court. 2007. Archived from the original on 2 March 2012.
- ↑ "Previous Vice-Chancellors". University of Oxford, UK. Retrieved 14 July 2011.
- ↑ The Times, 26 April 1954, page 8.
- ↑ "Lord Neill of Bladen". Daily Telegraph. 2016.
- ↑ "No. 49575". The London Gazette. 20 December 1983. p. 16802.
- ↑ "No. 54967". The London Gazette. 3 December 1997. p. 13561.
- ↑ "Four absent peers cease to be House of Lords members". BBC News. 19 May 2016. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
- ↑ Debrett's Peerage. 2015. p. 904.