The Lord Colnbrook | |
|---|---|
 Atkins in 1963 | |
| Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal (Government spokesperson for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs) | |
| In office 11 September 1981 – 7 April 1982 | |
| Prime Minister | Margaret Thatcher |
| Preceded by | Ian Gilmour |
| Succeeded by | Baroness Young |
| Secretary of State for Northern Ireland | |
| In office 4 May 1979 – 11 September 1981 | |
| Prime Minister | Margaret Thatcher |
| Preceded by | Roy Mason |
| Succeeded by | Jim Prior |
| Opposition Chief Whip of the House of Commons | |
| In office 4 March 1974 – 4 May 1979 | |
| Leader | Edward Heath Margaret Thatcher |
| Preceded by | Bob Mellish |
| Succeeded by | Michael Cocks |
| Government Chief Whip of the House of Commons Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury | |
| In office 2 December 1973 – 4 March 1974 | |
| Prime Minister | Edward Heath |
| Preceded by | Francis Pym |
| Succeeded by | Bob Mellish |
| Government Deputy Chief Whip Treasurer of the Household | |
| In office 18 June 1970 – 2 December 1973 | |
| Prime Minister | Edward Heath |
| Preceded by | Charles Morris |
| Succeeded by | Bernard Weatherill |
| Member of Parliament forSpelthorne | |
| In office 18 June 1970 – 18 May 1987 | |
| Preceded by | Beresford Craddock |
| Succeeded by | David Wilshire |
| Member of Parliament forMerton and Morden | |
| In office 26 May 1955 – 29 May 1970 | |
| Preceded by | Robert Ryder |
| Succeeded by | Janet Fookes |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1922-08-12)12 August 1922 Chalfont St Peter,Buckinghamshire, England[1] |
| Died | 4 October 1996(1996-10-04) (aged 74) Waltham St Lawrence,Berkshire, England |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouse | Margaret Spencer-Nairn |
| Children | 4 |
| Relatives | Anna Keay (granddaughter)[2]John Keay (son-in-law) |
Humphrey Edward Gregory Atkins, Baron Colnbrook,KCMG, PC (12 August 1922 – 4 October 1996) was a British politician and a member of theConservative Party. He served for 32 years as aMember of Parliament (MP), and served in theCabinet ofPrime MinisterMargaret Thatcher from 1979 to 1982.[3]
Atkins was born on 12 August 1922, inChalfont St Peter, Buckinghamshire, son of Captain Edward Davis Atkins and Violet Mary (née Preston).[4] His family spent his first few years in Kenya, returning to England after his father died from being attacked by a rhinoceros.[4] Atkins was educated atWellington College,Berkshire, and served in theRoyal Navy from 1940 to 1948.[4]
In 1944, Atkins married Margaret Spencer-Nairn.[4] They had four children, three daughters and one son.[1] He worked for Nairn's, his wife's family'slinoleum business inKirkcaldy, Scotland, then became a director of a financial advertising agency.[4]
Atkins contested the constituency ofWest Lothian in 1951, and was elected as aMember of Parliament (MP) forMerton and Morden in 1955.[5] He became MP forSpelthorne in 1970.[6]
Atkins was theConservative Chief Whip from 1973 to 1979, and served as aSecretary of State for Northern Ireland from 1979 to 1981. In September 1981, he was appointed asLord Privy Seal, which was a role as the chief government spokesman in the House of Commons for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. This role was necessary because theForeign Secretary,Lord Carrington, sat in theHouse of Lords. He resigned in April 1982, along with Lord Carrington, over theFalklands invasion.[7]
Atkins was appointed to theOrder of St Michael and St George as a Knight Commander (KCMG) in the1983 Dissolution Honours.[8] He left the House of Commons in 1987 and was created alife peer on 16 October asBaron Colnbrook,ofWaltham St Lawrence in theRoyal County of Berkshire.[1][9]
Atkins died from cancer on 4 October 1996, aged 74, at home inWaltham St Lawrence, Berkshire.[4]
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forMerton and Morden 1955–1970 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forSpelthorne 1970–1987 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Treasurer of the Household 1970–1973 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Chief Whip of the Conservative Party 1973–1979 | Succeeded by |
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury 1973–1974 | Succeeded by | |
| Preceded by | Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 1979–1981 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Lord Privy Seal 1981–1982 | Succeeded by |
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