Terry Major-Ball | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1932-07-02)2 July 1932 Worcester Park,Surrey, England |
| Died | 13 March 2007(2007-03-13) (aged 74) |
| Occupations | Banker, businessman, columnist, and media personality |
| Years active | 1952–2003 |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Parents |
|
| Relatives | John Major (brother) |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  British Army |
| Unit | Royal Army Medical Corps |
Terry Major-Ball (2 July 1932 – 13 March 2007) was a Britishcolumnist, banker and media personality who was the elder brother of the formerBritish prime ministerJohn Major. During his brother's six-year premiership, he had a brief career as a television and radio personality and newspaper columnist. Despite the media attention, he always remained loyal and discreet.
Terry Major-Ball was born in 1932, and grew up inWorcester Park,Surrey. His father,Tom Major-Ball (real name Abraham Thomas Ball), was amusic hall performer and circus artiste under the name Tom Major, and combined the two surnames when he started agarden ornament business.[1] His mother, Gwen, Tom's second wife, was a dancer. Unlike his elder sister Pat and younger brotherJohn, Major-Ball failed his11 plus exam and went to Stoneleigh East Secondary Modern School.[1] During the Second World War, they were evacuated toNorfolk. After World War II, Major-Ball didNational Service with theRoyal Army Medical Corps in Germany.[2][3]
After being demobilised, Major-Ball tried, without success, to save his ailing father's business,Major's Garden Ornaments, which was finally taken over by a competitor in 1962.[1][4] The family's reduced circumstances forced them to move into rented rooms inColdharbour Lane inBrixton.[4] To supplement the family's income, Terry Major-Ball took many menial jobs. While working atWoolworths in Brixton in 1958, he met Shirley Wilson,[1] whom he married in 1960.[2] Major-Ball later became a meter installer forSouth Eastern Electricity Board and a banker.[2][5]
Terry Major-Ball first came to the spotlight in November 1990, when his brother John becamePrime Minister after theConservative leadership election. During Major's premiership his brother became a media favourite. In 1994 he published his autobiographyMajor 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.[1] It was praised as "one of the great comic books of the year" byJohn Wells and "exquisitely funny" byAuberon Waugh.[3] He always remained loyal to his brother and, amongst other things, kept secret his knowledge of the affair between Major andEdwina Currie and the details of a secret half-brother.[1] In 1995 he appeared onHave I Got News for You andThe 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 City, where he metLiza Minnelli.[1][2] Terry Major-Ball later went toChristchurch, New Zealand, to open agarden gnome festival. He had columns inThe Daily Express,The Daily Mail andThe Guardian.[2] Major-Ball also made aBBC2 travel programme calledA Postcard to my Brother, where he visited France, Germany and Poland.[1]
Following John's departure from office after the1997 general election, Terry Major-Ball's fame dwindled. In 2003, he moved toSomerset fromCroydon, London, where he spent the remaining years of his life until his death fromprostate cancer on 13 March 2007 in a hospice inChard, Somerset.[5] His death was announced on 20 April 2007.[5] He was survived by his wife and children.[3]
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