Derek Ezra, Baron Ezra

Derek Ezra, Baron Ezra, Kt MBE (23 February 1919 – 22 December 2015) was a British coal industry administrator who served as Chairman of the National Coal Board for eleven years. His great-nephew is the musical artist, George Ezra.

The Right Honourable

The Lord Ezra

Kt MBE
Ezra in 2014
Chairman of the National Coal Board
In office
1972–1982
Preceded byAlf Robens
Succeeded bySir Normal Siddall
Personal details
Born23 February 1919
Died22 December 2015 (aged 96)

Early life

Ezra attended Monmouth School before going up to Magdalene College, Cambridge, where he graduated with a first class honours degree in History. [1][2] He joined the Liberal Party in 1936 at university, when he joined Cambridge University Liberal Club, whose committee he later joined.[3] During World War II he worked in intelligence at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force; he received the U.S. Bronze Star Medal in 1945 [4]

Career

Ezra embarked on a career with the National Coal Board in 1945 and held the post of Chairman of the National Coal Board for the longest term in its history. He was then created a life peer sitting as a Liberal in the Lords, and was a Liberal Democrat parliamentary spokesperson for Energy from 1998–2005. Following the death of Denis Healey in October 2015, Ezra became the oldest sitting member of the House of Lords,[5] but took leave of absence on 30 November and died on 22 December 2015.[6]

Honours

In 1945 Ezra was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE),[7] and was knighted on 24 July 1974.[8] He was created a life peer as Baron Ezra, of Horsham in the County of West Sussex on 2 February 1983.[9]

Ezra was admitted a Liveryman Honoris Causa of the Haberdashers' Company, and elected an Honorary Fellow of Magdalene College, Cambridge.

Derek Ezra Award

The Combustion Engineering Association gives the Derek Ezra Award for "outstanding achievement in the study of combustion engineering".

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References
  1. Lord Ezra Obituary at The Guardian Retrieved 22 December 2015
  2. Baron Ezra Obituary at FT Retrieved 22 December 2015
  3. "About us". The Keynes Society.
  4. "Lord Ezra, NCB chairman - obituary". Telegraph.co.uk. 22 December 2015. Retrieved 23 December 2015.
  5. "House of Lords, Official Website - Who is the oldest sitting Member of the House of Lords?". Retrieved 5 October 2015.
  6. "Lord Ezra". UK Parliament website.
  7. "No. 37204". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 August 1945. p. 3954.
  8. "No. 46366". The London Gazette. 8 October 1974. pp. 8535–8536.
  9. "No. 49256". The London Gazette. 7 February 1983. p. 1795.
Political offices
Preceded by
Alf Robens		 Chairman of the National Coal Board
1972–1982		 Succeeded by
Sir Norman Siddall


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