Patrick Neill, Baron Neill of Bladen

Francis Patrick Neill, Baron Neill of Bladen QC (8 August 1926 – 28 May 2016) was a British barrister and cross bench member of the House of Lords.

The Right Honourable The Lord Neill of Bladen QC
Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford
In office 1985–1989
Chancellor	The Earl of Stockton The Lord Jenkins of Hillhead
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
Personal details
Born	Francis Patrick Neill (1926-08-08)8 August 1926
Died	28 May 2016(2016-05-28) (aged 89)
Nationality	British
Political party	Crossbencher
Spouse(s)	Caroline Susan Debenham
Children	6
Education	Highgate School
Alma mater	University of Oxford

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] 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 an Honorary Fellow since 1995. He was Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University from 1985 till 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:

• Timothy Piers Patrick Neill
• Robin Charles Richard Neill
• Jonathan Francis Kenrick Neill
• Harriet Susan Anne Neill
• Matthew Piers Thomas Neill
• Emma Charlotte Angela Neill, married to Rt Hon. Christopher Geidt, Baron Geidt, the former Private Secretary to HM The Queen.[5]

He died in May 2016 at the age of 89.[6]

Honours

Having been knighted in 1983,[7] Neill was made a Life Peer as Baron Neill of Bladen, of Briantspuddle in the County of Dorset, on 28 November 1997.[8] 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.[9]

References

1. "One Hare Court and Serle Court merge". The Lawyer. 1999.
2. "New Head of Chambers". Serle Court. 2007. Archived from the original on 2 March 2012.
3. "Previous Vice-Chancellors". University of Oxford, UK. Retrieved 14 July 2011.
4. The Times, 26 April 1954, page 8.
5. The Times, 16 July 1996, page 18.
6. "Lord Neill of Bladen". Daily Telegraph. 2016.
7. "No. 49575". The London Gazette. 20 December 1983. p. 16802.
8. "No. 54967". The London Gazette. 3 December 1997. p. 13561.
9. "Four absent peers cease to be House of Lords members". BBC News. 19 May 2016. Retrieved 22 September 2019.

External links

• Personal Biography

Media offices
Preceded by Hartley Shawcross	Chairman of the Press Council 1978–1983	Succeeded by Zelman Cowen
Academic offices
Preceded by John Hanbury Angus Sparrow	Warden of All Souls College, Oxford 1977–1995	Succeeded by John Davis
Preceded by Geoffrey Warnock	Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University 1985–1989	Succeeded by Richard Southwood
Government offices
Preceded by The Lord Nolan	Chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life 1997–2001	Succeeded by Sir Nigel Wicks