| Honorific-Prefix: | The Right Honourable |
| The Lord Boyle of Handsworth | |
| Honorific-Suffix: | CH PC |
| Office1: | Minister of Education |
| Term Start1: | 13 July 1962 |
| Term End1: | 1 April 1964 |
| Predecessor1: | David Eccles |
| Successor1: | Quintin Hogg |
| Constituency Mp2: | Birmingham Handsworth |
| Term Start2: | 16 November 1950 |
| Term End2: | 29 May 1970 |
| Predecessor2: | Harold Roberts |
| Successor2: | Sydney Chapman |
| Birth Date: | 31 August 1923 |
| Alma Mater: | Christ Church, Oxford |
Edward Charles Gurney Boyle, Baron Boyle of Handsworth, (31 August 1923 – 28 September 1981) was a British Conservative Party politician and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leeds.
Boyle was born in Kensington, London, the eldest son of Sir Edward Boyle, 2nd Baronet, and succeeded to his father's baronetcy in 1945.[1] He was educated at Eton College and graduated from Christ Church, Oxford, in 1949 with a third-class BA (later converted to an MA) in history.[2] From 1942 to 1945, he was a temporary junior administration officer at the Foreign Office. He worked at Bletchley Park in intelligence.[3]
Boyle entered Parliament in 1950 as MP for Birmingham Handsworth, a seat he would hold until his retirement in 1970. He served as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Under-Secretary of State for Air from 1951 to 1952 and to the Under-Secretary of State for Defence in 1952, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Supply from 1954 to 1955, Economic Secretary to the Treasury from 1955 to 1956, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Education from 1957 to 1959, Financial Secretary to the Treasury from 1959 to 1962, Minister of Education from 1962 to 1964 and Minister of State for Education and Science in 1964.[2] In 1957 he opened the new teaching block and science block extension at Abingdon School.[4]
Boyle was appointed Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leeds in 1970. He was a Trustee of the British Museum from 1970 to 1981 and Chairman of the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals of UK Universities from 1977 to 1979.
In 1977 he had been due to deliver the Reith Lectures for the BBC. Despite 2 years preparation time, he withdrew with 3 months notice.[5]
Boyle died from cancer in Leeds on 28 September 1981, aged 58. He was unmarried and childless and whilst his life peerage became extinct at his death, his baronetcy passed to his brother, Richard.[2]
On his retirement from parliament in 1970, Boyle was awarded a life peerage as Baron Boyle of Handsworth, of Salehurst in the County of Sussex.
Boyle was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws (LLD) by the following universities:
Boyle also received an Honorary Doctorate from Heriot-Watt University in 1977.[7]
Boyle was appointed a Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour (CH) on 13 June 1981.[8]
Flanders and Swann satirically cited "Edward Boyle's Law" : The greater the external pressure, the greater the volume of hot air.
| Escutcheon: | Per bend raguly Gules and Argent two staves raguly in bend counterchanged. |
| Crest: | In front of a lion's head couped Argent a staff fesswise Gules. |
| Supporters: | Dexter an owl Proper, sinister a lion Argent. |
| Motto: | God's Providence Is My Inheritance [9] |
The Edward Boyle Memorial Trust was established in the wake of the death of the Lord Edward Boyle, in September 1981.
Its aims were the advancement of education, learning and music and its guidelines are as follows:
The Trust offered the following support: