Tom Pendry Explained

Honorific-Prefix:The Right Honourable
The Lord Pendry
Office1:Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Primeminister1:James Callaghan
Term Start1:11 November 1978
Term End1:4 May 1979
1Blankname1:Sec. of State
1Namedata1:Roy Mason
Predecessor1:Raymond Carter
Successor1:The Lord Elton
Office2:Lord Commissioner of the Treasury
Term Start2:8 March 1974
Term End2:11 January 1977
1Blankname2:Chancellor
1Namedata2:Denis Healey
Predecessor2:Marcus Fox
Successor2:Tom Cox
Office9:Member of the House of Lords
Lord Temporal
Term Start9:11 July 2001
Term End9:26 February 2023
Life peerage
Constituency Mp10:Stalybridge and Hyde
Parliament10:United Kingdom
Term Start10:18 June 1970
Term End10:14 May 2001
Predecessor10:Fred Blackburn
Successor10:James Purnell
Birth Date:10 June 1934
Birth Place:Broadstairs, Kent, England
Nationality:British
Party:Labour

Thomas Pendry, Baron Pendry, (10 June 1934 – 26 February 2023) was a British Labour politician and member of the House of Lords. He was previously the Labour member of parliament for Stalybridge and Hyde from 1970 to 2001. In 2000, prior to his retirement as an MP he was made a member of the Privy Council on the recommendation of Tony Blair. After the 2001 election he was elevated to the peerage on 4 July as Baron Pendry, of Stalybridge in the County of Greater Manchester. He was president of the Football Foundation Ltd and was formerly sports advisor to Tameside District Council Sports Trust.[1] [2]

Early life

Pendry was born in Broadstairs, Kent on 10 June 1934.[3] [4] In an article in Cheshire Life magazine in June 2004, Pendry revealed that he was born in relatively comfortable circumstances, attending school at St Augustine's Abbey[5] and, later, Plater College. He worked as a trade union officer for NUPE, and as an engineer.

Political career

Pendry was a councillor on Paddington Borough Council in London from 1962 to 1965 (when the borough was abolished), representing Harrow Road South.[6] He was elected to Parliament in 1970 for Stalybridge and Hyde, which at the time covered areas in Cheshire and Lancashire, and subsequently became part of Greater Manchester. He served as an opposition whip between 1971 and 1974.

Callaghan government

In James Callaghan's administration between 1976 and 1979 Pendry served as a junior Lord Commissioner of the Treasury (assistant government whip) and subsequently as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

Opposition

In 1979 he returned to the backbenches, until he was appointed to the post of Shadow Minister for Sport and Tourism by John Smith, a position he held until 1997. When the Labour government came to power in 1997, Pendry was the only member of the shadow team not to be appointed to a government post.

Sport

Lord Pendry had a love of sport that he developed during National Service with the Royal Air Force. He was appointed President of the Football Foundation in February 2003 and continued to serve in this capacity up until his death in 2023.[7] A young Pendry learnt boxing at the hands of a Benedictine monk, becoming an Oxford Blue and boxing for the RAF.

Other interests

Pendry was a member of the Lords and Commons Cigar Club. From June to September 2018, he sat on the Regenerating Seaside Towns and Communities Committee. His memoir, Taking It on the Chin, was published in 2016.[8]

Death

Pendry died on 26 February 2023, at the age of 88.[9]

Honours and arms

On 21 July 1995, the Labour-controlled Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council, the local authority which had administered the area covered by the Stalybridge and Hyde constituency since 1974, made Pendry an honorary freeman of the borough.[10] At the same time, the council granted him the lordship of the manor of Mottram in Longdendale. Tameside Council have also named part of Trinity Street in front of the old Stalybridge market hall, Lord Pendry Square.[11] A local football club, Stalybridge Celtic, have named one of their stands The Lord Tom Pendry Stand.[12]

Escutcheon:Or a chevron engrailed per chevron Vert and Gules between three rustres those in chief Gules and that in base Vert.
Crest:A demi Chinese unicorn maned tufted unguled queued attired holding in the mouth by a string Gules a cinquefoil pierced per chevron reversed Gules and Vert.
Supporters:On either side a ram Argent collared Sable supporting with the exterior forefoot a cornucopia Vert replenished Proper.
Motto:Pugilice Prorsum (In God Is My Trust)[13]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: House of Lords – Register of Lords' Interests . 2009-02-06 . dead . https://archive.today/20070504095152/http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.com/pa/ld/ldreg/reg19.htm . 4 May 2007.
  2. Web site: Lord Pendry – UK Parliament. parliament.uk. 9 December 2018.
  3. News: Birthday's today. https://web.archive.org/web/20130609232741/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/archive/2013-6-10.html . dead . 9 June 2013 . The Telegraph. 9 June 2014. 10 June 2013. Lord Pendry 79 .
  4. Web site: Mr Tom Pendry . Hansard . 13 May 2021.
  5. Web site: Archived copy . 2008-03-30 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081011101339/http://www.bbc.co.uk/election97/candidates/692.htm . 11 October 2008.
  6. Web site: Harrow Road South Ward 1956-1965. Westminster City Council Election Results. 9 December 2018.
  7. Web site: About Us . Football Foundation . 2 November 2018.
  8. Web site: Lord Pendry - UK Parliament. parliament.uk. 9 December 2018.
  9. Web site: Carter . Gary . 2023-02-27 . Tribute paid after the death of Lord Pendry . 2023-02-27 . Tameside Correspondent . en-GB.
  10. Web site: Honorary Freemen of the Borough. Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council. tameside.gov.uk.
  11. Web site: Archived copy . 2014-02-09 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120207152732/http://www.tameside.gov.uk/districtassembly/stalybridge/achievements.pdf . 7 February 2012.
  12. Web site: Stalybridge Celtic - pictures . Stalybridge Celtic F.C. . 2 November 2018.
  13. Book: Debrett's Peerage . 2019 . 3952.