Hello kilboj and thank you for your question.
Please find below information regarding the Earl and Countess of Arran.
Arthur Desmond Colquhoun Gore, is the 9th Earl of Arran, he was
educated at Eton and Balliol. College, Oxford; late 2nd Lieut.
Grenadier Guards; Under Secretary of State, N. Ireland Office 1992-94.
His wifes name is Eleanor, and yes you are correct her maiden name
was Fortescue. They were married in 1974 and they have two children
Laura Melissa (born 1975) and Lucy Katherine (born 1976) they live at:
"Castle Hill,
Filleigh,
Barnstaple,
Devon,
England,
EX32 0RH
Telephone: +44 (0) 1598 760 421
Email: ladyarran@castlehill-devon.com"
http://www.castlehilldevon.co.uk/contact.htm
http://www.stanford.edu/~melbar/GORE/PS01/PS01_245.HTM
Bio:
"ARRAN
THE 9TH EARL OF ARRAN OF THE ARRAN ISLANDS, Co Galway, Viscount Sudley
of Castle Gore, Co Mayo, Baron Saunders of Deeps, Co Wexford, Baron
Sudley of Castle Gore, Co Mayo (Sir Arthur Desmond Colquhoun Gore, Bt)
[The Rt Hon The Earl of Arran, Crocker End House, Nettlebed, Oxon]; b
14 July 1938; s f 1983; educ Eton and Balliol Coll Oxford; late 2nd Lt
Gren Gds; co-owner Border Incident (racehorse),
Assist Manager Daily Mail 1972?73,
md Clark Nelson 1973?74,
Assist Gen Manager Daily and Sunday Express June-Nov 1974,
dir Waterstone & Co 1984?87;
Govt Whip 1987?89,
Parly U-Sec Armed Forces MOD 1989?92,
NI Off 1992?94,
DoE 1994,
Dep Govt Ch Whip 1994?95,
elected memb Ho Lds 1999;
Chm Children?s Country Holiday Fund;
m 28 Sept 1974 ?Eleanor (Nell), Pres Calvert Tst 1997?, er dau of
Bernard Henry Richard van Cutsem, of Exning, Suffolk, and The Lady
Margaret Fortescue (see FORTESCUE, E), and has issue"
http://www.burkes-peerage.net/sites/Contents/book/UK/FHP/Peerage/fhp-ARRAN.asp
There is a picture of the Earl here:
http://www.politicallinks.co.uk/POLITICS2/BIOG/ld_BIOGS/bio.asp?id=1038
"STATEMENT TO THE BSE INQUIRY: Arthur Desmond Colquhoun Gore Arran,
the Earl of Arran, will say as follows"
http://www.bseinquiry.gov.uk/files/ws/s394.pdf
The Earl of Arran on the Animal Health amendment Bill
http://www.warmwell.com/noblelords.html#arran
"Life is much easier, being an Earl. It has changed me a lot. I'm much
nastier now."
http://encarta.msn.com/Arran.html
"If the Earl of Arran has a blind eye and a telescope, he could last
week have replayed Admiral Lord Nelson's celebrated stunt. Flanked by
a brigadier, an air commodore and a naval captain, the undersecretary
of state declared to an assembly of journalists at a Ministry of
Defence press conference that he could see no racism in the military."
http://briandeer.com/social/army-racism.htm
"Earl Arran Conservative said "That a limited number of people have
heard in "general terms" that the United States authorities had found
evidence that suggested the use of "humans" in such experiments" But
no prisoners of war! A tacit agreement that we have evidence of a war
crime."
http://www.btinternet.com/~m.a.christie/mod.htm
The Earl is also a member of "The All Party Small Business Group"
http://www.smallbusinessgroup.org.uk/index.pl?n=10
He is also a suporter of hunting:
"The North Devon-based peer the Earl of Arran said that a ban on
hunting would be a major blow to the fabric of communities on Exmoor,
where he said the activity performed the equivalent role of
Premiership football in Liverpool.
"It gives social cohesion to the whole area," he said. "To ban it
would be to tear the heart out of the community and would be a
fundamental attack on individual liberty and freedom of choice.
"The Bill combines vicious class prejudice with wilful and sentimental
ignorance about country life and will make life much worse for foxes."
http://www.gamefowlnews.com/archives/2003/Thurs%2018%20Sep%202003.htm
1994
"Baroness Denton was appointed to the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) to
replace the Earl of Arran. [Denton was the first woman to serve as
minister in the NIO.]"
http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/othelem/chron/ch94.htm
He is considered "Extremely Anti-Gay"
http://www.actwin.com/eatonohio/gay/ukhol.html
"ELECTIONS FOR 75 PEERS BY PARTY GROUP
Conservative: 42 Seats
Electorate: 241
Valid Votes: 204
Turnout: 84.6%"
Order Candidate Votes
39 Earl of Arran 90
http://www.election.demon.co.uk/lords.html
The story related to the above:
"The 75 hereditary peers to escape the government's axe under the
House of Lords Bill were today named after a historic ballot."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lords/Story/0,2763,194448,00.html
============================================================================
Countess of Arran: Born 28th of May 1949.
"On Tuesday 5th February, the Countess of Arran, President of The West
of England School and College swam the first length of the brand new
water therapy centre with children from the School, thereby completing
the final stage in a two-year fundraising and construction project at
the Exeter based school."
http://www.westengland.devon.sch.uk/pages/news/news_read.asp?ID=29
There is a picture of the Countess here:
"North Devon Hospice"
"The Countess of Arran President"
http://www.northdevonhospice.org.uk/whos.shtml
See page 3
"west of england school and college for young people with little or no sight"
"Lady Arran introduces Nicholas Maxwell-Lawford, Chairman of Trustees,
to HRH The Duke of Kent"
http://www.westengland.devon.sch.uk/PDF/report.pdf
The Countess is also patron of the "The Henry Williamson Society"
http://www.henrywilliamson.org/Pages/society/SWS/ATS.HTM
She is also a member of the "Devon Community Foundation" and the Earl
is the Vice-President.
http://www.cosmic.org.uk/devoncf/accounts.pdf
She is also president of the "DEVON ASSOCIATION OF PARISH COUNCILS"
http://www.devon.gov.uk/dapc/countycommittee/030707cc.doc.msword
She is also a trustee of the "West Buckland School Foundation"
http://www.westbuckland.devon.sch.uk/foundation/fabout.html
(Coincidentally, I once got kicked unconscious in a Rugby match
against West Buckland School!)
On opening "Castle Hill" to the public:
"Lord Arran was a Conservative Government Minister for eight years and
still sits in the House of Lords.
"My husband is very gregarious and extremely happy to do this," said Lady Arran.
"He's very keen to have the gardens open, and he manages them. He is
one of the hereditary peers who are still in the House of Lords.
What's more, he's the only hereditary left in Devon and Cornwall, so
he likes to try and speak for the South West particularly on rural
matters whenever there's an opportunity."
http://www.uniquehomestays.com/english/champagne.asp
also see:
"Lord Arran was a Conservative Government Minister for eight years and
now sits in the House of Lords regularly. He has great knowledge of
opera, gardens and business. Lady Arran looks after the estate, house
and a variety of local charities, and has a wide knowledge of North
Devon. They are both keen gardeners, conservationists and supporters
of many rural interests, having access to fishing and excellent
shooting. They also enjoy golf, antiques and history"
http://www.uniquehomestays.com/unique/details.asp?id=42
They have both stayed at the Royal Victoria Hotel - St Leonards, Hastings.
184. Earl and Countess of Arran.
http://www.royalvichotel.co.uk/History2.htm
Regarding the gardens at Castle Hill:
"Lord and Lady Arran have continued previous generations? plantings in
the woodlands with camellias, magnolias and azaleas, and created a new
summer garden at the eastern end of the house designed by Xa
Tollemache in generous curves of dark reds, creams and blues."
http://travel.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,10317-1072118,00.html
Their daughter, Laura (29 years old) is due to marry:
"The engagement was announced between Major James Anthony de L'Etang
Duckworth-Chad, Coldstream Guards (elder son of Anthony Duckworth-Chad
and of his wife, née Elizabeth Sarah Wake-Walker [herself the daughter
of Christopher Baldwin Hughes Wake-Walker and of his wife, née Lady
Anne Spencer (herself the daughter of the 7th Earl Spencer, of the
family of the Dukes of Marlborough)]) and Lady Laura Melissa
Fortescue-Gore (elder daughter of Arthur Desmond Colquhoun Gore, 6th
Earl of Arran, and of his wife, née Eleanor van Cutsem). (added 9 Apr
2004)"
http://pages.prodigy.net/ptheroff/2004_3.html
also see: (Picture of the happy couple)
"Engagement announced
WEDDING bells are in the air for the daughter of Lord and Lady Arran.
The engagement of Lady Laura Fortescue Gore, 28, and her fiancé Major
James Duckworth-Chad, 32 ?who is equerry to the Queen ? was announced
this week at the Arran Castle Hill estate in Filleigh.
The couple plan to marry later this year. They are pictured here
relaxing in the grounds of the Lord and Lady Arran?s home"
http://www.northdevongazette.co.uk/archived/2004/wk20/news/20news16.asp
Thank you for your question, and if you need any clarification of my
answer do not hesitate to ask before rating my answer. Or if you
require some more specific information regarding Lord and Lady Arran,
just let me know and I will try to assist you.
Very best regards
THX1138
Search strategy included:
"earl of arran" conservative
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&as_qdr=all&q=%22earl+of+arran%22+conservative |
Clarification of Answer by
thx1138-ga
on
17 May 2004 07:25 PDT
Hello again kilboj, and here is the additional information I promised.
The following two quotations, I'm quite sure were made by the 8th Earl
of Arran (maybe you could check next time you meet the 9th :)
Earl of Arran
"Did you get any reactions in the House of Lords to your Buggers'
[Homosexuals'] Bill?" George, Viscount Gage, once asked the Earl of
Arran. "Threats or anything like that?" "Very little," he replied.
"And what about your Bill for the protection of badgers?" "None at
all." "Not many badgers," Gage remarked, "in the House of Lords."
http://www.anecdotage.com/index.php?aid=1188
"My father told me that if you saw a man in a Rolls Royce you could be
sure he was not a gentleman unless he was the chauffeur."
http://www.cyber-nation.com/victory/quotations/authors/quotes_arran_earlof.html
In terms of hobbies:
"He has great knowledge of opera, gardens and business. Lady Arran
looks after the estate, house and a variety of local charities, and
has a wide knowledge of North Devon. They are both keen gardeners,
conservationists and supporters of many rural interests, having access
to fishing and excellent shooting. They also enjoy golf, antiques and
history"
http://www.uniquehomestays.com/unique/details.asp?id=42
One of the problems with finding out his performance in previous
governmental positions, is that much of his political career took
place before the internet was firmly establsihed, and so almost no
news stories exist (online) as to his performance.
However we can more accurately portray the issues that he considers
most important by having a look at the House of Lords website and
looking at what he said in various debates.
A strong supporter of rural issues:
"4 Nov 1998
"I know your Lordships have heard this many times, but it is a
fact--are facing ruin and their uncertain future has a 15 to 25 per
cent. knock-on effect on sales of farm machinery and agricultural
supplies as well as upon the network of industries and services
supporting agriculture in the villages and market towns of the
south-west."
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld199798/ldhansrd/vo981104/text/81104-09.htm#81104-09_spnew1
Strongly pro of the old system of peers in the House of Lords:
29 Mar 1999
"The Earl of Arran: My Lords, so here we are today at the start of
this momentous and ill-conceived Bill which sets out to deprive so
many of your Lordships of the right ever to set foot in this Chamber
again. I have in mind those families, so much older and greater than
mine, who have given continuous service to this House and who have
asked for nothing in return other than that their offspring should be
allowed to serve in the same selfless way. All this is because the
party opposite"
http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/ld199899/ldhansrd/vo990329/text/903
Supporter of the British armed forces in Iraq:
"The Earl of Arran: My Lords, I am slightly disappointed that, to
date, not a great deal of mention has been made of our reserve forces
serving in the Gulf. Perhaps I may remind the House and the Minister
that some 5,000 men and women are currently serving in the Gulf. Those
people have given up their civilian jobs and a large part of their
daily existence and lives for the next nine months. They are
professional people comprising medics, signallers, sappers, members of
REME and many other specialists. Whenever and wherever possible, and
when the opportunity presents itself, can I ask the Government to make
more mention of the vital role that these great and to date unsung
heroes are playing on our frontline and right through to our rear
support? The reservists will be hugely important to the success of the
outcome in the Gulf"
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/cgi-bin/ukparl_hl?DB=ukparl&STEMMER=en&WORDS=earl+arran+&COLOUR=Red&STYLE=s&URL=/pa/ld200203/ldhansrd/vo030326/text/30326-06.htm#30326-06_spnew5
Maybe a little unclear on the Patient (Assisted Dying) Bill
"The Earl of Arran: My Lords, and so the argument sways back and
forth. As expected, many of your Lordships who have so far supported
the Bill have recounted their own very personal and at times intimate
experiences of relations and friends who have suffered appallingly
towards the end of their lives. I, too, share similar experiences with
close members of my family, and in doing so it cannot but fail to make
the most scarring and unforgettable impact on one's memory"
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/cgi-bin/ukparl_hl?DB=ukparl&STEMMER=en&WORDS=earl+arran+&COLOUR=Red&STYLE=s&URL=/pa/ld199697/ldhansrd/pdvn/lds03/text/30606-02.htm#30606-02_spnew9
Not very pro Europe:
"The Earl of Arran: My Lords, as I said before, the whole point as
regards embellishment is that we do not over-embellish EC law. We are
saying that we try to impose the least possible restrictions upon
businesses in the United Kingdom. I hope that what I have already said
is clear."
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/cgi-bin/ukparl_hl?DB=ukparl&STEMMER=en&WORDS=earl+arran+&COLOUR=Red&STYLE=s&URL=/pa/ld199495/ldhansrd/vo941130/text/41130-01.htm#41130-01_spnew9
Very supportive of Gibraltar remaining under British soverignty:
"The Earl of Arran: My Lords, my noble friend is right. However,
Gibraltar is outside the common Customs tariff and Spain is therefore
technically within its rights in carrying out the checks at the
frontier. As my noble friend said, the current checks are completely
intolerable. They are extraordinarily heavy-handed and burdensome.
They are intrusive and a profound disgrace. It is important that
checks of this nature should cease forthwith."
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/cgi-bin/ukparl_hl?DB=ukparl&STEMMER=en&WORDS=earl+arran+&COLOUR=Red&STYLE=s&URL=/pa/ld199495/ldhansrd/vo941216/text/41216-02.htm#41216-02_spnew17
If you would like to see other subjects he has debated in, you can
visit the House of Lords website here:
http://www.parliament.uk/about_lords/about_lords.cfm
and try a search under his name (although be warned, much of it is
duplicated and it is extremely lengthy)
But he appears most vocal on rural issues affecting the West Country
for example, BSE, Fox hunting, creation of rural jobs, and Public
Rights of Way (see: http://www.devon.gov.uk/index/transport/public_rights_of_way.htm
)
Over dinner, an interesting conversation might be about "The
Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000" (also known as 'The Right to
Roam') and in particular how it will be/ is affecting Exmoor/Dartmoor.
You can find out more about it here:
http://www.naturenet.net/law/crow.html
I hope that gives you a bit more insight. I would say that I have
probably exhausted all the information available on the internet,
although if you need anything else in particular, let me know prior to
rating my answer, and I will do my best to help.
Very best regards
THX1138
|
,
0 Comments
)