Enoch Powell
John Enoch Powell, MBE (16 June 1912 – 8 February 1998) was a British politician in the Conservative Party.
Enoch Powell | |
|---|---|
 Portrait taken by Allan Warren | |
| Minister of Health | |
| In office 27 July 1960 – 18 October 1963 | |
| Prime Minister | Harold Macmillan |
| Preceded by | Derek Walker-Smith |
| Succeeded by | Anthony Barber |
| Financial Secretary to the Treasury | |
| In office 1957–1958 | |
| Prime Minister | Harold Macmillan |
| Preceded by | Henry Brooke |
| Succeeded by | Jack Simon |
| Shadow Defence Secretary | |
| In office July 1965 – 21 April 1968 | |
| Leader | Edward Heath |
| Preceded by | Peter Thorneycroft |
| Succeeded by | Reginald Maudling |
| Member of Parliament for South Down | |
| In office 10 October 1974 – 11 June 1987 | |
| Preceded by | Lawrence Orr |
| Succeeded by | Eddie McGrady |
| Member of Parliament for Wolverhampton South West | |
| In office 23 February 1950 – 28 February 1974 | |
| Preceded by | Constituency Created |
| Succeeded by | Nicholas Budgen |
| Personal details | |
| Born | John Enoch Powell June 16, 1912 Birmingham, England |
| Died | February 8, 1998 (aged 85) London, England |
| Nationality | British (but registered as an Australian (then under common citizenship) when he joined the Army) |
| Political party | Conservative (1950–74) Ulster Unionist (1974–87) |
| Spouse(s) | Pamela Wilson (m. 1952–98, his death) |
| Children | 2 daughters |
| Alma mater | Trinity College, Cambridge SOAS |
| Occupation | Member of Parliament 1950–87 Conservative Research Department 1945–50 Professor of Greek at Sydney University 1937–39 |
| Profession | Politician, Classical scholar, Poet, published works 1937, 1939, 1951. |
| Awards | _ribbon.png){kind=small} British War MedalAfrica Star  Military OBE |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Branch/service |  British Army• Royal Warwickshire Regiment • General Service Corps • Intelligence Corps |
| Years of service | 1939–45 |
| Rank | • Private in 1939 • Brigadier by 1945 |
| Battles/wars | World War II • North African Campaign • India |
Early life
Powell was born on June 16, 1912 in Birmingham, England and raised there.[1] He studied at Trinity College, Cambridge and at School of Oriental and African Studies.
Before becoming a politician, Powell was a professor of Ancient Greek at Sydney University, Australia. When World War II, started he joined the British Army in 1939 as a private but, by 1945, had been promoted to Brigadier.
Political career
He was elected to the House of Commons in 1950, and was a government minister in 1957-1958 and again between 1960 and 1963. In 1962 when he was Minister of Health he launched the Hospital Plan which had plans for 90 new hospitals, 134 to be rebuilt and about 1000 more small hospitals to be closed - the biggest building programme the NHS had seen.[2]
He made a speech in 1968 in which he said that if the United Kingdom let too many immigrants live there, there would be fighting in the streets.[3]
In 1974 he left the Conservative Party before the February election, and became an MP in Northern Ireland for the Ulster Unionist Party in October 1974.
Personal life
Powell was married to Pamela Wilson from 1952 until his death in 1998. They had two daughters.
Death
Powell was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1992. He died on February 8, 1998 in London, England from the illness, aged 85.[4] He is buried at Warwick Cemetery, Warwick, Warwickshire, England.[5]
Enoch Powell Media
Powell debating on the television discussion programme After Dark in 1987 (more here).
Portrait of Enoch Powell by Allan Warren in 1987.
Powell's grave at Warwick Cemetery in Warwick, Warwickshire.
Powell in his garden in Belgravia, London, in 1986.
References
- ↑ Griffiths, David, Enoch Powell, UK, archived from the original (Official portrait) on 2007-09-28, retrieved 2012-12-13
- ↑ Abel-Smith, Brian (1978). National Health Service The first thirty years. London: HMSO. ISBN 0113202490.
- ↑ Stacey, Tom (1970). Immigration and Enoch Powell. London. OCLC 151226.
- ↑ "Obituary of Enoch Powell". The Daily Telegraph (London). 9 February 1998.
- ↑ Powell's grave in Warwick Cemetery (photos), Find a Grave