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Francis Tombs, Baron Tombs

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Tombs's last parliamentary speech, 2014

Francis Leonard Tombs, Baron Tombs (17 May 1924 – 11 April 2020) was an English industrialist and politician who served as a crossbench member of the House of Lords from 1990 until his retirement in 2015.

Background

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Tombs was born to a Catholic family in Walsall in 1924, one of three sons born to Joseph and Jane (née Bouncer) Tombs.[1] He was educated at Elmore Green School, Walsall, and at the University of London.[1] He worked for the General Electric Company from 1944 to 1946.[1]

Career

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Tombs had a career in industry, particularly in electricity generation.[2] He was chairman of the South of Scotland Electricity Board,[3] the Electricity Council[4] and Rolls-Royce.[5] Tombs was president of the Institution of Electrical Engineers in 1981[6] and became an Honorary Fellow of its successor organisation the Institution of Engineering and Technology in 1991.[7] Tombs was named chairman of Turner & Newall P.L.C.,[1] Britain's largest manufacturer of asbestos products on 30 November 1982,[8] and remained there throughout much of the 1980s.

Knighted in 1978,[9] Tombs was created a life peer on 29 February 1990, as Baron Tombs, of Brailes in the County of Warwickshire.[10][11][12] He sat in the House of Lords as a crossbencher, and was on a number of committees. Tombs was granted a leave of absence in March 2008, which lasted until July 2010.[13][14] He wrote a memoir, Power Politics: Political Encounters in Industry and Engineering, which was published later that year.[15] Tombs retired from the House of Lords on 31 March 2015.[16]

Personal life and death

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In 1949, Tombs married Marjorie Evans; they had three daughters and were married until her death in 2008.[1]

Tombs died from complications of dementia at a care home in Coventry on 11 April 2020, at the age of 95.[1][17]

Coat of arms

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Coat of arms of Francis Tombs, Baron Tombs
Crest
Out of a crown rayonny Or, each straight ray ending in a mullet Or, a dexter arm embowed vested Azure the hand proper holding two keys in saltire bows upwards Gold.
Escutcheon
Azure, on a saltire Azure fimbriated Argent a sun, its four rays in saltire extended and tipped with flame all Gold.
Supporters
Dexter, a unicorn Argent, armed, unguled, bearded, maned and tufted Or, sejant erect upon a grassy mount Proper between two double roses growing therefrom Argent on Gules and both barbed and seeded, stalked and leaved proper; sinister, a bear Proper, clawed and muzzled Or, sejant erect upon a like mount between two thistles growing therefrom also Proper.
Motto
Work And Pray [18]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Lorenz, Andrew (2024). "Tombs, Francis Leonard, Baron Tombs (1924–2020), engineer and industrialist". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/odnb/9780198614128.013.90000381712. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  2. ^ Tombs, Francis. "Nuclear Energy - 25 Years of Generating Experience". Institution of Engineers, Australia. pp. 33–39. Retrieved 28 March 2010.
  3. ^ Ham, Adrian; Hall, Robert (20 February 2006). "A way forward for nuclear power" (PDF). Department for Business Innovation and Skills. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 August 2007. Retrieved 28 March 2010.
  4. ^ "Nationalised Industries (Accounting Practice): House of Commons debates, 1 August 1978". Retrieved 28 March 2010.
  5. ^ "Electricity – the key to a UK Energy Policy". Institute of Physics. Archived from the original on 2 August 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2010.
  6. ^ "Past Presidents of the IEE". Institution of Engineering and Technology. Archived from the original on 16 May 2008. Retrieved 28 March 2010.
  7. ^ "IET Honorary Fellows". Institution of Engineering and Technology. Archived from the original on 29 September 2011. Retrieved 28 March 2010.
  8. ^ Cuff, Daniel F. (30 November 1982). "BUSINESS PEOPLE; Turner & Newall Appoints Chairman". The New York Times.
  9. ^ "No. 47500". The London Gazette. 28 March 1978. p. 3787.
  10. ^ "No. 51981". The London Gazette (Supplement). 29 December 1989. p. 1.
  11. ^ "No. 52065". The London Gazette. 5 March 1990. p. 2937.
  12. ^ "Lord Tombs". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). 13 March 1990. Retrieved 28 March 2010.
  13. ^ "House of Lords - Minute". The Stationery Office. 3 March 2008. Archived from the original on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 28 March 2010.
  14. ^ House of Lords Journal for 14 July 2008
  15. ^ Tombs, Francis, Sir (2011). Power politics : political encounters in industry and engineering. London: I.B. Tauris. ISBN 978-0-85771-916-4. OCLC 713360894.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  16. ^ http://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/lords/retired-lords/ Retired members of the House of Lords
  17. ^ TOMBS, Francis Leonard (Lord Tombs of Brailes)
  18. ^ Debrett's Peerage. 2000.
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