Harold Atcherley
Encyclopedia
Sir Harold Winter Atcherley (born 30 August 1918) is a former businessman, public figure and arts administrator in the United Kingdom
.
, Holt
, Geneva University, and Heidelberg University.
in 1937. From 1939, he served the Second World War in the Queen's Westminster Rifles (1939–1940) and the Intelligence Corps, 1940, then in the 18th Infantry Division, in Singapore
. At the fall of Singapore in 1942, he became a prisoner of war
of the Japanese
until the war ended in 1945, then in 1946 returned to Royal Dutch Shell. With them, he served in Egypt
, Lebanon
, Syria
, Argentina
, and Brazil
until 1959, and was the RDS Group's Personnel co-ordinator from 1964 until 1970.
He was Recruitment Advisor to the Ministry of Defence
, 1970–1971, and Chairman of Tyzack & Partners, 1979-1985. A director of British Home Stores, 1973–1987.
In retirement, he lives in London and Long Melford
, Suffolk
.
Member, Committee of Inquiry into Remuneration of Members of Local Authorities, 1977
(she died in 2004). He married thirdly, in 2005, Mrs Sarah Mordant.
However, his birthday has continued to be reported in The Times
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Early life
The son of L. W. Atcherley and his wife Maude Lester Nash, Atcherley was educated at Gresham's SchoolGresham's School
Gresham’s School is an independent coeducational boarding school in Holt in North Norfolk, England, a member of the HMC.The school was founded in 1555 by Sir John Gresham as a free grammar school for forty boys, following King Henry VIII's dissolution of the Augustinian priory at Beeston Regis...
, Holt
Holt, Norfolk
Holt is a market town and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The town is north of the city of Norwich, west of Cromer and east of King's Lynn. The town is on the route of the A148 King's Lynn to Cromer road. The nearest railway station is in the town of Sheringham where access to the...
, Geneva University, and Heidelberg University.
Career
Atcherley joined Royal Dutch ShellRoyal Dutch Shell
Royal Dutch Shell plc , commonly known as Shell, is a global oil and gas company headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands and with its registered office in London, United Kingdom. It is the fifth-largest company in the world according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine and one of the six...
in 1937. From 1939, he served the Second World War in the Queen's Westminster Rifles (1939–1940) and the Intelligence Corps, 1940, then in the 18th Infantry Division, in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. At the fall of Singapore in 1942, he became a prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
of the Japanese
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
until the war ended in 1945, then in 1946 returned to Royal Dutch Shell. With them, he served in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, and Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
until 1959, and was the RDS Group's Personnel co-ordinator from 1964 until 1970.
He was Recruitment Advisor to the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
, 1970–1971, and Chairman of Tyzack & Partners, 1979-1985. A director of British Home Stores, 1973–1987.
In retirement, he lives in London and Long Melford
Long Melford
Long Melford is a large village and civil parish in the county of Suffolk, England. It is on Suffolk's border with Essex, which is marked by the River Stour, approximately from Colchester and from Bury St. Edmunds...
, Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
.
Appointments
- Chairman, Armed Forces' Pay Review BodyArmed Forces' Pay Review BodyThe Armed Forces' Pay Review Body is a United Kingdom non-departmental public body established to review and recommend the pay and terms and conditions of employment of the British armed forces...
(1971–1982) - Chairman, Police Negotiating BoardPolice Negotiating BoardThe Police Negotiating Board is a United Kingdom non-departmental public body established by Act of Parliament in 1980 to negotiate the pay and terms and conditions of employment of the British police...
(1983–1986) - Member, Top Salaries Review Body, 1971–1987
- Chairman, Aldeburgh FestivalAldeburgh FestivalThe Aldeburgh Festival is an English arts festival devoted mainly to classical music. It takes place each June in the Aldeburgh area of Suffolk, centred on the main concert hall at Snape Maltings...
, 1989–1994 - Chairman, Toynbee HallToynbee HallToynbee Hall is a building in Tower Hamlets, East London which is the home of a charity working to bridge the gap between people of all social and financial backgrounds, with a focus on eradicating poverty and promoting social inclusion....
, 1985-1990 (Member of Management Committee, 1979–1990) - Member, National Staff Committee for Nurses and Midwives, 1973–1977
- Member, Committee of Inquiry into Pay and Related Conditions of Service of Nurses, 1974
Member, Committee of Inquiry into Remuneration of Members of Local Authorities, 1977
- Vice-Chairman, Suffolk Wildlife Trust, 1987–1990
- Member of Management Committee, Suffolk Rural Housing Association, 1984–1987
- Chairman, Suffolk and North Essex Branch, European MovementEuropean MovementThe European Movement International is a lobbying association that coordinates the efforts of associations and national councils with the goal of promoting European integration, and disseminating information about it.-History:...
, 1995–1998, and President since 1998
Family
Atcherley married first, in 1946, Anita Helen Leslie. They have one son and two daughters and divorced in 1990. He married secondly, in 1990, Mrs Elke Jessett, the daughter of Dr Carl LangbehnCarl Langbehn
Carl Langbehn was a German lawyer and member of the resistance to Nazism.He was born in Padang, Sumatra. During the Weimar Republic he was a members of the German People's Party. In 1933 he joined the Nazi Party, but during the 1930s he began to grow increasingly critical of the regime...
(she died in 2004). He married thirdly, in 2005, Mrs Sarah Mordant.
Publications
- War Diary: Singapore, Siam & Burma, 1941-1945, illustrated by Ronald SearleRonald SearleRonald William Fordham Searle, CBE, RDI, is a British artist and cartoonist, best known as the creator of St Trinian's School. He is also the co-author of the Molesworth series....
(London, Harold Atcherley, 2004)
- Euro paean: In 1998, Atcherley wrote in The IndependentThe IndependentThe Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
in support of Britain joining the European single currencyEconomic and Monetary Union of the European UnionThe Economic and Monetary Union is an umbrella term for the group of policies aimed at converging the economies of members of the European Union in three stages so as to allow them to adopt a single currency, the euro. As such, it is largely synonymous with the eurozone.All member states of the...
. - In the aftermath of the 9/11September 11, 2001 attacksThe September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
attack on the World Trade CenterWorld Trade CenterThe original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
, Atcherley, writing in The Independent, ascribed the fundamental causes of the disaster to the non-observation by the British government of the Balfour Declaration of 1917. He wrote to The Times on 3 August 2006: "How can the Israelis, Bush and Blair think they can ever achieve lasting peace in the Middle East by allowing Israel to continue its futile attempt to 'defeat' Hezbollah? ...Unless military action is replaced by negotiation, I can only see disastrous consequences for our relations with the Muslim world."
- On 6 September 2001, a letter from Atcherley was published in LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
's The IndependentThe IndependentThe Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
newspaper, headed Reports of my death... and enquiring why for two years running the newspaper had failed to include his name in its Today's Birthdays column. He suggested:
However, his birthday has continued to be reported in The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
.