Robert Hall (British Army officer)
Encyclopedia
Robert Wallace Strachan Hall (born 1939) is a Conservative
politician in the United Kingdom
, having previously served as a British Army
officer, rising to the rank of Brigadier
. He is currently Chairman of Wiltshire Council
and of Wiltshire and Swindon Fire Authority
. He was also the last chairman of Wiltshire County Council, going on to become the first chairman of its successor authority.
, late Royal Regiment of Artillery
(d. 1972), Hall was educated at Repton School
and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
.
During his army career, Hall attended the University of Cambridge
and graduated M. Phil.
He went on to become Chairman of the Army and Navy Club
, Pall Mall, London
. In retirement, he settled at Manningford Abbots, near Pewsey
, Wiltshire.
as a Conservative
in 2005. In 2008, he became the last chairman of Wiltshire County Council, which came to an end a year later with the 2009 structural changes to local government in England
, but he went on to become the first chairman of the successor authority Wiltshire Council
, having been elected to it in 2009, representing Pewsey Vale
. The same year he also became Chairman of Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service
.
Since 2009, Hall's Pewsey Vale electoral division includes the parishes of Alton
, Beechingstoke
, Chirton
, Charlton, Huish
, Manningford
, Marden
, North Newnton
, Patney
, Rushall
, Stanton St Bernard
, Upavon
, Wilcot
, Wilsford
and Woodborough
.
As Chairman of the Wiltshire Fire Authority he hosted a visit by the Princess Royal
to Salisbury
on 10 March 2011.
and owned race-horses
in the 1990s.
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician in the United Kingdom
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...
, having previously served as a British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
officer, rising to the rank of Brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
. He is currently Chairman of Wiltshire Council
Wiltshire Council
Wiltshire Council is the unitary authority for most of the county of Wiltshire, in the West of England, the successor authority to Wiltshire County Council and to four districts—Kennet, North Wiltshire, Salisbury, and West Wiltshire—all of which had been created in 1973 and were...
and of Wiltshire and Swindon Fire Authority
Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service
Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service is the county-wide, statutory emergency fire and rescue service for the ceremonial county of Wiltshire, England. It is administered by a joint authority of 13 members, 9 appointed by Wiltshire Council and 4 by Swindon Borough Council, called the Wiltshire and Swindon...
. He was also the last chairman of Wiltshire County Council, going on to become the first chairman of its successor authority.
Early life
The son of Brigadier R. C. S. Hall CBEOrder of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, late Royal Regiment of Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
(d. 1972), Hall was educated at Repton School
Repton School
Repton School, founded in 1557, is a co-educational English independent school for both day and boarding pupils, in the British public school tradition, located in the village of Repton, in Derbyshire, in the Midlands area of England...
and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
.
Military career
Hall was commissioned into the Royal Regiment of Artillery as a 2nd Lieutenant on 25 July 1959. He was promoted Captain on 25 July 1965 and Major on 30 June 1971. He retired the service as a Brigadier on 1 March 1993.During his army career, Hall attended the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
and graduated M. Phil.
Master of Philosophy
The Master of Philosophy is a postgraduate research degree.An M.Phil. is a lesser degree than a Doctor of Philosophy , but in many cases it is considered to be a more senior degree than a taught Master's degree, as it is often a thesis-only degree. In some instances, an M.Phil...
He went on to become Chairman of the Army and Navy Club
Army and Navy Club
The Army and Navy Club in London is a gentlemen's club founded in 1837, also known informally as The Rag.-Foundation and membership:...
, Pall Mall, London
Pall Mall, London
Pall Mall is a street in the City of Westminster, London, and parallel to The Mall, from St. James's Street across Waterloo Place to the Haymarket; while Pall Mall East continues into Trafalgar Square. The street is a major thoroughfare in the St James's area of London, and a section of the...
. In retirement, he settled at Manningford Abbots, near Pewsey
Pewsey
Pewsey is a large village, often considered a small town, at the centre of the Vale of Pewsey in Wiltshire about west of London. It is well connected to London, the West Country and Wales being close to the M4 motorway and the A303. Also, the village is served by Pewsey railway station on the...
, Wiltshire.
Political career
Hall was elected to Wiltshire County CouncilWiltshire County Council
Wiltshire County Council was the county council of Wiltshire in the South West of England, an elected local Government body responsible for most local government services in the county....
as a Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
in 2005. In 2008, he became the last chairman of Wiltshire County Council, which came to an end a year later with the 2009 structural changes to local government in England
2009 structural changes to local government in England
Structural changes to local government in England were effected on 1 April 2009, whereby a number of new unitary authorities were created in parts of the country which previously operated a 'two-tier' system of counties and districts...
, but he went on to become the first chairman of the successor authority Wiltshire Council
Wiltshire Council
Wiltshire Council is the unitary authority for most of the county of Wiltshire, in the West of England, the successor authority to Wiltshire County Council and to four districts—Kennet, North Wiltshire, Salisbury, and West Wiltshire—all of which had been created in 1973 and were...
, having been elected to it in 2009, representing Pewsey Vale
Vale of Pewsey
The Vale of Pewsey or Pewsey Vale is an area of Wiltshire, England to the east of Devizes and south of Marlborough, centred on the town of Pewsey.-Geography:...
. The same year he also became Chairman of Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service
Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service
Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service is the county-wide, statutory emergency fire and rescue service for the ceremonial county of Wiltshire, England. It is administered by a joint authority of 13 members, 9 appointed by Wiltshire Council and 4 by Swindon Borough Council, called the Wiltshire and Swindon...
.
Since 2009, Hall's Pewsey Vale electoral division includes the parishes of Alton
Alton, Wiltshire
Alton is a civil parish in the English county of Wiltshire. It comprises the twin villages of Alton Barnes and Alton Priors, together with the nearby hamlet of Honeystreet on the Kennet and Avon Canal....
, Beechingstoke
Beechingstoke
Beechingstoke is a village and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. Its nearest town is Pewsey.-Local government:Beechingstoke is a civil parish with an elected parish council...
, Chirton
Chirton
Chirton is a village and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. The 2001 Census recorded a parish population of 393.-Local government:Chirton is a civil parish with an elected parish council. It is in the area of Wiltshire Council and is represented at that level by Brigadier Robert Hall...
, Charlton, Huish
Huish, Wiltshire
Huish is a village and civil parish in the English county of Wiltshire.- Location :Huish is situated on the south-facing edge of the Marlborough Downs, where the downs adjoin the Vale of Pewsey.Position:...
, Manningford
Manningford
Manningford is a civil parish in Wiltshire, England. The parish includes the villages of Manningford Abbots, Manningford Bohune, Manningford Bohune Common and Manningford Bruce, together known as the Manningfords.-Manningford Abbots or Abbas:...
, Marden
Marden, Wiltshire
Marden is a small village in the County of Wiltshire, in the south west of England.-Location:The village lies on the River Avon some six miles to the south-east of the town of Devizes, near the edge of Salisbury Plain...
, North Newnton
North Newnton
North Newnton is a civil parish in Wiltshire, England, on the River Avon. The parish includes the settlements of Hilcott and Rainscombe.-History:The parish was described as follows in The National Gazetteer :-Governance:...
, Patney
Patney
Patney is a village in Wiltshire, England, located around 7 km south-east of Devizes. The A342 road runs just to the south of it.All significant local government services are provided by Wiltshire Council, with its headquarters in Trowbridge, and the parish is represented there by Brigadier...
, Rushall
Rushall, Wiltshire
Rushall is a village in Wiltshire, England, located on the River Avon about five miles southwest of the town of Pewsey and to the west of Upavon.The village has the Church of England parish church of Saint Matthew and Rushall Church of England Primary School...
, Stanton St Bernard
Stanton St Bernard
Stanton St Bernard is a village and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. Its nearest town is Devizes, about away to the west.All significant local government services are provided by Wiltshire Council, with its headquarters in Trowbridge, and the parish is represented there by Brigadier Robert Hall...
, Upavon
Upavon
Upavon is a rural village in the English County of Wiltshire, England. As its name suggests, it is on the upper portions of the River Avon which runs from the north to the south through the village. It is situated about south of Pewsey, about southeast of the market town of Devizes, and about ...
, Wilcot
Wilcot
Wilcot is a civil parish in Wiltshire, England, two miles north-west of Pewsey.-History:The parish was described as follows in The National Gazetteer :...
, Wilsford
Wilsford, Wiltshire
Wilsford is a village and civil parish in the Vale of Pewsey in the English county of Wiltshire-Local government:Wilsford is grouped with nearby Charlton, Kennet, the two together have an elected parish council...
and Woodborough
Woodborough, Wiltshire
Woodborough is a small village near Pewsey, Wiltshire. It is named for the woods surrounding it.All significant local government services are provided by Wiltshire Council, with its headquarters in Trowbridge, and the parish is represented there by Brigadier Robert Hall. Its Member of Parliament is...
.
As Chairman of the Wiltshire Fire Authority he hosted a visit by the Princess Royal
Anne, Princess Royal
Princess Anne, Princess Royal , is the only daughter of Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
to Salisbury
Salisbury
Salisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England and the only city in the county. It is the second largest settlement in the county...
on 10 March 2011.
Honours
- Appointed a Serving Brother of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of JerusalemVenerable Order of Saint JohnThe Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem , is a royal order of chivalry established in 1831 and found today throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Hong Kong, Ireland and the United States of America, with the world-wide mission "to prevent and relieve sickness and...
, November 2003.
Recreations
Hall has a keen interest in horse racingHorse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
and owned race-horses
Thoroughbred horse race
Thoroughbred horse racing is a worldwide sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport: Flat racing and National Hunt racing...
in the 1990s.
External links
- Cllr Brigadier Robert Hall at wiltshire.gov.uk