Ronald Cyril Fearn, Baron Fearn, OBE (6 February 1931 – 24 January 2022) was a British Liberal Democrat politician. He was born and died in Southport.[1][2]
The Lord Fearn | |
|---|---|
 Fearn in 1987 | |
| Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal | |
| In office 11 July 2001 – 11 July 2018 Life Peerage | |
| Member of Parliament for Southport | |
| In office 1 May 1997 – 14 May 2001 | |
| Preceded by | Matthew Banks |
| Succeeded by | John Pugh |
| In office 11 June 1987 – 16 March 1992 | |
| Preceded by | Ian Percival |
| Succeeded by | Matthew Banks |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Ronald Cyril Fearn 6 February 1931 Southport, Lancashire, England |
| Died | 24 January 2022 (aged 90) Southport, Merseyside, England |
| Political party | Liberal Democrat (formerly Liberal Party) |
| Spouse | Joyce Fearn |
| Relations | Maureen Fearn (sister-in-law) |
| Children | Martin Fearn |
| Profession | Banker, politician |
Early life
editFearn was born in 1931 in Southport, the son of James (a master decorator) and Martha Ellen (née Hodge) Fearn. His birth was registered without his middle name in the Ormskirk registration district of Lancashire. Southport is now part of Merseyside.[3][4][5]
Educated at King George V Grammar School, Southport, Fearn was a banker by profession, becoming a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers. He worked as a banker with Williams Deacons Bank, Williams & Glyn's Bank, and later the Royal Bank of Scotland.[4]
Political career
editFearn was the Liberal and later Liberal Democrat MP for Southport from 1987 to 1992 and 1997 to 2001, after unsuccessfully contesting the seat at the four 1970s general elections. He was the Lib. Dem. spokesman on health and tourism (1988–89), on local government (1989–90), and on transport, housing and tourism (1990–92). In Parliament, he was a member of the Select Committee on Culture, Media and Sport from 1997 to 2001.[4]
Fearn served from 1974 until 2016 as a Sefton Metropolitan Borough councillor, having been a member of its predecessor body, Merseyside County Council. He thus achieved over 50 years of continuous service, being first elected as a Liberal and then for its successor party, the Liberal Democrats.[4] Fearn first contested the borough at the inaugural elections of 1973 as a candidate for the Southport ward of Craven-Sussex-Talbot, in which he topped the poll, receiving more votes than the two other Liberal candidates elected alongside him.[6]
In 1982, Fearn was elected as a Liberal-SDP candidate for the Norwood ward, again topping the poll. In 1990, he was elected for the Social and Liberal Democrats, and four years later, as a Liberal Democrat: the latter party had succeeded those he had previously represented. At every single Sefton election he contested, Fearn was top of the results, including those in which multiple candidates were elected.[7][6]
He received a life peerage and joined the House of Lords as Baron Fearn, of Southport in the County of Merseyside, in 2001.[8] He retired from the House on 11 July 2018.[9]
Honours
editIn the 1985 Birthday Honours, Fearn was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).[10]
Personal life
editIn 1955, Fearn married Joyce Edna Dugan; they had a son, Martin, and a daughter.[4] Martin became a mathematics teacher at Cowley International College, St. Helens. Outside of politics, Fearn listed his recreations as badminton, amateur dramatics and athletics. He lived in Southport.[4]
Fearn died in Southport on 24 January 2022, at the age of 90.[11]
References
edit- ^ "Mr Ronnie Fearn". Hansard. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
- ^ "Parliamentary career for Lord Fearn - MPs and Lords". UK Parliament. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
- ^ General Register Office public indices of birth, marriages and deaths, vol. 8b page 1378 which included until 1934 Southport.
- ^ a b c d e f "Fearn, Baron, (Ronald Cyril Fearn, (Ronnie)) (born 6 Feb. 1931)". WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.u15562. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
- ^ Obituary, Telegraph.co.uk. Accessed 20 October 2022.
- ^ a b Rallings, Colin; Thrasher, Michael. Sefton Council Election Results 1973-2012 (PDF). Plymouth University: The Elections Centre.
- ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Norwood Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
- ^ "No. 56275". The London Gazette. 16 July 2001. p. 8373.
- ^ "Lord Fearn". UK Parliament.
- ^ "No. 50154". The London Gazette (Supplement). 15 June 1985. p. 10.
- ^ "Former Southport MP Ronnie Fearn passes away aged 90". On The Spot News Southport. 25 January 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2022.