Derek Ezra, Baron Ezra

Derek Ezra, Baron Ezra, MBE (23 February 1919 – 22 December 2015) was a British coal industry administrator who served as Chairman of the National Coal Board for eleven years.

Early life

Ezra attended Monmouth School before going up to Magdalene College, Cambridge, where he graduated with a first class honours degree in History. ^[1][2] He joined the Liberal Party in 1936 at university, when he joined Cambridge University Liberal Club, whose committee he later joined.^[3] During World War II he worked in intelligence at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force; he received the U.S. Bronze Star Medal in 1945 ^[4]

Career

Ezra embarked on a career with the National Coal Board in 1945 and held the post of Chairman of the National Coal Board for the longest term in its history. He later served as a Liberal Democrat life peer and member of the House of Lords, and was a Liberal Democrat parliamentary spokesperson for Energy from 1998-2005. Following the death of Denis Healey in October 2015, Ezra became the oldest sitting member of the House of Lords,^[5] but took leave of absence on 30 November and died on 22 December 2015.^[6]

Honours

MBE insignia

In 1945 Ezra was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE),^[7] and was knighted on 24 July 1974.^[8] He was created a life peer as Baron Ezra, of Horsham in the County of West Sussex 2 February 1983.^[9]

Ezra was a Liveryman Honoris Causa of the Haberdashers' Company, and an Honorary Fellow of Magdalene College, Cambridge.

Derek Ezra Award

The Combustion Engineering Association gives the Derek Ezra Award for "outstanding achievement in the study of combustion engineering".

References

1. Lord Ezra Obituary at The Guardian Retrieved 22 December 2015
2. Baron Ezra Obituary at FT Retrieved 22 December 2015
3. "About us". The Keynes Society.
4. "Lord Ezra, NCB chairman - obituary". Telegraph.co.uk. 22 December 2015. Retrieved 23 December 2015.
5. "House of Lords, Official Website - Who is the oldest sitting Member of the House of Lords?". Retrieved 5 October 2015.
6. "Lord Ezra". UK Parliament website.
7. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 37204. p. 3954. 2 August 1945.
8. The London Gazette: no. 46366. pp. 8535–8536. 8 October 1974.
9. The London Gazette: no. 49256. p. 1795. 7 February 1983.

External links

• Lord Ezra profile. Liberal Democrats website.
• Combustion Engineering Association
• Debrett's People of Today