Grey Gowrie facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Earl of Gowrie
PC FRSL
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Portrait by Nick Sinclair, 1992
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| Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | |
| In office 11 September 1984 – 2 September 1985 |
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| Prime Minister | Margaret Thatcher |
| Preceded by | The Lord Cockfield |
| Succeeded by | Norman Tebbit |
| Minister of State for the Arts | |
| In office 11 June 1983 – 2 September 1985 |
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| Prime Minister | Margaret Thatcher |
| Preceded by | Paul Channon |
| Succeeded by | Richard Luce |
| Minister of State for Northern Ireland | |
| In office 15 September 1981 – 10 June 1983 |
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| Prime Minister | Margaret Thatcher |
| Preceded by | Michael Alison |
| Succeeded by | The Earl of Mansfield |
| Minister of State for Employment | |
| In office 7 May 1979 – 15 September 1981 |
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| Prime Minister | Margaret Thatcher |
| Preceded by | Harold Walker |
| Succeeded by | Michael Alison |
| Lord-in-waiting Government Whip |
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| In office 7 April 1972 – 4 March 1974 |
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| Prime Minister | Edward Heath |
| Preceded by | new appointment |
| Succeeded by | The Lord Jacques |
| Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal |
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| In office 27 November 1960 – 11 November 1999 Hereditary Peerage |
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| Preceded by | The 1st Earl of Gowrie |
| Succeeded by | Seat abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Alexander Patrick Greysteil Hore-Ruthven
26 November 1939 Dublin, Ireland |
| Died | 24 September 2021 (aged 81) Llanfechain, Wales |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouses |
Alexandra Bingley
(m. 1962; div. 1973)Adelheid Gräfin von der Schulenburg
(m. 1974) |
| Children | 1 |
| Parents |
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| Alma mater | |
Alexander Patrick Greysteil Hore-Ruthven, 2nd Earl of Gowrie, known as Grey Gowrie or Lord Gowrie, was an important British politician and businessman. He was born in Ireland on November 26, 1939, and passed away on September 24, 2021. He was also the traditional leader of Clan Ruthven in Scotland.
Lord Gowrie studied at famous schools like Eton College and Oxford University. For a while, he worked as a teacher in the US and London, even with the famous poet Robert Lowell.
He was a Conservative Party politician and served in the British government under Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. He held several important roles, including Minister for the Arts. After his political career, he became a top executive at Sotheby's, a well-known art auction company. He also led the Arts Council of England for a few years. Lord Gowrie was also a poet and writer.
Contents
Life Story: From Early Years to Public Service
Growing Up and School Days
Alexander Patrick Greysteil Hore-Ruthven was born in Dublin, Ireland, on November 26, 1939. His father, Major Patrick Hore-Ruthven, was a soldier, and his mother was Pamela Margaret Fletcher. His grandfather, Alexander Hore-Ruthven, later became the 1st Earl of Gowrie. Grey had one younger brother, Malise, who became a writer.
During Second World War, his parents were in Cairo. His father was a major in the Rifle Brigade, and his mother worked in intelligence. Grey, only three months old, stayed with his grandmother in Ireland. Sadly, his father was killed in 1942 while serving with the SAS. After this, his grandparents helped raise him.
Grey went to Eton College, a famous school, where he wrote poetry and stories for the school magazine. He was also chosen for a special group called "Pop."
Becoming an Earl and University Life
In 1945, his grandfather, who had been the Governor-General of Australia, was given the title of Earl of Gowrie. This meant Grey became known as Viscount Ruthven of Canberra. His family lived for a time at Windsor Castle and then returned to Ireland.
When his grandfather died in 1955, Grey became the 2nd Earl of Gowrie. He also inherited other titles like Viscount Ruthven of Canberra. After Eton, he went to Balliol College, Oxford. While there, he became the editor of the student magazine The Isis Magazine.
In 1962, he bought an early painting by the artist David Hockney for his college. The painting, called The Most Beautiful Boy in the World, cost £75. It was not very popular with some students, but later sold for a much higher price.
Working in Academia and the Art World
After university, Lord Gowrie worked briefly for the Times Literary Supplement. He also taught at the State University of New York and Harvard University in the US. During this time, he worked with the poet Robert Lowell.
In 1969, he returned to London and taught English literature at University College London. He also trained as an art dealer. He sold works by famous artists like Francis Bacon and David Hockney. He even sold a Jackson Pollock painting for $2 million. In 1972, he published his first book of poems, A Postcard from Don Giovanni.
Political Career: Serving the Country
Starting in Politics
Lord Gowrie joined the Conservative Party. He gave his first speech in the House of Lords in 1968, talking about how to improve the House. In 1971, he represented the British Parliament on a United Nations committee for human rights.
From 1972 to 1974, he served as a Lord-in-waiting and a Conservative whip in the House of Lords under Prime Minister Ted Heath. When the Conservatives were not in power (1974-1979), he spoke about economic issues. He was known for understanding economic policies well.
His first job as a minister was under Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. He was the Minister of State for Employment from 1979 to 1981. This was a time when there were many industrial disputes in Britain.
Working in Northern Ireland
From 1981 to 1983, Lord Gowrie was a Minister of State for Northern Ireland. This was a challenging time, including a period of hunger strikes. He was known for his thoughtful approach. He described himself as "an Irishman with a Scots name and a German wife, working... for a very English government."
He was involved in making some changes to laws in Northern Ireland in 1982. He also discussed ideas for bringing back local government, suggesting a plan for cooperation between the main communities. Some of his ideas, like offering joint British and Irish citizenship, were later included in the Good Friday Agreement.
Leading the Arts and Other Roles
In 1983, Margaret Thatcher made Lord Gowrie the Arts Minister. During his time, he improved a system that allowed people to donate art to museums instead of paying certain taxes. He believed that arts funding should be handled carefully, like an economist would.
He helped save many galleries and museums in Liverpool from closing, bringing them together as National Museums Liverpool. He said that rumors about Thatcher wanting to cut arts funding were not true. He became a member of the Privy Council and joined the Cabinet.
From 1984, he was also Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. This role meant he helped manage the Civil Service. In 1985, he resigned from the government. He explained that the salary for his role was not enough to live comfortably in London. Margaret Thatcher called his departure "the greatest loss" to her government.
Life After Government: Art and Literature
Career in the Art World
After leaving government in 1985, Lord Gowrie became the chairman of Sotheby's International. He was in charge of the auction house's business in Europe and Asia. He worked there until 1994. During this time, he also became chairman of the Serpentine Gallery in London.
In 1994, he became the first chairman of the new Arts Council of England. He helped the Arts Council distribute money from the National Lottery to support arts projects. He supported and later opened the famous Angel of the North sculpture.
He also chaired the panel for the Booker Prize, a major literary award. In 1993, his panel chose Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha by Roddy Doyle as the winner.
Writing and Health
Lord Gowrie continued to write. He published a biography of the artist Derek Hill in 1987. He also wrote a chapter on 20th-century painting for a book called The Genius of British Painting.
In 1999, he had a serious heart condition and received a heart transplant at Harefield Hospital. After a long recovery, he left the hospital in 2000. His health remained delicate after that. He became friends with his surgeon, Magdi Yacoub, and chaired the institute named after him.
After his recovery, he published new poetry books, including The Domino Hymn, which talked about his illness. He later released a collection of his poems. In 2003, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature for his writing achievements.
Personal Life and Family
Homes and Family Life
Lord Gowrie inherited a house called Castlemartin House and Estate in Ireland in 1967, which he later sold. He lived partly in Ireland until 1983. Then he moved to Llanfechain in Wales, where he lived for many years. He also had a home in London.
He married Xandra (Alexandra) Bingley in 1962. They had one son, Patrick Leo Brer Hore-Ruthven, born in 1964, who became a database developer and musician. They divorced in 1973.
In 1974, Lord Gowrie married Adelheid Gräfin von der Schulenburg. She was the daughter of Fritz-Dietlof Graf von der Schulenburg. He often described himself as "an Irishman with a Scots title, married to a German."
Friends and Interests
Lord Gowrie was friends with many notable people, including his poetry mentor Robert Lowell. He also considered Margaret Thatcher, the artist Francis Bacon, and composer Andrew Lloyd Webber among his close friends. He was a patron of the Elton John AIDS Foundation and the Wilfred Owen Association, which honors the famous First World War poet. He also served on the advisory council for the London Symphony Orchestra.
Passing Away
Lord Gowrie passed away at his home in Llanfechain, Wales, on September 24, 2021. He was 81 years old. His wife, Adelheid, survived him, and his son inherited his titles.
