Ivan Neill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir Ivan Neill
|
|
|---|---|
| Speaker of the House of Commons of Northern Ireland | |
| In office 1969–1972 |
|
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Prime Minister | James Chichester-Clark Brian Faulkner |
| Preceded by | Sir Norman Stronge |
| Succeeded by | Parliament prorogued |
| Minister for Development | |
| In office 19 December 1968 – 3 March 1969 |
|
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Prime Minister | Terence O'Neill |
| Preceded by | William Fitzsimmons |
| Succeeded by | William Long |
| Leader of the House of Commons | |
| In office 1964–1965 |
|
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Prime Minister | Terence O'Neill |
| Preceded by | Position created |
| Succeeded by | Brian Faulkner |
| Minister of Finance | |
| In office 22 July 1964 – 2 April 1965 |
|
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Prime Minister | Terence O'Neill |
| Preceded by | Jack Andrews |
| Succeeded by | Herbert Kirk |
| Minister of Education | |
| In office 12 March 1962 – 22 July 1964 |
|
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Prime Minister | The 1st Viscount Brookeborough |
| Preceded by | William May |
| Succeeded by | Herbert Kirk |
| Minister of Labour | |
| In office 12 January 1950 – 12 March 1962 |
|
| Monarch | George VI Elizabeth II |
| Prime Minister | Sir Basil Brooke |
| Preceded by | Harry Midgley |
| Succeeded by | Herbert Kirk |
| Member of Parliament for Ballynafeigh |
|
| In office 1949–1972 |
|
| Preceded by | Frederick Thompson |
| Succeeded by | Parliament prorogued |
| Majority | 3,848 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1 July 1906 Belfast, Ireland |
| Died | 7 November 2001 (aged 95) Belfast, Northern Ireland |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Ulster Unionist Party |
| Spouse | Margaret |
| Alma mater | The Queen's University of Belfast |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Profession | Economist, Army officer |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Branch/service | British Army |
| Rank | Major |
| Unit | Royal Engineers |
Sir Ivan Neill (born July 1, 1906 – died November 7, 2001) was an important politician from Northern Ireland. He was also an army officer and a member of the Ulster Unionist Party. He held many important government jobs during his career.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Ivan Neill was born in Belfast, Ireland. He went to Ravenscroft National School and Shaftesbury Tutorial College. Later, he earned a degree in Economics from Queen's University, Belfast.
Before becoming a politician, he ran a building company in east Belfast. In 1939, he joined the Royal Engineers as an officer in the British Army. He served in the military until 1946, reaching the rank of Major.
Political Career and Public Service
Ivan Neill began his political journey in 1946. He was elected to the Belfast City Council as a member of the Ulster Unionist Party. Two years later, he became an alderman, which is a senior member of a city council. He served in this role until 1950.
In 1949, he was elected as a Member of Parliament for Belfast Ballynafeigh in the Parliament of Northern Ireland.
Ministerial Roles
In January 1950, Ivan Neill became the Minister of Labour. He was also appointed to the Privy Council of Northern Ireland, a group of important advisors to the government. As Minister of Labour, he sometimes disagreed with his own government's policies. For example, he spoke against a bill in 1956 that allowed landlords to increase rents.
He held the Minister of Labour position until 1962. After that, he became the Minister of Education. In 1964, he took on two new roles: Minister of Finance and Leader of the House of Commons. He resigned from the government in April 1965.
Return to Government and Speaker Role
In December 1968, Ivan Neill returned to the government as Minister of Development. Then, in March 1969, he was elected as the Speaker of the House of Commons. The Speaker is like a referee in parliament, making sure debates are fair and rules are followed.
In October 1971, there was an attempt to kidnap him from his house near Rostrevor. This attempt was not successful. In December of the same year, his house was damaged in an attack.
The Parliament of Northern Ireland was suspended in 1972. In March 1973, the British Government announced plans for a new assembly. Ivan Neill then resigned as a Member of Parliament and as Speaker. He was the last Speaker of the Parliament of Northern Ireland. After this, he received a knighthood and retired from politics.
Personal Life
Sir Ivan Neill was married to Margaret. They did not have any children.
In 1995, he wrote a book about his life called Church and State. In his book, he encouraged unionists to work together and set aside their disagreements. He was a regular visitor to his local Baptist Church.
