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Michael Havers, Baron Havers facts for kids

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The Lord Havers
Lord Havers 1987.jpg
Lord Chancellor
In office
13 June 1987 – 26 October 1987
Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher
Preceded by The Lord Hailsham of St Marylebone
Succeeded by The Lord Mackay of Clashfern
Attorney General for England and Wales
Attorney General for Northern Ireland
In office
6 May 1979 – 13 June 1987
Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher
Preceded by Samuel Silkin
Succeeded by Patrick Mayhew
Shadow Attorney General for England and Wales
In office
18 February 1975 – 4 May 1979
Leader Margaret Thatcher
Succeeded by Samuel Silkin
Solicitor General for England and Wales
In office
5 November 1972 – 4 March 1974
Prime Minister Edward Heath
Preceded by Geoffrey Howe
Succeeded by Peter Archer
Member of the House of Lords
Lord Temporal
In office
22 June 1987 – 1 April 1992
Life Peerage
Member of Parliament
for Wimbledon
In office
18 June 1970 – 18 May 1987
Preceded by Cyril Black
Succeeded by Charles Goodson-Wickes
Personal details
Born
Robert Michael Oldfield Havers

(1923-03-10)10 March 1923
Died 1 April 1992(1992-04-01) (aged 69)
London, England
Political party Conservative
Spouse
Carol Elizabeth Lay
(m. 1949)
Children Philip Havers
Nigel Havers
Alma mater Corpus Christi College, Cambridge

Robert Michael Oldfield Havers, also known as Baron Havers, was an important British lawyer and politician. He was born on March 10, 1923, and passed away on April 1, 1992. He was a member of the Conservative Party. He was knighted in 1972, which means he became "Sir Robert Havers." Later, in 1987, he was made a "life peer," becoming a Lord in the House of Lords.

Early Life and War Service

Robert Havers was the second son of a High Court judge, Sir Cecil Havers. His mother was Enid Flo Havers. He had a sister, Baroness Butler-Sloss, who later became the first woman to join the Court of Appeal in 1988.

He went to Westminster School before joining the Royal Navy in 1941. This was during the Second World War. He served as a young officer on a ship called HMS Sirius. After the war ended, he left the Navy in 1947.

In 1946, he went to Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, to study law.

Becoming a Lawyer

After finishing his studies, Havers became a lawyer in 1948. This is called being "called to the bar." He worked with experienced lawyers to learn the ropes.

In 1964, he became a Queen's Counsel, which is a very senior and respected lawyer. He also worked as a judge, called a Recorder, in towns like Dover and Norwich from 1962 to 1971.

Political Career

In 1970, Robert Havers was elected to the House of Commons. He represented the area of Wimbledon and held this position until 1987.

He served as the Solicitor General from 1972 to 1974 under Prime Minister Edward Heath. This role involves advising the government on legal matters. In 1977, he became a member of the Privy Council. This is a group of senior advisors to the Queen.

From 1979 to 1987, he was the Attorney-General for England and Wales and also the Attorney General for Northern Ireland. He served under Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. He held this job for a very long time, longer than almost anyone else since the 1700s. During the Falklands War, he advised the government on international law.

In June 1987, he was appointed Lord Chancellor. This is a very important legal role in the government. When he became Lord Chancellor, he also became a "life peer" as Baron Havers. However, he had to leave this role in October 1987 because of health problems.

Family Life

Robert Havers married Carol Elizabeth Lay in 1949. They had two sons together. One son, Philip Havers, also became a Queen's Counsel, just like his father. Their other son is the well-known actor Nigel Havers.

In 1981, the apartment where Sir Michael and Lady Havers lived in Wimbledon was bombed. Luckily, the family was not home at the time. A police officer guarding the house was affected, and another person in the building was unharmed.

Robert Havers had two heart operations in the 1980s. He passed away on April 1, 1992, in London, at the age of 69. He became ill while working in his office.

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