Patrick Walker (MI5 officer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids SirPatrick Walker KCB |
|
|---|---|
| Allegiance | United Kingdom  |
| Service | MI5 |
| Active | 1963–1992 |
| Rank | Director General of MI5 |
|
|
|
| Birth name | Patrick Jeremy Walker |
| Born | 25 February 1932 Kuala Lumpur, Federated Malay States |
| Died | 13 October 2021 (aged 89) |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Intelligence officer, civil servant |
| Alma mater | Trinity College, Oxford |
Sir Patrick Jeremy Walker (born February 25, 1932 – died October 13, 2021) was an important British government worker. He was the leader of MI5, which is the United Kingdom's security service. He held this top job from 1988 to 1992.
Early Life and Education
Patrick Walker was born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in 1932. He was the only son of Reginald Plumer Walker and Gladys Walker. His father was also a government worker.
When Patrick was three years old, his family moved to Nairobi, Kenya. His father worked there for the East African Railways. At age 13, Patrick left Kenya to go to school in England. He studied at The King's School, Canterbury. Later, he went to Trinity College, Oxford for his university education.
Career in Public Service
From 1956 to 1962, Patrick Walker worked for the British government in Uganda. This was part of the Foreign Service. In 1963, he joined MI5. MI5 is the UK's security service, which protects the country from threats.
Patrick Walker spent a lot of his career working on counter-terrorism. This means stopping terrorist attacks. In 1980, he was asked to look at how police in Northern Ireland gathered information. He made suggestions to help them improve their methods.
His report helped to make intelligence gathering better organized. It also made sure that different parts of the police worked together. This was important for keeping people safe.
Walker later became the head of the counter-terrorism department at MI5. He was made the Director General of MI5 in January 1988. He led MI5 until February 1992. During his time as leader, a new law was passed. This law, called the Security Service Act 1989, officially set out MI5's role. His time also saw the end of the Cold War. He was honored with a knighthood in 1990 for his important work.
Personal Life
Patrick Walker's father was Presbyterian and his mother was Anglican. He was baptized in the Presbyterian Church. Later, at age 16, he became a member of the Church of England.
In April 1955, he married Susan Hastings. They had three children and nine grandchildren. Two years after getting married, he became a Roman Catholic. This made him the first Roman Catholic to lead MI5.
In 2009, Patrick Walker wrote a book about his time working in Africa. It was called Towards Independence in Africa: A District Officer in Uganda at the End of Empire.
Sir Patrick Walker passed away on October 13, 2021, at the age of 89.
