Peter Parker (British businessman)

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Parker c. 1995

Sir Peter Parker

LVO (30 August 1924 – 28 April 2002) was a British businessman and chairman of the British Railways Board
from 1976 to 1983.

Early life

Parker was born in France on 30 August 1924 but spent part of his childhood in

School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, and was assigned to study Japanese. He was one of the "Dulwich boys", thirty sixth-formers recruited to boost the ranks of military translators who were accommodated at Dulwich College.[1][2]

In 1943 he joined the

Lord Murray of Newhaven, read history at Lincoln College, Oxford
.

At Oxford he joined the Dramatic Society, where he was widely regarded as the best undergraduate actor of his day alongside contemporaries Kenneth Tynan, John Schlesinger and Lindsay Anderson. Parker met Shirley Catlin (the future Shirley Williams) in the university's Labour Party club and they had a relationship. In her autobiography (Climbing the Bookshelves) Williams says that "...by the spring of 1949 I was in love with him, and he, a little, with me...". He stood unsuccessfully as the Labour candidate for Bedford in the 1951 general election.

Career

After graduation he spent two years with

Booker McConnell
, becoming a director of the company.

He remained on the board of Booker until 1970, when he was appointed chairman-designate of the newly nationalised National Ports Authority. This was scrapped following the election of the

British Rail Board
.

Chairman of British Rail

Succeeding

Labour Government and continued to serve during the Premiership of Margaret Thatcher
. He guided the organisation through difficult times to the beginnings of the resurgence in train travel in the United Kingdom.

Politically, he was a socialist (but later joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP)). His socialist principles were severely tested by the industrial relations difficulties with the three railway unions (ASLEF, the National Union of Railwaymen and the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association) while he was Chairman of British Rail. There were several major strikes on the railway system during his chairmanship.

Parker reorganised the management of the railway system, creating five business sectors, instead of having it based on geographical regions. He was a critic of the underinvestment in the railways by successive British governments, claiming that he was trying to shore up "the crumbling edge of quality". He also campaigned vigorously against the anti-rail lobby, most notably in successfully resisting the recommendations of the Serpell Report in 1982, which had proposed drastic closures.

On one occasion, Parker had to catch a train from Crewe to Carlisle, but arrived late and accidentally boarded a non-stopping service heading for London Euston.[4] Parker was succeeded in 1983 by the vice-chairman, Robert Reid.[5]

Later career

His other appointments included the chairmanship of the Rockware Group (1971–76, and 1983–92); Bookers Engineering and Industrial Holdings (1966–70); Associated British Maltsters (1971–73);

Whitehead Mann (1984–2000). He was also chairman of the National Theatre, the British Tourist Authority and of Westfield College. He was knighted in 1978 and appointed a KBE in 1993. He was conferred with the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Sacred Treasure 1st Class (1991) (Japan).[6]

Personal life

Parker married Gillian Rowe-Dutton in 1951, a

Save the Children Fund; Oliver Parker, film director; Nathaniel Parker, the actor[7]
), and a daughter.

Death and legacy

Parker died on 28 April 2002 from a suspected heart attack while on a trip to Turkey.[8]

Parker was the first former chairman of British Rail to have an engine named in his honour. At a ceremony at

Cotswold line between Oxford and Worcester in 1853. Parker was a regular user of Charlbury station on that line.[9]

Business positions
Preceded by
Chairman of the
British Railways Board

1976–1983 		Succeeded by

References

  1. ^ Sadao Ōba The 'Japanese' war: London University's WWII secret teaching programme p. 11. Other "Dulwich boys" included P. G. O'Neill, John McEwan and Ronald P. Dore.
  2. ^ Peter Kornicki, Eavesdropping on the Emperor: Interrogators and Codebreakers in Britain's War with Japan (London: Hurst & Co., 2021), pp. 56-57.
  3. ^ Obituary in The Daily Telegraph, 30 April 2002.
  4. ISBN 0-7088-1908-7
    .
  5. ^ Terry Pattinson (18 December 1993). "Obituary: Sir Robert Reid". The Independent. Archived from the original on 26 May 2022.
  6. ^ "Fellowship to Recognise Contribution to Language Teaching and Learning," Archived 14 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine Centre for Information on Language Teaching and Research (CILT). 27 March 2002; retrieved 19 June 2011
  7. ^ "Nathaniel Parker Biography (1962-)". www.filmreference.com. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  8. ^ Sir Peter Parker dies at 77 The Daily Telegraph 29 April 2002
  9. ^ Line group call for improvements to be maintained Eversham Observer 26 May 2018

External links

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