Harold Atcherley

Sir Harold Winter Atcherley (born 30 August 1918) is a former business man, public figure and arts administrator in the United Kingdom.

Early life

The son of L. W. Atcherley and his wife Maude Lester Nash, Atcherley was educated at Gresham's School, Holt, Geneva University, and Heidelberg University. [http://www.xreferplus.com/entry.jsp?xrefid=6083830 ATCHERLEY, Sir Harold Winter] in Who Was Who online at xreferplus.com (accessed 9 November 2007)]

Career

Atcherley joined Royal Dutch Shell in 1937. From 1939, he served the Second World War in the Queen's Westminster Rifles (1939-1940) and the Intelligence Corps, 1940, then in the 18th Infantry Division, in Singapore. At the fall of Singapore in 1942, he became a prisoner of war of the Japanese until the war ended in 1945, then in 1946 returned to Royal Dutch Shell. With them, he served in Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Argentina, and Brazil until 1959, and was the RDS Group's Personnel co-ordinator from 1964 until 1970. [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20010915/ai_n14413912/pg_1 The Week That Shook The World: Letter: A lesson for the US] in "The Independent" dated Sept 15, 2001, online]

He was Recruitment Advisor to the Ministry of Defence, 1970–1971, and Chairman of Tyzack & Partners, 1979-1985. A director of British Home Stores, 1973–1987.

In retirement, he lives in London and Long Melford, Suffolk. [" [http://www.burkes-peerage.net/familyhomepage.aspx?FID=0&FN=ATCHERLEY SIR HAROLD WINTER ATCHERLEY] at burkes-peerage.net (accessed 8 June 2008)]

Appointments

*Chairman, Armed Forces' Pay Review Body (1971-1982)
*Chairman, Police Negotiating Board (1983-1986)
*Member, Top Salaries Review Body, 1971–1987
*Chairman, Aldeburgh Festival, 1989–1994
*Chairman, Toynbee Hall, 1985-1990 (Member of Management Committee, 1979–1990)
*Member, National Staff Committee for Nurses and Midwives, 1973–1977
*Member, Committee of Inquiry into Pay and Related Conditions of Service of Nurses, 1974Member, Committee of Inquiry into Remuneration of Members of Local Authorities, 1977
*Vice-Chairman, Suffolk Wildlife Trust, 1987–1990
*Member of Management Committee, Suffolk Rural Housing Association, 1984–1987
*Chairman, Suffolk and North Essex Branch, European Movement, 1995–1998, and President since 1998

Honours

*Empress Leopoldina Medal (Brazil), 1958
*Knighthood, 1977

Family

Atcherley married first, in 1946, Anita Helen Leslie. They have one son and two daughters and divorced in 1990. He married secondly, in 1990, Mrs Elke Jessett, the daughter of Dr Carl Langbehn (she died in 2004). He married thirdly, in 2005, Mrs Sarah Mordant.

Publications

*"War Diary: Singapore, Siam & Burma, 1941-1945", illustrated by Ronald Searle (London, Harold Atcherley, 2004)

*"Euro paean": In 1998, Atcherley wrote in "The Independent" in support of Britain joining the European single currency. [" [http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20010906/ai_n14413264 Euro paean] " in "The Independent" dated 9 November 1998]
*In the aftermath of the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center, Atcherley, writing in "The Independent", ascribed the fundamental causes of the disaster to the non-observation by the British government of the Balfour Declaration of 1917. He wrote to "The Times" on 3 August 2006: "How can the Israelis, Bush and Blair think they can ever achieve lasting peace in the Middle East by allowing Israel to continue its futile attempt to 'defeat' Hezbollah? ...Unless military action is replaced by negotiation, I can only see disastrous consequences for our relations with the Muslim world." [ [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/letters/article698170.ece Can the American vision of democracy help to find a lasting peace in the Middle East?] from timesonline.co.uk]

*On 6 September 2001, a letter from Atcherley was published in London's The Independent newspaper, headed "Reports of my death..." and enquiring why for two years running the newspaper had failed to include his name in its "Today's Birthdays" column. He suggested: [" [http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20010906/ai_n14413264 Reports of my death...] " in "The Independent" dated 6 September 2001]

However, his birthday has continued to be reported in "The Times". [ [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,61-2333847,00.html Court and Social page] in "The Times" online for 30 August 2006]

References

* [http://www.aldeburgh.co.uk/home.cfm Aldeburgh Productions (formerly the Aldeburgh Foundation] - official site
* [http://calbears.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_19960924/ai_n14065712 Letter to The Independent, 24 September 1996]
* [http://www.badische-zeitung.de/lokales/lokalausgaben/n246rdlicherbreisgau/1,51-11156198.html Badische-Zeitung.de]