(Redirected from Gareth Wyn Williams)
'Gareth Wyn Williams, Baron Williams of Mostyn,'
QC,
PC (
February 5,
1941 -
September 20,
2003) was a
British Labour Party politician who was
Leader of the House of Lords,
Lord President of the Council and a member of the
Cabinet at the time of his sudden death in
2003.
Williams was born near
Prestatyn, in north
Wales, a son of Albert Thomas Williams and his wife Selina, ''née'' Evans. He was educated at
Rhyl Grammar School and at
Queens' College, Cambridge.
He had a successful
legal career, becoming a
Queen's Counsel, Recorder, Deputy High Court Judge and Chairman of the
Bar council. He was made a
life peer as 'Baron Williams of Mostyn', of Great Tew in the County of
Oxfordshire in
1992 and became an opposition spokesman in the
House of Lords on Legal Affairs, and later
Northern Ireland. After Labour's election victory he became a
Home Office minister, and in
1999 was appointed
Attorney General. He became
Leader of the House of Lords and
Lord Privy Seal in
2001 (switching over to
Lord President of the Council in
2003).
Lord Williams married firstly in
1962 Pauline, daughter of Ernest Clarke, and by her had two daughters, Martha (born
1963) and Emma (born
1966), and a son, Daniel (born
1969).
They
divorced, and he married secondly in
1994 Veena M. Russell, and by her had one daughter, Imogen.
He collapsed and died suddenly at his home in
Gloucestershire, at the age of 62. He was survived by his four children.
Reference
★ ''
Burke's Peerage & Baronetage'' (106th edition,
1999) edited by Charles Mosley
External links
★ "
Interview: Lord Williams" - ''Guardian Unlimited Politics'' interview with Lord Williams by
Julian Glover, dated Friday, June 28, 2002, giving the peer's views on reform of the
House of Lords
★ "
Leader of House of Lords dies" - BBC News article, dated Saturday, September 20, 2003
★ "
Lords loses smooth operator" - BBC News article, dated Saturday, September 20, 2003
★ "
Tributes to a superb wit" - BBC News article, dated Saturday, September 20, 2003
Offices held