Francis Tombs, Baron Tombs

He was educated at Elmore Green School, Walsall, and at the University of London. Tombs had a career in industry, particularly in electricity generation.[1] He was chairman of the South of Scotland Electricity Board,[2] the Electricity Council[3] and Rolls-Royce.[4] Tombs was president of the Institution of Electrical Engineers in 1981[5] and became an Honorary Fellow of its successor organisation the Institution of Engineering and Technology in 1991.[6] Tombs was named chairman of Turner & Newall P.L.C.,[7] Britain's largest manufacturer of asbestos products on 30 November 1982,[8] and remained there throughout much of the 1980s.

Knighted in 1978,[9] Tombs was created a life peer on 29 February 1990, as Baron Tombs, of Brailes in the County of Warwickshire.[10][11][12] He sat in the House of Lords as a crossbencher, and was on a number of committees. Tombs was granted a leave of absence in March 2008, which lasted until July 2010.[13][14] He wrote a memoir, Power Politics: Political Encounters in Industry and Engineering, which was published later that year.[15] Tombs retired from the House of Lords on 31 March 2015.[16] He died in April 2020, at the age of 95.[17]

Coat of arms of Francis Tombs, Baron Tombs

Crest Out of a crown rayonny Or, each straight ray ending in a mullet Or, a dexter arm embowed vested Azure the hand proper holding two keys in saltire bows upwards Gold. Escutcheon Azure, on a saltire Azure fimbriated Argent a sun, its four rays in saltire extended and tipped with flame all Gold. Supporters Dexter, a unicorn Argent, armed, unguled, bearded, maned and tufted Or, sejant erect upon a grassy mount Proper between two double roses growing therefrom Argent on Gules and both barbed and seeded, stalked and leaved proper; sinister, a bear Proper, clawed and muzzled Or, sejant erect upon a like mount between two thistles growing therefrom also Proper. Motto Work And Pray [18]