Marmaduke Hussey, Baron Hussey of North Bradley

Marmaduke James Hussey, Baron Hussey of North Bradley (29 August 1923 – 27 December 2006), known as Duke Hussey, was Chairman of the Board of Governors of the BBC from 1986 to 1996, serving two terms in that role.

The Right Honourable
The Lord Hussey of North Bradley
Member of the House of Lords
Lord Temporal
In office
11 September 1996 – 27 December 2006
Life peerage
Personal details
Born
Marmaduke James Hussey

(1923-08-29)29 August 1923
Died27 December 2006(2006-12-27) (aged 83)
NationalityBritish
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1959)​
Children2
Parents
RelativesJames Waldegrave, 13th Earl Waldegrave (brother-in-law)
William Waldegrave, Baron Waldegrave of North Hill (brother-in-law)
EducationRugby School, Trinity College
Alma materTrinity College, Oxford
OccupationChairman of the Board of Governors of the BBC

Education and career

The son of the athlete and colonial administrator Eric Hussey and his wife, Christine Elizabeth Morley, Marmaduke Hussey was educated at Rugby School and Trinity College, Oxford. He served in the Grenadier Guards in World War II and was severely injured at Anzio, having to have a leg amputated as a prisoner-of-war, which resulted in his repatriation.[1][2]

He joined Associated Newspapers where he had a long career, culminating in being appointed managing director. He subsequently joined Times Newspapers as chief executive and managing director, a post he held from 1971 to 1980.[3]

Chairman of the BBC

He was appointed Chairman of the BBC in 1986, upon the death of Stuart Young, thanks in part to his close connections to the ruling Conservative Party.[2]

Within three months of joining the BBC, he had forced the resignation of the Director-General, Alasdair Milne, following a series of rows in recent years between the BBC and the Conservative government.[4] In the 1990s, Hussey fell out with Director General John Birt over his management style and Panorama's controversial interview with Diana, Princess of Wales in 1995.[5][6]

On 11 September 1996, Hussey was made a life peer as Baron Hussey of North Bradley, of North Bradley in the County of Wiltshire.[7]

Hussey gave up several boardroom appointments when he took up his job at the BBC, but he remained chairman of the Royal Marsden Hospital until 1998.[2]

Family

Hussey married Lady Susan Waldegrave, youngest daughter of Geoffrey Waldegrave, 12th Earl Waldegrave, on 25 April 1959. She was a Woman of the Bedchamber to Elizabeth II and is a godmother to William, Prince of Wales. They had two children:[2] James Arthur (b. 1961) and Katharine Elizabeth (b. 1964) who married Sir Francis Brooke.

Death

Marmaduke Hussey died at the age of 83 on 27 December 2006.[3]

Hussey is portrayed by Richard Cordery in season 5 of The Crown.

Arms
Coat of arms of Marmaduke Hussey, Baron Hussey of North Bradley
Crest
A greyhound sejant sable grasping in the dexter paw a caduceus or.
Escutcheon
Argent on three bars sable five crowns in cross or.
Supporters
On either side a hind argent unguled and gorged with a collar or pendent therefrom by a string sable a bugle horn or virolled and stringed sable.
Motto
Malevolis Resiste[8]

References
  1. "Marmaduke James Hussey, Baron Hussey of North Bradley : Genealogics".
  2. Obituary, The Guardian, 27 December 2006.
  3. Lord Hussey of North Bradley: Obituary, The Times; accessed 26 March 2016.
  4. "Obituary: Lord Hussey of North Bradley". BBC News. 27 December 2006.
  5. "I wanted Birt out, says his old boss at BBC". The Guardian. 29 October 2001. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  6. Demetriou, Danielle (27 October 2001). "Hussey says Birt was his greatest mistake". Daily Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  7. "No. 54527". The London Gazette. 17 September 1996. p. 12351.
  8. Debrett's Peerage. 2000.

Further reading
  • Hussey, Marmaduke (2001). Chance Governs All: a memoir. London: Macmillan. ISBN 0333902564.
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