Robert Balchin, Baron Lingfield

Knight Bachelor insignia

Robert Balchin, Baron Lingfield, Kt, DL (born 31 July 1942) is a British educationalist, noted as an advocate and pioneer for school autonomy.

Career

Lord Lingfield serves as Pro-Chancellor of Brunel University and Chairman of the Trustees of ARNI. He is also the Chairman of the League of Mercy and a Deputy Lieutenant of Greater London.

He previously served as Director-General of St. John Ambulance from 1984 to 1990 and was chairman of the Grant-Maintained Schools Centre (formerly Foundation) from 1989 until 1999. He has been Chairman of the Centre for Education Management (now CEFM) since 1995.

Knighted in 1993, becoming styled as Sir Robert Balchin, he was raised to the peerage as a Life Peer on 17 December 2010 as Baron Lingfield, of Lingfield in the County of Surrey. He was Knight Principal (chairman of the Knights' Council) of the Imperial Society of Knights Bachelor from 2006 to 2012, and he has served as Honorary Colonel of Humberside and South Yorkshire ACF since 2004. A Freeman of the City of London, he is also a liveryman of the Goldsmiths' and Broderers' companies.

Lord Lingfield sits on the Conservative benches in the House of Lords, and he speaks in parliament mainly on education matters. He has written numerous articles on education and politics. His schools initiative was proclaimed by The Daily Telegraph's deputy editor, Benedict Brogan, as: "[being the] first and, as time passes, perhaps the most important legislative milestone achieved by the Coalition".

Honours

• - Life Peer as Baron Lingfield, of Lingfield, in the County of Surrey (created 17 December 2010)
• - Knight Bachelor (1993)
• - Knight of Justice, Order of St John (1984)
• - Commander, pro Merito Melitensi (1987)
• - Knight Grand Cross, Royal Order of Francis I (2014)
• 40px - Knight Grand Cross, Order of the Eagle (2014)

Arms

Arms of Robert Balchin, Baron Lingfield

Adopted The armorial bearings of The Lord Lingfield were confirmed by the College of Arms in 1975, with the additional grant of supporters after being elevated to the peerage. Coronet Coronet of a Baron Crest A Demi-Bagwyn Argent, armed and unguled Or, gorged with a Collar compony Or and Vert, charged with Anchors counter-changed, and supporting a Wooden Beam Proper, attached to the Collar by a Chain Or. Escutcheon Quarterly: 1st & 4th, Vert, a Crescent between eight Mullets in lozenge Or (Balchin); 2nd & 3rd, Azure, a Chain fesswise each link per pale Or and Argent, between three Fleurs-de-Lis per pale Or and Argent (Skelton); en surtout, an Inescutcheon barry of six Ermine and Vert, charged with a Label of three Points in bend Or, each Point charged with an Annulet Gules (Kinlay-Balchin). Supporters Dexter: A Lion guardant Or, the body legs and tail semée of Spur Rowels spur upwards Gules, crowned with a Baron’s Coronet with Cap Proper; Sinister: A Bagwyn Argent, armed, unguled and tail tufted Or, gorged with a Baron’s Coronet sans Cap Proper, attached thereto a Chain reflexed over the back and terminating in an Annulet Or. Motto De Bonne Esperance (Of Good Hope)

See also

• Lingfield, Surrey

External links

• Debrett's People of Today
• Information on Dod's website
• Who's Who 2015

Preceded by Sir Richard Gaskell

File:Imperial Society of Knights Bachelor.png 45px Knight Principal of the Imperial Society of Knights Bachelor 2006 - 2012

Succeeded by Sir Colin Berry