John Vivian, 4th Baron Swansea

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John Swansea
Personal information
Full nameJohn Hussey Hamilton Vivian, Lord Swansea
Born(1925-01-01)1 January 1925
Died24 June 2005(2005-06-24) (aged 80)
Pimlico, London, England
Sport
SportSports shooting
Medal record
Representing  Wales
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal – first place 1966 Kingston Full Bore Rifle
Silver medal – second place 1982 Brisbane Full Bore Rifle

John Hussey Hamilton Vivian, 4th Baron Swansea (1 January 1925 – 24 June 2005) was a British peer, sports shooter and lobbyist notable for his role in the debate over gun control in the United Kingdom.

He was educated at Eton College and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he graduated with a degree in French and German.[1] He succeeded his father to the Barony in 1934[1] and took his seat in the House of Lords in 1956.[2] He was Deputy Lieutenant for Powys in 1962.[1] In 1966, Vivian, as Lord John Swansea, represented Wales in the Commonwealth Games, where he took Gold in the Full Bore Rifle event.[3] He took a Silver in the same event at the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane[3] and competed at the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh.[4]

Swansea was Vice-Chairman of the National Rifle Association.[5] In this capacity he lobbied against legislation drawn in the aftermath of the Hungerford Massacre and the Dunblane Massacre, including a ban on the private possession of pistols.[3] He did, however, support the banning of Kalashnikov rifles and a requirement for shotguns not in use to be locked up securely.[3] He was captain of the House of Lords shooting team, which was forced to shut down after 80 years. Swansea resigned the Conservative whip and sat as a Crossbencher, before losing his place in the House as a result of the House of Lords Act 1999.[3]

Honours[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Swansea, 4th Baron, (John Hussey Hamilton Vivian) (1 January 1925 – 24 June 2005). doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U36796. ISBN 978-0-19-954089-1. Retrieved 4 October 2018. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  2. ^ "Preamble (1956)". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). House of Lords. 4 December 1956.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Lord Swansea". The Telegraph. 5 July 2005. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
  4. ^ "Results:Day Four". Sydney Morning Herald. 30 July 1986. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
  5. ^ Cole, Rob. "Lord Swansea". The Independent. Archived from the original on 14 June 2022. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
  6. ^ "Negara Brunei Darussalam: obituaries 2005. - Free Online Library". www.thefreelibrary.com. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
Peerage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Baron Swansea
1934–2005
Succeeded by