Bob Skelly

Derek Partridge

Derek was born and brought up in North-West London. At age eighteen he qualified by public examinationo toenter the Foreign Service (later the Diplomatic Service) and after National Service in the RAF this was his career for forty years. He served in Norway, Saudi Arabia, The Sudan, Bulgaria, Thailand, The Philippines and Indonesia. Back in London he worked in Cultural Relations with the Soviet Union and the countries of Eastern Europe. He then served two years in the Diplomatic Service Inspectorate before being appointed  British Consul General in Brisbane., Australia. From here he went to Colombo, Sri Lanka as Economic Secretary. Then back in London he was concerned with the Council of Europe and in particular the European Convention on Human Rights. Here he learnt the absolute importance of  observing Human Rights concerns in all matters of dispute. Next he was Deputy then Head of Migration and Vis Department then Head o f Nationality and Treaty Department. From here he went to Freetown, Sierra Leone as British High Commissioner where he served for five iv years until his retirement in 1991. Derek then served for eight years (1994  to 2002) as a councillor for Dockyard Ward where he particularly concerned himself with  Planning and Development matters. He served as a governor for St George's Catholic Primary School and finally as Chairman of the Pump-house Education Trust.  In 2016 he was recipient of Maundy Money from HM The Queen.

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