Sir William Benyon dies at the age of 84

It is with regret that we announce the death of Sir William Benyon on 2nd May.

He was the owner of the Englefield Estate which covers land principally in Berkshire and Hampshire. He inherited the Estate in 1964 from a cousin, prior to which he had served in the Royal Navy and as an employee of Courtaulds Ltd.

He was involved in many local causes and interests. These included,

Member of Berkshire County Council 1964-1974

Justice of the Peace, Reading Bench 1962-1977

High Sherriff of Berkshire 1995

Vice Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire 1994-2005

Member of Council of Reading University 1967-2002

Governor of Bradfield College

Chairman of the Governors of Englefield Church of England Primary School

Chairman and founder of the Englefield Charitable Trust which supports many causes in Berkshire including church renovations, community halls, local education and relief of need. Among many other projects this charity supported the restoration of the Minster Church in Reading.

He was President of the South Berkshire Agricultural Association and a former President of the Newbury and District Agricultural Society.

He was Patron, Chairman or Trustee of many small local charities.

He was Member of Parliament for Buckingham from 1970-1983, then Member of Parliament for Milton Keynes from 1983-1992.

He was Chairman of The Peabody Trust (urban housing charity) 1992-1998 and Chairman of the Ernest Cook Trust (a charity supporting many causes but particularly education) 1992-1998. He sat on the Council of the National Trust, the Royal Agricultural Society of England and the Country Landowners Association. He was an active supporter of the CPRE and other rural interest groups.

He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth, five children and eighteen grandchildren.

His funeral service will be on Thursday 15th May at 2.30pm at Englefield, Berkshire.