Ivan Neill

Sir Ivan Neill, KBE, PC (1 July 1906 — 7 November 2001), was a British Army officer and Unionist politician from Northern Ireland.

Early life Born in Belfast, Ireland, Neill studied at Ravenscroft National School and Shaftesbury Tutorial College before receiving a BSc in Economics from Queen's University, Belfast. He ran a firm of building contractors in east Belfast before joining the Royal Engineers as an officer in 1939. He served with the military until 1946, by which time he held the rank of major.

He held the post until 1962, when he became Minister of Education, then in 1964 he moved to become Minister of Finance and Leader of the House of Commons. feeling that he was being marginalised in favour of William Craig.

Personal life Neill was married to Margaret with whom he had no children.

In 1995, Neill wrote an autobiography, Church and State. In this, he called on unionists to put aside their differences.

He was a frequent visitor to his local Baptist Church.