Peter Pilkington, Baron Pilkington of Oxenford

Peter Pilkington, Baron Pilkington of Oxenford (5 September 1933 – 14 February 2011 ) was a British Anglican priest, public school headmaster and Conservative member of the House of Lords.

Education Pilkington was educated at Dame Allan's School, Newcastle, where he became religious and developed both his love of scholarship and his combative personality. In 1952 he went up to Jesus College, Cambridge and read history, being influenced by Conservative-minded figures such as Maurice Cowling, Herbert Butterfield and Michael Oakeshott. He graduated in 1955, and took his MA in 1959.

Ecclesiastical career Pilkington trained for ordination at Westcott House, Cambridge, and was ordained as a deacon in the Diocese of Derby in 1959, and as a priest the following year. He served for three years as curate at the historic parish church of All Saints', Bakewell

His final appointment in education was the post of High Master of St Paul's School, London, from 1986 to 1992.

He also assisted in retirement as an honorary curate of St Mary's, Bourne Street, a prominent Anglo-Catholic church in Pimlico, where he served from 1992 to 2005.

Although his entire teaching career was spent in the private sector, Pilkington was a vociferous supporter of selective state education. During his retirement he served for several years as Chairman of the National Grammar Schools Association.

Personal life In 1966 Pilkington married Helen Wilson, who predeceased him in 1997. He was survived by two daughters, Celia and Sarah Pilkington.