Deputy Lieutenants of Somerset

Background:

Neil Dowdney was born in 1953, grew up at Queen Charlton and was educated at Kingswood School Bath.

Education and experience:

He trained as an auctioneer and qualified as a Chartered Surveyor before joining a local firm of stockbrokers and becoming a member of the London Stock Exchange within Godfray Derby & Co. He spent most of his career in Bath retiring in 2015. He was for many years a Chartered Member of The Chartered Securities Institute.

He joined 6th Battalion The Light Infantry when they reformed in Bath in 1971 and subsequently served in The Wiltshire Yeomanry prior to commissioning into The Royal Artillery serving with The Gloucestershire Volunteer Artillery (266 Bty) and Central Volunteer Artillery HQ until retirement at the end of 42 years’ service in the rank of Major.

For 9 years was an Independent Custody Visitor for Avon and Somerset Police and is now acting as a Lay Observer for The Ministry of Justice. He has served for some years on the Disciplinary Panel of The Chartered Securities Institute and more recently their Appeals Panel. He served as Chair of Marksbury Parish Council.

Further information:

His other interests include being a Friend of Iford Opera, member of The Royal Bath and West Society, Friend of The Royal Hospital Chelsea and of The Royal Academy. Sports include skiing, shooting and cycling. He lives at Marksbury with his wife Rosy and keeps donkeys as a pastime.