JOHN3

BACK

INDEX

HOME

INDEX

BACK

John was in the group that accompanied Mountbatten on that fateful day in August 1979 - when he was murdered by the Irish Republican Army (IRA). John and his wife, Patricia (now The 2nd Countess Mountbatten of Burma) were badly injured, but survived and did their best to rebuild their lives, which they did with fortitude, strength, and compassion without bitterness as the Brabournes were determined that the Mountbatten name would not forever be associated with tragedy, and they devoted the years after the bombing to restoring peace, hope and certainty to their family. However it is fair to say that events on that day would affect Brabourne’s career, although he did continue for a short while to produce other films. John became a director of Thames Television from 1975 to 1993 and its Chairman between 1990 and 1993, and was appointed a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) that same year. Later, he was appointed a Fellow of the British Film Institute (BFI) and became a Trustee of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA).

Understandably, John rarely spoke publicly about the bombing, but he and his wife gave a substantial sum of money towards the endowment of a bursary in the name of their son - Nicholas, at the Dragon Prep school in Oxford, which has been associated with the Mountbatten family for 50 years. Shortly before the launch of a public appeal to raise money for the award, Patricia (The Countess Mountbatten of Burma) said "the past 25 years would have been far more difficult without my husband. In fact it would have been unbearably ghastly. We have been married a long time, but I dare say that if we had a spare lunch or dinner and had to pick one person, we'd still choose each other." John served as a Governor of various schools, including Norton Knatchbull School from 1947 to 2000, Wye Agricultural College from 1955 to 2000, and Gordonstoun School from 1964 to 1994. He was also a Pro-Chancellor of the University of Kent from 1993 to 1999.

John, 7th Lord Brabourne
in the grounds of his home (days before his death),
with his wife - Patricia,
2nd Countess Mountbatten of Burma.

---------

JOHN, LORD BRABOURNE (1924-2005)
- may he rest in peace.