Sam Gardiner

Alderman Samuel Gardiner MBE JP (born 24 March 1940) is a former Unionist politician in Northern Ireland for the Ulster Unionist Party and was a MLA for Upper Bann.

Sam Gardiner MBE, JP
Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Upper Bann
In office 26 November 2003 – 30 March 2016
Preceded by	George Savage
Succeeded by	Doug Beattie
Personal details
Born	24 March 1940 Lurgan, Northern Ireland
Nationality	British
Political party	Ulster Unionist Party
Spouse(s)	Elizabeth Gardiner
Children	Clive Keith
Residence	Lurgan, County Armagh
Website	Gardiner UUP

Gardiner was elected to Lurgan Borough Council (now Craigavon Borough Council) in 1963 and held office of mayor in that borough in 1968.[1] He was mayor of Craigavon 1982/3, 1988/9 and 2000/1.

He was elected to the Northern Ireland Forum and was party whip in the same in 1996–1998.[2]

Gardiner was elected to the Assembly in 2003. He served on the Environmental, Leisure Services and Public Services Liaison Committees and was the UUP spokesperson on environment. As the oldest Northern Ireland Assembly member, Gardiner also served as Father of the House, a role which includes presiding over the election of a new Speaker of the Assembly.[3]

He was a former High Sheriff for County Armagh and was appointed as a justice of the peace. He was also a member of the Orange Order, "deputy Sovereign Grand Master" of the Royal Black Institution and former chairman of Glenavon F.C..

References

1. "Biography - Sam Gardiner". Web.archive.org. Archived from the original on 5 September 2008. Retrieved 27 July 2016.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
2. "Biography - Sam Gardiner". Web.archive.org. 5 May 2007. Archived from the original on 5 May 2007. Retrieved 27 July 2016.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
3. "The ITV Hub - The home of ITV". U.tv. Archived from the original on 13 October 2014. Retrieved 27 July 2016.

External links

• Profile on the UUP website
• Stratagem profile
• NI Assembly profile