Christopher Haskins
An Irish entrepreneur who built a frozen food empire in Britain and later shaped rural and agricultural policy from the House of Lords.
Born 1937 (age 89)·Irish businessman and peer·Birthday: May 30·The Silent Generation
Biography
Christopher Haskins was a pragmatic businessman whose career traced the arc of modern Anglo-Irish relations. Born in County Cork, he moved to Hull in England and, with his father, transformed a small potato merchant business into Northern Foods, a major supplier to British supermarkets. His hands-on approach and belief in efficient, large-scale food production made him a key figure in Britain's post-war food industry. In later life, his focus shifted from boardrooms to policy. Appointed a life peer by Tony Blair's government, he brought his earthy, no-nonsense experience to Westminster, serving as a rural affairs advisor and chairing the government's Better Regulation Task Force. Haskins never lost his connection to Ireland, advocating for European integration and cross-border cooperation, embodying a unique blend of Irish roots and British industrial and political influence.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Christopher was born in 1937, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Christopher Was Born
The biggest hits of 1937
#1 Movie
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Best Picture
The Life of Emile Zola
Christopher's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1937Born
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
1942Started school
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1950Became a teenager
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1953Could drive
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1955Could vote
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1958Turned 21
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1967Turned 30
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1977Turned 40
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 50
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 60
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 70
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 80
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 89 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- He expanded Northern Foods into a FTSE 100 company and a leading supplier to Marks & Spencer.
- He served as Chairman of the UK government's Better Regulation Task Force from 1997 to 2003.
- He was appointed a Life Peer in 1998, sitting as a Labour member of the House of Lords.
- He authored the 2003 Haskins Report, which reviewed rural delivery bodies in England.
Did You Know?
He was a strong proponent of the European Union and served as a director of the 'Britain in Europe' campaign.
He was the Chancellor of the University of Hull from 2005 to 2015.
His autobiography is titled 'The Great Food Gamble'.
“Trade and cooperation build more lasting bridges than political speeches ever can.”
