Jonathon Porritt

Sir Jonathon Espie Porritt, 2nd Baronet, CBE (born 6 July 1950) is a British environmentalist and writer. He is known for his advocacy of the Green Party of England and Wales. Porritt frequently contributes to magazines, newspapers and books, and appears on radio and television. Early life Jonathon Porritt was born in London, the son of Arthur Porritt, Baron Porritt, 11th Governor-General of New Zealand and his second wife, Kathleen Peck. Lord Porritt, who served as a senior officer in the Royal Army Medical Corps during World War II, was also the bronze medalist in the 1924 Summer Olympics "Chariots of Fire" 100 metres race. As well as receiving a life peerage, Lord Porritt had previously been awarded a baronetcy in 1963. Jonathon Porritt therefore became the 2nd Baronet on Lord Porritt's death on 1 January 1994. Porritt was educated at Wellesley House School, Broadstairs, Kent; Eton College; and Magdalen College, University of Oxford, where he earned a first class degree in modern languages. Porritt started training as a barrister, but switched to teaching English at St Clement Danes Grammar School (later Burlington Danes School) in Shepherd's Bush, West London, in 1974. He taught there from 1974 to 1984, serving as Head of English from 1980 to 1984. In 1985 he married Sarah Staniforth CBE, daughter of Malcolm Arthur Staniforth.