ald ▁St owe ▁ ▁( 1 7 ▁July ▁ 1 9 2 7 ▁– ▁ 2 9 ▁August ▁ 2 0 1 5 ) ▁was ▁a ▁senior ▁British ▁civil ▁servant . ▁He ▁was ▁Princi pal ▁Private ▁Secretary ▁to ▁the ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁ 1 9 7 5 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 9 , ▁and ▁the ▁P erman ent ▁Under - Secret ary ▁of ▁State ▁of ▁the ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁Office ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁to ▁ 1 9 8 1 . ▁From ▁ 1 9 8 1 ▁to ▁ 1 9 8 7 ▁he ▁was ▁P erman ent ▁Secretary ▁of ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁Health ▁and ▁Social ▁Security . ▁He ▁was ▁made ▁a ▁C B ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 7 , ▁C VO ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 , ▁and ▁K CB ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 0 ▁and ▁a ▁GC B ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 . ▁▁ ▁He ▁died ▁on ▁ 2 9 ▁August ▁ 2 0 1 5 . ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁Br ief ▁bi ography ▁ ▁Category : 1 9 2 7 ▁birth s ▁Category : 2 0 1 5 ▁death s ▁Category : P erman ent ▁Under - Secret aries ▁of ▁State ▁for ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁Category : P erman ent ▁Under - Secret aries ▁of ▁State ▁for ▁Social ▁Services ▁Category : Private ▁secret aries ▁in ▁the ▁British ▁Civil ▁Service ▁Category : Command ers ▁of ▁the ▁Royal ▁Victor ian ▁Order ▁Category : F ell ows ▁of ▁Ex eter ▁College , ▁Oxford ▁Category : K n