Denis Shipwright
Encyclopedia
Denis Ewart Bernard Kingston Shipwright FRSA (20 May 1898 – 13 September 1984) was a British
soldier and Royal Air Force
officer who served throughout both world wars. In his youth he became a motor racing driver; after a brief political career, he found it difficult to find work but eventually went into the film industry. His later life was spent working as a civil servant but he kept up his hobbies and developed an interest in Unidentified Flying Object
s.
. At the age of 16 in 1914 he enlisted in the Army
as a Private
. He initially fought in the First World War as a Despatch Rider with the 2/1st Kent Cyclist Battalion (attached to the Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment), and then became a Pilot for the Royal Flying Corps
.
in 1918. He was also a Lieutenant in the 96th Devon Yeomanry
Brigade, and after the end of the war became an acting Captain in the Royal 1st Devon Yeomanry
in 1920. He was appointed to the administrative branch of the Royal Air Force
, relinquishing his appointment in March 1921 on appointment to the Territorial forces but retaining the rank of Captain.
His father died young; in 1918 Shipwright became engaged to Kate Hain, daughter of Sir Edward Hain (former Liberal Member of Parliament for St Ives
). and they married on 20 March of that year. He also continued his education at Lille University
and University College
, Oxford
. In 1920 he was admitted to the Middle Temple
although still only an Oxford undergraduate.
which over the winter he tuned up and modified to improve its performance; he also fitted an airspeed indicator
and altimeter
. In 1921 he won the 24th running of the "100 mph Long Handicap" at Brooklands
having been given a favourable handicap. Shipwright also wrote to The Autocar
explaining how he had driven his car from Hyde Park Corner
in London to St Ives
in Cornwall and made a good average speed and without the car breaking down. The letter prompted a reply from Lord Curzon
who objected that publicising his activities would encourage the police to set more speed traps for motorists. Shipwright kept up his interest in motor racing and in April 1930 bought another Armstrong Siddeley car. He competed in other speed trials and hill climbs.
candidate for Penryn and Falmouth
, succeeding the retiring Conservative MP Sir Edward Nicholl
. Shipwright was only 23 years old but his record of serving throughout the war was noted. He had begun a business career as a Director of Porthia China Clays Ltd. During his election campaign Shipwright's election address pledged him to a strong Navy
, and a foreign policy which aimed at securing an honourable peace with a just settlement of reparations and war debts. In domestic policy he sought economy without decreasing safety and efficiency. The Liberal Party's national split was mirrored in Penryn and Falmouth with Sir Courtenay Mansel
fighting as the official candidate but opposed by George Hay Morgan who was a former MP for Truro; there was also a Labour Party candidate. Shipwright won the election with 11,566 votes and a majority of 2,687 over Mansel. To celebrate his election, the ex-servicemen of Falmouth ceremoniously dragged his motor car up hill to the station when he caught the train to London to take his seat.
in a debate on unemployment on 8 March 1923. He attributed part of the blame for the state of unemployment to the miners' strike of 1921, and pointed out that every tin mine in Cornwall had closed down after that strike and had not reopened. He gave praise to the Conservative government for reducing the numbers of unemployed people and appealed for more faith, good will and confidence. His speech was received with cheers. This proved to be his only speech before the short 1922 Parliament was dissolved and Shipwright was forced to face re-election. Unlike the previous election, the Liberal reunification meant he faced a straight fight with Sir Courtenay Mansel. Government proposals for the China clay
industry, where mines in the constituency had been going through tough economic times, were thought to be a major issue. Shipwright lost his seat, polling 10,429 votes to Mansel's 17,015.
in 1924. Shipwright's first marriage ended in divorce in 1926. He found it difficult to find work after his Parliamentary career ended, and in September 1927 had to resort to advertising in The Times
:
He did find work in the film industry, being assistant director on 'Love's Option' (1928) and production manager on 'Auld Lang Syne' in 1929 for Welsh-Pearson-Elder. He worked as a Director of the Cinephonic Music Co. Ltd and later in production and administration for the Gaumont British
Picture Corporation and for its sister company Gainsborough Pictures
. As such in 1935 he became a representative of the Film Producers Group on the Federation of British Industries
, a member of the Kinematograph Advisory Committee and an adviser to the British Films Advancement Council.
(on probation) in the Royal Air Force, and resigned his commission in the Reserve of Officers for the Royal Engineers. Shortly after the outbreak of the Second World War, on 9 September 1939 Shipwright was confirmed in his appointment and promoted to Flying Officer
. Passing out of RAF Training College in 1940, Shipwright served in France in 1940, being mentioned in despatches. In 1941, while serving in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, Shipwright was made bankrupt on a petition by his creditors, but this move did not interrupt his career. He undertook a special mission to Gibraltar in 1942, and was promoted to temporary Squadron Leader
on 1 September 1942. In 1944 he was awarded the Air Efficiency Award
and remained serving with the RAF until 1945. In 1954 he relinquished his commission in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, retaining his rank of Squadron Leader.
. He became a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts in 1946. In 1950 Shipwright joined the Surrey Special Constabulary, and in 1953 he was made a Major in the 11th (HG) Battalion of the Queen’s Royal Regiment
. When discharged from the RAF in 1954 he became a civil servant as an officer with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
in Guildford.
Keeping up his interest in motoring, Shipwright became a member of the Civil Service Motoring Association, and of the Brooklands Society; he was also a member of the Company of Veteran Motorists and the Order of Knights of the Road. His aviation interests were pursued through membership of the De Havilland Moth Club and of Fairoaks
Flight Centre. Despite being in his 80s Shipwright obtained a flight certificate from Europa Airships Operations in 1982. He also became interested in Unidentified flying object
s, becoming a member of the British UFO Research Association
and chairman of the North East Surrey Group of the Contact UFO Research Investigation Association. He was additionally a member of the British Society for the Turin Shroud.
Shipwright also became interested in Scottish culture and was a member of the Sir Harry Lauder
Society of Portobello from 1979, and also of the Edinburgh International Festival Society and Guild. His entry in Who's Who
notes that he was a voluntary driver for Surrey County Council Hospitals Car and Ambulance Service and a Governor of the Royal Hospital and Home for Incurables; it records that he was made a Knight of the Order of St John of Jerusalem
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
soldier and Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
officer who served throughout both world wars. In his youth he became a motor racing driver; after a brief political career, he found it difficult to find work but eventually went into the film industry. His later life was spent working as a civil servant but he kept up his hobbies and developed an interest in Unidentified Flying Object
Unidentified flying object
A term originally coined by the military, an unidentified flying object is an unusual apparent anomaly in the sky that is not readily identifiable to the observer as any known object...
s.
Early life and wartime service
Shipwright was born in London, the second son of Thomas Johnson Shipwright; his mother was the classical pianist and composer Adelina de LaraAdelina de Lara
Adelina de Lara OBE was a British classical pianist and composer.-Early life:She was born Lottie Adelina Preston in Carlisle, Cumberland on 23 January 1872 to parents George Matthew Tilbury of Southampton and Anna de Lara. Her grandfather was the Spanish Count Laurent de Lara...
. At the age of 16 in 1914 he enlisted in the Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
as a Private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
. He initially fought in the First World War as a Despatch Rider with the 2/1st Kent Cyclist Battalion (attached to the Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment), and then became a Pilot for the Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
.
Pilot
Shipwright as a pilot was noted for his sense of humour and was said to have a "devil-may-care attitude". He was wounded and crashed while flying a mission around the Somme. He was promoted from the ranks, becoming a temporary Second Lieutenant in the RFC on 5 July 1917, and a Captain in the Royal Air ForceRoyal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
in 1918. He was also a Lieutenant in the 96th Devon Yeomanry
Royal Devon Yeomanry
The Royal Devon Yeomanry was a Yeomanry regiment of the British Army, first raised in 1794, it participated in the Boer War, World War I and World War II and now forms a squadron of the Royal Wessex Yeomanry.-History:...
Brigade, and after the end of the war became an acting Captain in the Royal 1st Devon Yeomanry
Royal Devon Yeomanry
The Royal Devon Yeomanry was a Yeomanry regiment of the British Army, first raised in 1794, it participated in the Boer War, World War I and World War II and now forms a squadron of the Royal Wessex Yeomanry.-History:...
in 1920. He was appointed to the administrative branch of the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
, relinquishing his appointment in March 1921 on appointment to the Territorial forces but retaining the rank of Captain.
His father died young; in 1918 Shipwright became engaged to Kate Hain, daughter of Sir Edward Hain (former Liberal Member of Parliament for St Ives
St Ives (UK Parliament constituency)
St. Ives is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-History:...
). and they married on 20 March of that year. He also continued his education at Lille University
University of Lille
The original university in the Lille region of France was the University of Douai established in 1559 in Douai and that was moved to Lille in 1887.University campuses in the Academy of Lille are members of the Université Lille Nord de France and European Doctoral College Lille Nord-Pas de...
and University College
University College, Oxford
.University College , is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2009 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £110m...
, Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
. In 1920 he was admitted to the Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
although still only an Oxford undergraduate.
Motor racing
In August 1920 Shipwright had bought a 30hp racing car from Armstrong SiddeleyArmstrong Siddeley
Armstrong Siddeley was a British engineering group that operated during the first half of the 20th century. It was formed in 1919 and is best known for the production of luxury motor cars and aircraft engines.-Siddeley Autocars:...
which over the winter he tuned up and modified to improve its performance; he also fitted an airspeed indicator
Airspeed indicator
The airspeed indicator or airspeed gauge is an instrument used in an aircraft to display the craft's airspeed, typically in knots, to the pilot.- Use :...
and altimeter
Altimeter
An altimeter is an instrument used to measure the altitude of an object above a fixed level. The measurement of altitude is called altimetry, which is related to the term bathymetry, the measurement of depth underwater.-Pressure altimeter:...
. In 1921 he won the 24th running of the "100 mph Long Handicap" at Brooklands
Brooklands
Brooklands was a motor racing circuit and aerodrome built near Weybridge in Surrey, England. It opened in 1907, and was the world's first purpose-built motorsport venue, as well as one of Britain's first airfields...
having been given a favourable handicap. Shipwright also wrote to The Autocar
Autocar
Autocar is a weekly British automobile magazine published by Haymarket Motoring Publications Ltd. It refers to itself as "The World's oldest car magazine".-History:...
explaining how he had driven his car from Hyde Park Corner
Hyde Park Corner
Hyde Park Corner is a place in London, at the south-east corner of Hyde Park. It is a major intersection where Park Lane, Knightsbridge, Piccadilly, Grosvenor Place and Constitution Hill converge...
in London to St Ives
St Ives, Cornwall
St Ives is a seaside town, civil parish and port in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The town lies north of Penzance and west of Camborne on the coast of the Celtic Sea. In former times it was commercially dependent on fishing. The decline in fishing, however, caused a shift in commercial...
in Cornwall and made a good average speed and without the car breaking down. The letter prompted a reply from Lord Curzon
George Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston
George Nathaniel Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston, KG, GCSI, GCIE, PC , known as The Lord Curzon of Kedleston between 1898 and 1911 and as The Earl Curzon of Kedleston between 1911 and 1921, was a British Conservative statesman who was Viceroy of India and Foreign Secretary...
who objected that publicising his activities would encourage the police to set more speed traps for motorists. Shipwright kept up his interest in motor racing and in April 1930 bought another Armstrong Siddeley car. He competed in other speed trials and hill climbs.
Politics
On 17 December 1921 Shipwright was adopted as ConservativeConservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
candidate for Penryn and Falmouth
Penryn and Falmouth (UK Parliament constituency)
Penryn and Falmouth was the name of a constituency in Cornwall represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1832 until 1950. From 1832 to 1885 it was a parliamentary borough returning two Members of Parliament , elected by the bloc vote system...
, succeeding the retiring Conservative MP Sir Edward Nicholl
Edward Nicholl
Commander Sir Edward Nicholl, KBE, RNR, MP was a British officer of the Royal Naval Reserve who subsequently became a Conservative Member of Parliament ....
. Shipwright was only 23 years old but his record of serving throughout the war was noted. He had begun a business career as a Director of Porthia China Clays Ltd. During his election campaign Shipwright's election address pledged him to a strong Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, and a foreign policy which aimed at securing an honourable peace with a just settlement of reparations and war debts. In domestic policy he sought economy without decreasing safety and efficiency. The Liberal Party's national split was mirrored in Penryn and Falmouth with Sir Courtenay Mansel
Courtenay Mansel
Sir Courtenay Cecil Mansel, 13th Baronet was a Welsh landowner and farmer, barrister and Liberal Party politician who later joined the Conservatives.-Family :...
fighting as the official candidate but opposed by George Hay Morgan who was a former MP for Truro; there was also a Labour Party candidate. Shipwright won the election with 11,566 votes and a majority of 2,687 over Mansel. To celebrate his election, the ex-servicemen of Falmouth ceremoniously dragged his motor car up hill to the station when he caught the train to London to take his seat.
Parliament
Shipwright made his maiden speechMaiden speech
A maiden speech is the first speech given by a newly elected or appointed member of a legislature or parliament.Traditions surrounding maiden speeches vary from country to country...
in a debate on unemployment on 8 March 1923. He attributed part of the blame for the state of unemployment to the miners' strike of 1921, and pointed out that every tin mine in Cornwall had closed down after that strike and had not reopened. He gave praise to the Conservative government for reducing the numbers of unemployed people and appealed for more faith, good will and confidence. His speech was received with cheers. This proved to be his only speech before the short 1922 Parliament was dissolved and Shipwright was forced to face re-election. Unlike the previous election, the Liberal reunification meant he faced a straight fight with Sir Courtenay Mansel. Government proposals for the China clay
Kaolinite
Kaolinite is a clay mineral, part of the group of industrial minerals, with the chemical composition Al2Si2O54. It is a layered silicate mineral, with one tetrahedral sheet linked through oxygen atoms to one octahedral sheet of alumina octahedra...
industry, where mines in the constituency had been going through tough economic times, were thought to be a major issue. Shipwright lost his seat, polling 10,429 votes to Mansel's 17,015.
Employment troubles
Initially Shipwright went back to the armed services where he was promoted within the 26th Anti-Aircraft Battalion of the Territorial Royal EngineersRoyal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
in 1924. Shipwright's first marriage ended in divorce in 1926. He found it difficult to find work after his Parliamentary career ended, and in September 1927 had to resort to advertising in The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
:
He did find work in the film industry, being assistant director on 'Love's Option' (1928) and production manager on 'Auld Lang Syne' in 1929 for Welsh-Pearson-Elder. He worked as a Director of the Cinephonic Music Co. Ltd and later in production and administration for the Gaumont British
Gaumont British
Gaumont-British Picture Corporation was the British arm of the French film company Gaumont. The company became independent of its French parent in 1922, when Isidore Ostrer acquired control of Gaumont-British....
Picture Corporation and for its sister company Gainsborough Pictures
Gainsborough Pictures
Gainsborough Pictures was a British film studio based on the south bank of the Regent's Canal, in Poole Street, Hoxton in the former Metropolitan Borough of Shoreditch, London. Gainsborough Studios were active between 1924 and 1951. Built as a power station for the Great Northern & City Railway it...
. As such in 1935 he became a representative of the Film Producers Group on the Federation of British Industries
Federation of British Industries
The Federation of British Industries was founded by the Midlands industrialist Dudley Docker in 1916. It was composed of 124 firms which all gave £1,000 for its foundation. The FBI never took part in labour relations but progressively involved in tariff reform...
, a member of the Kinematograph Advisory Committee and an adviser to the British Films Advancement Council.
Return to RAF
On 16 May 1939, Shipwright was granted a commission as a Pilot OfficerPilot Officer
Pilot officer is the lowest commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks immediately below flying officer...
(on probation) in the Royal Air Force, and resigned his commission in the Reserve of Officers for the Royal Engineers. Shortly after the outbreak of the Second World War, on 9 September 1939 Shipwright was confirmed in his appointment and promoted to Flying Officer
Flying Officer
Flying officer is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence...
. Passing out of RAF Training College in 1940, Shipwright served in France in 1940, being mentioned in despatches. In 1941, while serving in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, Shipwright was made bankrupt on a petition by his creditors, but this move did not interrupt his career. He undertook a special mission to Gibraltar in 1942, and was promoted to temporary Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
on 1 September 1942. In 1944 he was awarded the Air Efficiency Award
Air Efficiency Award
The Air Efficiency award, abbreviated to AE when placed after a holder's name, was a United Kingdom honour given for ten years' efficient service in the Reserve Air Forces of the United Kingdom, Commonwealth and Empire. Unlike other long service and meritorious conduct awards, both officers and...
and remained serving with the RAF until 1945. In 1954 he relinquished his commission in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, retaining his rank of Squadron Leader.
Civilian life
After the end of the war Shipwright went to work for the General Post OfficeGeneral Post Office
General Post Office is the name of the British postal system from 1660 until 1969.General Post Office may also refer to:* General Post Office, Perth* General Post Office, Sydney* General Post Office, Melbourne* General Post Office, Brisbane...
. He became a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts in 1946. In 1950 Shipwright joined the Surrey Special Constabulary, and in 1953 he was made a Major in the 11th (HG) Battalion of the Queen’s Royal Regiment
Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)
The Queen's Royal Regiment was a regiment of the English and later British Army from 1661 to 1959. It was the senior English line infantry regiment of the British Army, behind only the Royal Scots in the British Army line infantry order of precedence...
. When discharged from the RAF in 1954 he became a civil servant as an officer with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food was a United Kingdom government department created by the Board of Agriculture Act 1889 and at that time called the Board of Agriculture, and then from 1903 the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries, and from 1919 the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries...
in Guildford.
Keeping up his interest in motoring, Shipwright became a member of the Civil Service Motoring Association, and of the Brooklands Society; he was also a member of the Company of Veteran Motorists and the Order of Knights of the Road. His aviation interests were pursued through membership of the De Havilland Moth Club and of Fairoaks
Fairoaks Airport
Fairoaks Airport is a private airfield on the edge of the village of Chobham, north of Woking, Surrey. The airport is operated by Fairoaks Airport Ltd, owned by Albermarle Fairoaks Airport Ltd....
Flight Centre. Despite being in his 80s Shipwright obtained a flight certificate from Europa Airships Operations in 1982. He also became interested in Unidentified flying object
Unidentified flying object
A term originally coined by the military, an unidentified flying object is an unusual apparent anomaly in the sky that is not readily identifiable to the observer as any known object...
s, becoming a member of the British UFO Research Association
British UFO Research Association
The British UFO Research Association or BUFORA is a UK organisation formerly registered as "BUFORA Ltd"; dedicated to investigating UFO phenomenon in the British Isles...
and chairman of the North East Surrey Group of the Contact UFO Research Investigation Association. He was additionally a member of the British Society for the Turin Shroud.
Shipwright also became interested in Scottish culture and was a member of the Sir Harry Lauder
Harry Lauder
Sir Henry Lauder , known professionally as Harry Lauder, was an international Scottish entertainer, described by Sir Winston Churchill as "Scotland's greatest ever ambassador!"-Early life:...
Society of Portobello from 1979, and also of the Edinburgh International Festival Society and Guild. His entry in Who's Who
Who's Who (UK)
Who's Who is an annual British publication of biographies which vary in length of about 30,000 living notable Britons.-History:...
notes that he was a voluntary driver for Surrey County Council Hospitals Car and Ambulance Service and a Governor of the Royal Hospital and Home for Incurables; it records that he was made a Knight of the Order of St John of Jerusalem
Venerable Order of Saint John
The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem , is a royal order of chivalry established in 1831 and found today throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Hong Kong, Ireland and the United States of America, with the world-wide mission "to prevent and relieve sickness and...
.