Evelyn King (UK politician)
Encyclopedia
Evelyn Mansfield King was a British
member of parliament for both the Labour Party
and then the Conservative Party
.
The son of Harry Percy King and Winifred Elizabeth née Paulet, King was educated at Cheltenham College
and King's College
, Cambridge University
(where he was the university's correspondent to the Sunday Times
, 1928–30). He then entered the Inner Temple
, London. He was Assistant Master at Bedford School
,Clayesmore School, Craigend Park School,and 1930, d Headmaster and Warden of Clayesmore School
, 1935-1950. He revitalised a financially failing Clayesmore, bringing with him some pupils from Craigend Park, and managing the school in an energetic and proactive way, putting it on the Headmasters' Conference List, and generally on the map. During World War II
he served in the Gloucestershire Regiment from 1940 and Acting Lieutenant-Colonel in 1941.
King was originally Labour Party
Member of Parliament
for Penryn and Falmouth
from 1945 to 1950, and served as Parliamentary Secretary
at the Ministry of Town and Country Planning 1947 to 1950. He contested Poole in 1950 but lost.
King defected to the Conservative Party
in 1951 and contested Southampton Itchen in 1959. In 1964, he stood in South Dorset and unseated Labour's Guy Barnett
, who had gained the seat in a by-election
two years earlier.
He was a member of parliamentary delegations to Bermuda
and Washington DC in 1946, Tokyo
1947, Cairo
and the Middle East
1967, Jordan
and the Persian Gulf
1968, Kenya
and the Seychelles
1969, Malta
1970 (leader), and Malawi
1971 (leader). He was a member of the Select Committee on Overseas Aid in 1971, and Chairman of the Food Committee 1971-73. King served until he retired in 1979.
King was a long-standing member of the Primrose League
, and a Vice-President of the Conservative Monday Club
from about 1974 until his death.
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...
member of parliament for both the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
and then the Conservative Party
Conservative 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...
.
The son of Harry Percy King and Winifred Elizabeth née Paulet, King was educated at Cheltenham College
Cheltenham College
Cheltenham College is a co-educational independent school, located in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England.One of the public schools of the Victorian period, it was opened in July 1841. An Anglican foundation, it is known for its classical, military and sporting traditions.The 1893 book Great...
and King's College
King's College, Cambridge
King's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. The college's full name is "The King's College of our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge", but it is usually referred to simply as "King's" within the University....
, Cambridge University
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
(where he was the university's correspondent to the Sunday Times
The Sunday Times (UK)
The Sunday Times is a Sunday broadsheet newspaper, distributed in the United Kingdom. The Sunday Times is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News International, which is in turn owned by News Corporation. Times Newspapers also owns The Times, but the two papers were founded...
, 1928–30). He then entered the Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
, London. He was Assistant Master at Bedford School
Bedford School
Bedford School is not to be confused with Bedford Modern School or Bedford High School or Old Bedford School in Bedford, TexasBedford School is an HMC independent school for boys located in the town of Bedford, England, United Kingdom...
,Clayesmore School, Craigend Park School,and 1930, d Headmaster and Warden of Clayesmore School
Clayesmore School
Clayesmore School is an independent school for boys and girls of the English public school tradition in the village of Iwerne Minster, Dorset, England. It is a member of The Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference ....
, 1935-1950. He revitalised a financially failing Clayesmore, bringing with him some pupils from Craigend Park, and managing the school in an energetic and proactive way, putting it on the Headmasters' Conference List, and generally on the map. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he served in the Gloucestershire Regiment from 1940 and Acting Lieutenant-Colonel in 1941.
King was originally Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
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...
from 1945 to 1950, and served as Parliamentary Secretary
Parliamentary Secretary
A Parliamentary Secretary is a member of a Parliament in the Westminster system who assists a more senior minister with his or her duties.In the parliamentary systems of several Commonwealth countries, such as the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, it is customary for the prime minister to...
at the Ministry of Town and Country Planning 1947 to 1950. He contested Poole in 1950 but lost.
King defected to the Conservative Party
Conservative 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...
in 1951 and contested Southampton Itchen in 1959. In 1964, he stood in South Dorset and unseated Labour's Guy Barnett
Guy Barnett (UK politician)
Nicolas Guy Barnett was a British Labour Party politician and Member of Parliament.-Education and teaching and development work:...
, who had gained the seat in a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
two years earlier.
He was a member of parliamentary delegations to Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
and Washington DC in 1946, Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
1947, Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
and the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
1967, Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
and the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
1968, Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
and the Seychelles
Seychelles
Seychelles , officially the Republic of Seychelles , is an island country spanning an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, some east of mainland Africa, northeast of the island of Madagascar....
1969, Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
1970 (leader), and Malawi
Malawi
The Republic of Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique on the east, south and west. The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by Lake Malawi. Its size...
1971 (leader). He was a member of the Select Committee on Overseas Aid in 1971, and Chairman of the Food Committee 1971-73. King served until he retired in 1979.
King was a long-standing member of the Primrose League
Primrose League
The Primrose League was an organisation for spreading Conservative principles in Great Britain. It was founded in 1883 and active until the mid 1990s...
, and a Vice-President of the Conservative Monday Club
Conservative Monday Club
The Conservative Monday Club is a British pressure group "on the right-wing" of the Conservative Party.-Overview:...
from about 1974 until his death.
Publications
- King, Evelyn, with J. C. Trewin, Printer to The House - biography of Luke HansardLuke HansardLuke Hansard was an English printer, born in St Mary's parish, Norwich, who gave his name to Hansard, the record of Parliamentary debate, which he printed.-Early life:He was the son of a Norwich manufacturer...
. London, 1952.