George Evelyn Sinclair
Encyclopedia
Sir George Evelyn Sinclair (November 6, 1912 - September 21, 2005) was Conservative
MP
for Dorking
, Surrey
from 1964.
Sinclair was a bright pupil at Abingdon School
from 1923 to 1931, and one of a group known as the 'Grundy boys' - named after the then headmaster. He left the school having become Head of School, Captain of Boats
, Captain of Cricket
, Captain of Rugby
and having won the Pembroke Scholarship. In 1969 he returned to the school as a governor.
He read 'Greats' at Pembroke College, Oxford
.
In 1936, Sinclair joined the Colonial Service
and served with the Royal West African Frontier Force
during World War II
. He was deputy governor of Cyprus
in the 1950s. He was knighted for his Colonial Service work in 1960.
Sinclair was a councillor on Wimbledon Borough Council
from 1962.
He became the Conservative Party MP for Dorking
in 1964, actively campaigning on human rights, reproductive rights
and environmental issues. He retired from parliamentary politics in 1978 but maintained a role notably with the Global Forum of Spiritual and Parliamentary Leaders on Human Survival.
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...
MP
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 Dorking
Dorking (UK Parliament constituency)
Dorking was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Dorking in Surrey. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from the 1950 general election until it was abolished for the 1983 general election and replaced by the Mole Valley...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
from 1964.
Sinclair was a bright pupil at Abingdon School
Abingdon School
Abingdon School is a British day and boarding independent school for boys situated in Abingdon, Oxfordshire , previously known as Roysse's School. In 1998 a formal merger took place between Abingdon School and Josca's, a preparatory school four miles to the west at Frilford...
from 1923 to 1931, and one of a group known as the 'Grundy boys' - named after the then headmaster. He left the school having become Head of School, Captain of Boats
Sport rowing
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
, Captain of Cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
, Captain of Rugby
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
and having won the Pembroke Scholarship. In 1969 he returned to the school as a governor.
He read 'Greats' at Pembroke College, Oxford
Pembroke College, Oxford
Pembroke College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England, located in Pembroke Square. As of 2009, Pembroke had an estimated financial endowment of £44.9 million.-History:...
.
In 1936, Sinclair joined the Colonial Service
Colonial Service
The Colonial Service was the British government service which administered Britain's colonies and protectorates, under the authority of the Secretary of State for the Colonies and the Colonial Office in London....
and served with the Royal West African Frontier Force
Royal West African Frontier Force
The West African Frontier Force was a multi-battalion field force, formed by the British Colonial Office in 1900 to garrison the West African colonies of Nigeria, Gold Coast, Sierra Leone and Gambia. The decision to raise this force was taken in 1897 because of concern at French colonial...
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 was deputy governor of Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
in the 1950s. He was knighted for his Colonial Service work in 1960.
Sinclair was a councillor on Wimbledon Borough Council
Municipal Borough of Wimbledon
Wimbledon was a local government district in north-east Surrey from 1866 to 1965 covering the town of Wimbledon and its surrounding area. It was part of the London postal district and Metropolitan Police District....
from 1962.
He became the Conservative Party MP for Dorking
Dorking (UK Parliament constituency)
Dorking was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Dorking in Surrey. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from the 1950 general election until it was abolished for the 1983 general election and replaced by the Mole Valley...
in 1964, actively campaigning on human rights, reproductive rights
Reproductive rights
Reproductive rights are legal rights and freedoms relating to reproduction and reproductive health. The World Health Organization defines reproductive rights as follows:...
and environmental issues. He retired from parliamentary politics in 1978 but maintained a role notably with the Global Forum of Spiritual and Parliamentary Leaders on Human Survival.