John Crowder
Encyclopedia
Sir John Frederick Ellenborough Crowder (10 November 1890 — 9 July 1961) was a Conservative Party
politician in the United Kingdom
. He was the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Finchley
from the 1935 general election
until the 1959 general election
, when he was succeeded by Margaret Thatcher
(who went on to become the first female British Prime Minister).
Crowder was educated at Eton College
and Christ Church, Oxford
. He worked as an underwriter and elected a member at Lloyd's of London
. He served with the Lincolnshire Yeomanry
from 1914 to 1918, when he transferred to the Reserve Regiment of the Royal Horse Guards
. He served again during World War II
, as a Staff Captain and army welfare officer.
Crowder served as a Hampshire County Council
lor 1931-46 and a Fleet Urban District Councillor 1933-46. He was vice-chairman of the Aldershot and North Hants Conservative Association from 1930.
He won Finchley in 1935 by a majority of 18,040 over Thomas Robertson
, who had been Liberal
MP for the seat 1923-24. In Parliament
, Crowder was an influential member of the 1922 Committee
and Second Church Estates Commissioner.
His son Petre Crowder
also became a Member of Parliament.
He appears as a character in The Long Walk to Finchley
, on Thatcher's selection to succeed him as Conservative candidate for his seat - he is played, in a less than flattering light, by Geoffrey Palmer
.
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...
politician in the United Kingdom
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...
. He was the 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,...
(MP) for Finchley
Finchley (UK Parliament constituency)
Finchley was a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election; its best-known MP was Margaret Thatcher, Prime Minister from 1979 to 1990...
from the 1935 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1935
The United Kingdom general election held on 14 November 1935 resulted in a large, though reduced, majority for the National Government now led by Conservative Stanley Baldwin. The greatest number of MPs, as before, were Conservative, while the National Liberal vote held steady...
until the 1959 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1959
This United Kingdom general election was held on 8 October 1959. It marked a third successive victory for the ruling Conservative Party, led by Harold Macmillan...
, when he was succeeded by Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
(who went on to become the first female British Prime Minister).
Crowder was educated at Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
. He worked as an underwriter and elected a member at Lloyd's of London
Lloyd's of London
Lloyd's, also known as Lloyd's of London, is a British insurance and reinsurance market. It serves as a partially mutualised marketplace where multiple financial backers, underwriters, or members, whether individuals or corporations, come together to pool and spread risk...
. He served with the Lincolnshire Yeomanry
Lincolnshire Yeomanry
The Lincolnshire Yeomanry was a volunteer cavalry unit of the British Army from 1794–1920.-Boer War:On 13 December 1899, the decision to allow volunteer forces serve in the Second Boer War was made...
from 1914 to 1918, when he transferred to the Reserve Regiment of the Royal Horse Guards
Royal Horse Guards
The Royal Horse Guards was a cavalry regiment of the British Army, part of the Household Cavalry.Founded August 1650 in Newcastle Upon Tyne by Sir Arthur Haselrig on the orders of Oliver Cromwell as the Regiment of Cuirassiers, the regiment became the Earl of Oxford's Regiment during the reign of...
. He served again 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...
, as a Staff Captain and army welfare officer.
Crowder served as a Hampshire County Council
Hampshire County Council
Hampshire County Council is the county council that governs the majority of the county of Hampshire in England. It provides the upper tier of local government, below which are district councils, and town and parish councils...
lor 1931-46 and a Fleet Urban District Councillor 1933-46. He was vice-chairman of the Aldershot and North Hants Conservative Association from 1930.
He won Finchley in 1935 by a majority of 18,040 over Thomas Robertson
Thomas Atholl Robertson
Thomas Atholl Robertson was a Scottish fine arts printer and publisher and Liberal politician.-Family and education:...
, who had been Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
MP for the seat 1923-24. In Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
, Crowder was an influential member of the 1922 Committee
1922 Committee
In British politics, the 1922 Committee is a committee of Conservative Members of Parliament. Voting membership is limited to backbench MPs although frontbench Conservative MPs have an open invitation to attend meetings. While the party was in opposition, frontbench MPs other than the party leader...
and Second Church Estates Commissioner.
His son Petre Crowder
Petre Crowder
Petre Crowder, QC was a British Conservative Member of Parliament and barrister.Crowder was the son of Sir John Crowder, a Conservative Member of Parliament and predecessor as MP for Finchley of Margaret Thatcher. He was educated at Eton College and Christ Church, Oxford just as his father was...
also became a Member of Parliament.
He appears as a character in The Long Walk to Finchley
The Long Walk to Finchley
Margaret Thatcher - The Long Walk to Finchley, subtitled in the initial credits How Maggie Might Have Done It, is a 2008 BBC Four television drama based on the early political career of the young Margaret Thatcher , from her attempts to gain a seat in Dartford in 1949 via invasion to her first...
, on Thatcher's selection to succeed him as Conservative candidate for his seat - he is played, in a less than flattering light, by Geoffrey Palmer
Geoffrey Palmer (actor)
Geoffrey Dyson Palmer, OBE is an English actor, best known for his roles in sitcoms such as Butterflies and As Time Goes By.-Career:...
.