Marcus Fox
Encyclopedia
Sir John Marcus Fox MBE
(11 June 1927 – 16 March 2002) was a British Conservative Party
politician. He served as the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Shipley
from 1970 to 1997. He was chairman of the 1922 Committee
and he directly oversaw candidate selection for the Conservative Party in the 1979 General Election.
Betty Boothroyd
. He attended Wheelwright Grammar School for Boys (now a campus of Kirklees College
) on Birkdale Road in Dewsbury
.
Fox served in the Green Howards (Duke of Wellington's Regiment
) as a Lieutenant
, a fact which he was sometimes known to mention in after-dinner speeches. Fox left the Green Howards and began his political career with his election to Dewsbury
Council in 1956, staying until 1963. He then became a bank clerk, then sales manager for Woolworths
and Terry's
in York
, and then a company director.
in 1959 and Huddersfield West
in 1966, then was elected in 1970. During his time in Parliament, he served as a whip
under Edward Heath
, and then was a junior minister under Margaret Thatcher
. He was moved back to the back-benches in 1981, and started ascending the pole to become chairman of the 1922 committee
- becoming vice-chairman in 1983 and chairman in 1994. He received an MBE
in 1963, was knight
ed in 1986, and became a member of the Privy Council
in 1996.
Sir Marcus lost his seat in the general election in 1997
to Chris Leslie. He then retired from politics to his Yorkshire home, where he would remain until his death.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(11 June 1927 – 16 March 2002) was a British 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...
politician. He served as 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 Shipley
Shipley (UK Parliament constituency)
-Elections in the 2000s:-Elections in the 1990s:-Elections in the 1980s:-Elections in the 1970s:-Elections in the 1910s:...
from 1970 to 1997. He was chairman 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 he directly oversaw candidate selection for the Conservative Party in the 1979 General Election.
Early life
Fox had a twin sister with whom he attended dancing lessons. At these lessons, he met the future SpeakerSpeaker of the House of Commons
Speaker of the House of Commons can refer to:*Speaker of the House of Commons *Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada*Speaker of the Northern Ireland House of Commons...
Betty Boothroyd
Betty Boothroyd
Betty Boothroyd, Baroness Boothroyd, OM, PC is a British politician, who served as Member of Parliament for West Bromwich and West Bromwich West from 1973 to 2000, initially for the Labour Party and, from 1992 to 2000, as Speaker of the House of Commons...
. He attended Wheelwright Grammar School for Boys (now a campus of Kirklees College
Kirklees College
Kirklees College is a further education college with two main centres in the towns of Dewsbury and Huddersfield in West Yorkshire, England.-History:...
) on Birkdale Road in Dewsbury
Dewsbury
Dewsbury is a minster town in the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England. It is to the west of Wakefield, east of Huddersfield and south of Leeds...
.
Fox served in the Green Howards (Duke of Wellington's Regiment
Duke of Wellington's Regiment
The Duke of Wellington's Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army, forming part of the King's Division.In 1702 Colonel George Hastings, 8th Earl of Huntingdon, was authorised to raise a new regiment, which he did in and around the city of Gloucester. As was the custom in those days...
) as a Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
, a fact which he was sometimes known to mention in after-dinner speeches. Fox left the Green Howards and began his political career with his election to Dewsbury
Dewsbury
Dewsbury is a minster town in the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England. It is to the west of Wakefield, east of Huddersfield and south of Leeds...
Council in 1956, staying until 1963. He then became a bank clerk, then sales manager for Woolworths
Woolworths Group
Woolworths Group plc was a listed British company that owned the high-street retail chain, Woolworths, as well as other brands such as the entertainment distributor Entertainment UK and book and resource distributor Bertram Books...
and Terry's
Terry's
Terry's was a chocolate and confectionery maker in York, England. Its history stretched back to 1823, but in 1993 it was taken over by Kraft Foods. The York factory closed in 2005 and Terry's products are now produced in other Kraft facilities in Poland, Sweden, Belgium, and...
in York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
, and then a company director.
Parliamentary career
He unsuccessfully contested DewsburyDewsbury (UK Parliament constituency)
Dewsbury is a 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...
in 1959 and Huddersfield West
Huddersfield West (UK Parliament constituency)
Huddersfield West was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Huddersfield in West Yorkshire. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
in 1966, then was elected in 1970. During his time in Parliament, he served as a whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
under Edward Heath
Edward Heath
Sir Edward Richard George "Ted" Heath, KG, MBE, PC was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and as Leader of the Conservative Party ....
, and then was a junior minister under Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
. He was moved back to the back-benches in 1981, and started ascending the pole to become chairman 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...
- becoming vice-chairman in 1983 and chairman in 1994. He received an MBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1963, was knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
ed in 1986, and became a member of the Privy Council
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
in 1996.
Sir Marcus lost his seat in the general election in 1997
United Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
to Chris Leslie. He then retired from politics to his Yorkshire home, where he would remain until his death.