Oliver Poole, 1st Baron Poole
Encyclopedia
Oliver Brian Sanderson Poole, 1st Baron Poole CBE
, TD
, PC
(11 August 1911-28 January 1993), was a British
Conservative
politician, soldier and businessman.
Poole was the eldest son of Donald Louis Poole, and was educated at Eton
and Christ Church, Oxford
. He fought in Palestine
, Syria
, Iraq
, Libya
, North Africa
, Sicily
and North-West Europe
during the Second World War as a Colonel
in the Army, was thrice mentioned in despatches, awarded MBE (military) and OBE
(military) in 1943 and the CBE
(military) in 1945 as well as the American Legion of Merit
.
In 1945 Poole was elected Member of Parliament
for Oswestry
, but lost his seat in the 1950 general election
. He was later Joint Honorary Treasurer of the Conservative Party
from 1952 to 1955, its Chairman from 1955 to 1957, its Deputy Chairman from 1957 to 1959, its joint Chairman with Ian MacLeod in 1963 and its Vice-Chairman from 1963 to 1964. In 1958 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Poole, of Aldgate in the City of London, and in 1963 he was admitted to the Privy Council. Lord Poole was also an Underwriting Member of Lloyd's
, Chairman of Lazard Brothers & Co
from 1965 to 1973 and a Director of S Pearson & Sons Ltd
.
Lord Poole married, firstly, Betty Margaret, daughter of Captain Dugald Stewart Gilkison, in 1933. They had one son and three daughters but were divorced in 1951. He married, secondly, Daphne Wilma, daughter of Eustace Bowles, in 1952. They had no children and were divorced in 1965. He married, thirdly, Barbara Ann, only daughter of E. A. Taylor. They had no children. Lord Poole died in January 1993, aged 81, and was succeeded in the barony by his only son David.
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...
, TD
Territorial Decoration
The Territorial Decoration was a medal of the United Kingdom awarded for long service in the Territorial Force and its successor, the Territorial Army...
, PC
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...
(11 August 1911-28 January 1993), was a British
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...
Conservative
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, soldier and businessman.
Poole was the eldest son of Donald Louis Poole, and was educated at Eton
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 fought in Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
, North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
, Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
and North-West Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
during the Second World War as a Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
in the Army, was thrice mentioned in despatches, awarded MBE (military) and OBE
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...
(military) in 1943 and the CBE
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...
(military) in 1945 as well as the American Legion of Merit
Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
.
In 1945 Poole was elected 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 Oswestry
Oswestry (UK Parliament constituency)
Oswestry is a United Kingdom Parliamentary constituency. It was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 to 1983, when it was renamed North Shropshire...
, but lost his seat in the 1950 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1950
The 1950 United Kingdom general election was the first general election ever after a full term of a Labour government. Despite polling over one and a half million votes more than the Conservatives, the election, held on 23 February 1950 resulted in Labour receiving a slim majority of just five...
. He was later Joint Honorary Treasurer of 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...
from 1952 to 1955, its Chairman from 1955 to 1957, its Deputy Chairman from 1957 to 1959, its joint Chairman with Ian MacLeod in 1963 and its Vice-Chairman from 1963 to 1964. In 1958 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Poole, of Aldgate in the City of London, and in 1963 he was admitted to the Privy Council. Lord Poole was also an Underwriting Member of Lloyd's
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...
, Chairman of Lazard Brothers & Co
Lazard
Lazard Ltd is the parent company of Lazard Group LLC, a global, independent investment bank with approximately 2,300 employees in 42 cities across 27 countries throughout Europe, North America, Asia, Australia, Central and South America...
from 1965 to 1973 and a Director of S Pearson & Sons Ltd
Pearson PLC
Pearson plc is a global media and education company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is both the largest education company and the largest book publisher in the world, with consumer imprints including Penguin, Dorling Kindersley and Ladybird...
.
Lord Poole married, firstly, Betty Margaret, daughter of Captain Dugald Stewart Gilkison, in 1933. They had one son and three daughters but were divorced in 1951. He married, secondly, Daphne Wilma, daughter of Eustace Bowles, in 1952. They had no children and were divorced in 1965. He married, thirdly, Barbara Ann, only daughter of E. A. Taylor. They had no children. Lord Poole died in January 1993, aged 81, and was succeeded in the barony by his only son David.