Sir Richard Thompson, 1st Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir Richard Hilton Marler Thompson, 1st Baronet (5 October 1912—15 July 1999) was a British
Conservative
politician.
Thompson was educated at Malvern College
and in India
, Burma and Sri Lanka
and worked in Calcutta and the Far East
in business. In World War II
, he served in the Royal Navy
as an ordinary seaman and became lieutenant-commander in the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve
. He was serving on HMS Hermione
in 1942 when the ship was sunk whilst part of the Malta
convoy. He became a director of two publishing companies and was a trustee
of the British Museum
.
Thompson was elected as Member of Parliament
for Croydon West
in 1950, defeating the Labour
MP, David Rees-Williams, then for the new Croydon South
seat in 1955. He joined the Whips' Office
as a junior whip in 1952, then as Lord Commissioner of the Treasury in 1954 and Vice-Chamberlain of the Household
in 1956. He was Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health
1957-59, Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations
1959-1960 and Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works 1960-62. In 1963 he was created a Baronet, of Reculver in the County of Kent.
Thompson lost his seat to Labour's David Winnick
in 1966, but regained it in 1970. He retired at the February 1974 general election
.
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.
Thompson was educated at Malvern College
Malvern College
Malvern College is a coeducational independent school located on a 250 acre campus near the town centre of Malvern, Worcestershire in England. Founded on 25 January 1865, until 1992, the College was a secondary school for boys aged 13 to 18...
and in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Burma and Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
and worked in Calcutta and the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
in business. In 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 Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
as an ordinary seaman and became lieutenant-commander in the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve
Royal Naval Reserve
The Royal Naval Reserve is the volunteer reserve force of the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom. The present Royal Naval Reserve was formed in 1958 by merging the original Royal Naval Reserve and the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve , a reserve of civilian volunteers founded in 1903...
. He was serving on HMS Hermione
HMS Hermione (74)
HMS Hermione was a Dido class light cruiser of the Royal Navy, She was built by Alexander Stephen and Sons, , with the keel being laid down on 6 October 1937. She was launched on 18 May 1939, and commissioned 25 March 1941....
in 1942 when the ship was sunk whilst part of the 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...
convoy. He became a director of two publishing companies and was a trustee
Trustee
Trustee is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, can refer to any person who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility for the benefit of another...
of the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
.
Thompson was elected as 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 Croydon West
Croydon West (UK Parliament constituency)
Croydon West was a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1950 to 1955. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Politics and history :...
in 1950, defeating the Labour
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...
MP, David Rees-Williams, then for the new Croydon South
Croydon South (historic UK Parliament constituency)
-Politics and history of the constituency:The seat was created in 1918 and the first MP was Ian Malcolm who had been the MP for all of Croydon. H.T. Muggeridge, father of Malcolm Muggeridge, fought the seat for Labour four times from 1918, later becoming MP for Romford...
seat in 1955. He joined the Whips' Office
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...
as a junior whip in 1952, then as Lord Commissioner of the Treasury in 1954 and Vice-Chamberlain of the Household
Vice-Chamberlain of the Household
The Vice-Chamberlain of the Household is usually a junior government whip in the British House of Commons and is an officer of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. He or she is the Deputy to the Lord Chamberlain of the Household. The Vice-Chamberlain's main role is to compile...
in 1956. He was Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health
The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health was a junior ministerial office in the United Kingdom Government.The Ministry of Health was created in 1919 as a reconstruction of the Local Government Board...
1957-59, Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations
Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations
The Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations was a junior ministerial post in the United Kingdom Government from 1947 until 1966. The holder was responsible for assisting the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations in dealing with British relationship with members of the...
1959-1960 and Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works 1960-62. In 1963 he was created a Baronet, of Reculver in the County of Kent.
Thompson lost his seat to Labour's David Winnick
David Winnick
David Julian Winnick is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Walsall North since 1979....
in 1966, but regained it in 1970. He retired at the February 1974 general election
United Kingdom general election, February 1974
The United Kingdom's general election of February 1974 was held on the 28th of that month. It was the first of two United Kingdom general elections held that year, and the first election since the Second World War not to produce an overall majority in the House of Commons for the winning party,...
.