William Teeling
Encyclopedia
Sir Luke William Burke Teeling (5 February 1903 – 26 October 1975) was an Irish
author, traveller and a Member of Parliament
(MP in the United Kingdom
). He was known for his enthusiasm for a Channel Tunnel
.
, was hanged by the British for taking part in the Irish Rebellion of 1798
. He attended the London Oratory School
and Magdalen College
, Oxford
where he studied history.
where he described himself as an "amateur tramp". He lived among the homeless and hitched lifts on freight trains, reporting back to The Times about his adventures. In the early 1930s he also studied the youth movements in Nazi Germany
. In winter 1933 Teeling had walked all the way from London to Newcastle upon Tyne
, sleeping in hostels and examining the efforts of local councils to tackle unemployment.
Another preoccupation when Teeling was travelling abroad was the treatment given to Irish immigrants and to the Catholic Church. In 1937 he wrote The Pope in Politics which suggested that Pope Pius XI
was opposed to the new forms of Catholicism developing in the Americas. He followed this in 1939 with Crisis for Christianity, a book which dealt with the relations between the Catholic Church and Nazism.
. Having already fought the safe Labour seat of West Ham Silvertown in the 1929 general election
, Teeling was elected to Parliament as a Conservative
for Brighton
in a 1944 byelection. This was a two-member seat, and Teeling was re-elected in the 1945 general election
. The seat was divided into two individual constituencies thereafter, and Teeling was chosen for Brighton Pavilion.
Throughout his Parliamentary career Teeling remained on the backbenches, but his expertise on foreign affairs was acknowledged (he was a Freeman of Seoul
in Korea). He was a strong supporter of all attempts to build a tunnel under the English Channel
, and chaired an all-party committee which campaigned for it. He was also Secretary of the All-Party committee on holiday resorts. He was knighted in 1962.
to help his recovery. He became secretary of the Irish Peers Association in June 1970, whose cause he had often promoted.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
author, traveller and a 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 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 known for his enthusiasm for a Channel Tunnel
Channel Tunnel
The Channel Tunnel is a undersea rail tunnel linking Folkestone, Kent in the United Kingdom with Coquelles, Pas-de-Calais near Calais in northern France beneath the English Channel at the Strait of Dover. At its lowest point, it is deep...
.
Background
Born in Dublin to a prominent Roman Catholic family, he was the son of the Accountant-General of the Irish Supreme Court. One of his great-granduncles, Bartholomew TeelingBartholomew Teeling
Captain Bartholomew Teeling was a leader of the Irish forces during the Irish Rebellion of 1798 and who carried out an act of bravery during the Battle of Collooney...
, was hanged by the British for taking part in the Irish Rebellion of 1798
Irish Rebellion of 1798
The Irish Rebellion of 1798 , also known as the United Irishmen Rebellion , was an uprising in 1798, lasting several months, against British rule in Ireland...
. He attended the London Oratory School
London Oratory School
The London Oratory School is a Catholic secondary comprehensive school in Fulham, London. The Headmaster is David McFadden. It has around 1,365 pupils. It is not to be confused with The Oratory School, a Catholic boarding school...
and Magdalen College
Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million. Magdalen is currently top of the Norrington Table after over half of its 2010 finalists received first-class degrees, a record...
, Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
where he studied history.
Journalistic and literary career
On leaving university, Teeling became a journalist and travelled widely both at home and abroad, especially in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
where he described himself as an "amateur tramp". He lived among the homeless and hitched lifts on freight trains, reporting back to The Times about his adventures. In the early 1930s he also studied the youth movements in Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
. In winter 1933 Teeling had walked all the way from London to Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
, sleeping in hostels and examining the efforts of local councils to tackle unemployment.
Another preoccupation when Teeling was travelling abroad was the treatment given to Irish immigrants and to the Catholic Church. In 1937 he wrote The Pope in Politics which suggested that Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI , born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti, was Pope from 6 February 1922, and sovereign of Vatican City from its creation as an independent state on 11 February 1929 until his death on 10 February 1939...
was opposed to the new forms of Catholicism developing in the Americas. He followed this in 1939 with Crisis for Christianity, a book which dealt with the relations between the Catholic Church and Nazism.
Parliamentary career
When the Second World War broke out, Teeling joined the Royal Air ForceRoyal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
. Having already fought the safe Labour seat of West Ham Silvertown in the 1929 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1929
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
, Teeling was elected to Parliament as a 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...
for Brighton
Brighton (UK Parliament constituency)
Brighton was a parliamentary constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1832 until it was divided into single-member seats from the United Kingdom general election, 1950...
in a 1944 byelection. This was a two-member seat, and Teeling was re-elected in the 1945 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1945
The United Kingdom general election of 1945 was a general election held on 5 July 1945, with polls in some constituencies delayed until 12 July and in Nelson and Colne until 19 July, due to local wakes weeks. The results were counted and declared on 26 July, due in part to the time it took to...
. The seat was divided into two individual constituencies thereafter, and Teeling was chosen for Brighton Pavilion.
Throughout his Parliamentary career Teeling remained on the backbenches, but his expertise on foreign affairs was acknowledged (he was a Freeman of Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
in Korea). He was a strong supporter of all attempts to build a tunnel under the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
, and chaired an all-party committee which campaigned for it. He was also Secretary of the All-Party committee on holiday resorts. He was knighted in 1962.
Later life
Teeling resigned in February 1969, owing to ill health. He travelled to AfricaAfrica
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
to help his recovery. He became secretary of the Irish Peers Association in June 1970, whose cause he had often promoted.