Robert Hugh Turton, Baron Tranmire, KBE, MC, PC, JP, DL (8 August 1903 – 17 January 1994) was a British Conservative Party politician.
The Lord Tranmire | |
|---|---|
 Turton in 1949 | |
| Father of the House of Commons | |
| In office 19 February 1965 – 8 February 1974 | |
| Preceded by | Rab Butler |
| Succeeded by | George Strauss |
| Member of Parliament for Thirsk and Malton | |
| In office 30 May 1929 – 8 February 1974 | |
| Preceded by | Edmund Turton |
| Succeeded by | John Spence |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Robert Hugh Turton 8 August 1903 Kildale, North Riding of Yorkshire, United Kingdom |
| Died | 17 January 1994 (aged 90) |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Alma mater | Eton College, Balliol College, Oxford |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
Biography edit
The son of Major R B Turton of Kildale Hall, Kildale, North Riding of Yorkshire, Turton was educated at Eton College and at Balliol College, Oxford. He was called to the Bar by the Inner Temple in 1926.
Turton joined the 4th Battalion of the Green Howards at the outbreak of World War II and served as Deputy Assistant Adjutant-General 50th (N) Division, AAG GHQ MEF. He was awarded the Military Cross in 1942.[1]
Parliamentary career edit
At the 1929 general election, Turton was elected Member of Parliament (MP) for Thirsk and Malton, a seat which he held continuously until his retirement from the House of Commons at the February 1974 general election. Turton was Father of the House from 1965 to 1974. He attributed his election as an MP at the unusually young age of 25 to the death of his predecessor and kinsman Sir Edmund Turton, 1st Baronet three weeks before polling day and the local Conservative association not wanting to waste its "Vote For Turton" posters.[2]
Turton held ministerial office as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Insurance from 1951 to 1953, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance from 1953 to 1954, and as Joint Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs from October 1954 to December 1955. From December 1955 to January 1957 Turton served in Sir Anthony Eden's Ministry as Minister of Health, a post then outside of the Cabinet but of Cabinet rank, and was appointed a Privy Counsellor in 1955.
In Parliament Turton was Chairman of the Select Committee on Procedure from 1970 to 1974. He was opposed to British membership of the EEC.[3]
Honours edit
Turton was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) in the 1971 Birthday Honours[4] and on 9 May 1974, he was created a Life Peer as Baron Tranmire, of Upsall in the North Riding of Yorkshire.[5]
He was appointed as Justice of the Peace in 1936 and a Deputy Lieutenant for the North Riding of Yorkshire in 1962.
Family edit
Turton was cousin twice removed, not the uncle of Peter Bottomley, who became Father of the House after the 2019 general election.[6]
Arms edit
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References edit
- ^ "No. 35715". The London Gazette (Supplement). 24 September 1942. p. 4154.
- ^ Guinness Book of Records
- ^ David Butler and Uwe Kitzinger, The 1975 Referendum (London: Macmillan, 1976), p. 11, p. 100.
- ^ "No. 45384". The London Gazette (Supplement). 12 June 1971. p. 5963.
- ^ "No. 46289". The London Gazette. 14 May 1974. p. 5851.
- ^ Mikhailova, Anna (23 December 2019). "Sir Peter Bottomley, the new Father of the House: 'Each department I was in, I would say – you have at least one minister too many'". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235.
- ^ "Life Peerages – T". Cracroft's Peerage: The Complete Guide to the British Peerage & Baronetage. Heraldic Media Ltd. Retrieved 8 May 2013.