George Forrest (26 October 1921 – 10 December 1968) was a unionist politician in

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...

who served as MP for Mid Ulster from 1956 until his death. George Forrest was the son of Joseph Forrest (died 22 February 1968, aged 81) of Gortagammon, Tullyhogue,

Cookstown, County Tyrone Cookstown ( ga, An Chorr Chríochach, IPA: �anˠˈxoːɾˠɾˠˈçɾʲiːxəx is a small town in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is the fourth largest town in the county and had a population of 11,599 in the 2011 census. It, along with Maghe ...

. Forrest was first elected in the

1956 Mid Ulster by-election The by-election held in Mid Ulster on 8 May 1956 was called because both candidates in the 1955 Mid Ulster by-election The by-election held in Mid Ulster on 11 August 1955 was called as a result of a vote in the British parliament on 18 July ...

which was called after two previous MPs had been declared ineligible to sit. Initially elected as an independent, Forrest soon joined the

Ulster Unionist Party The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) is a unionist political party in Northern Ireland. The party was founded in 1905, emerging from the Irish Unionist Alliance in Ulster. Under Edward Carson, it led unionist opposition to the Irish Home Rule movem ...

and successfully contested the seat in three general elections. He became a prominent supporter of

Prime Minister of Northern Ireland The prime minister of Northern Ireland was the head of the Government of Northern Ireland between 1921 and 1972. No such office was provided for in the Government of Ireland Act 1920; however, the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, as with governors- ...

Terence O'Neill Terence Marne O'Neill, Baron O'Neill of the Maine, PC (NI) (10 September 1914 – 12 June 1990), was the fourth prime minister of Northern Ireland and leader (1963–1969) of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP). A moderate unionist, who sought to ...

's liberal policies and became reviled by many of O'Neill's opponents. In 1967 he was pulled off a

Twelfth of July The Twelfth (also called Orangemen's Day) is an Ulster Protestant celebration held on 12 July. It began in the late 18th century in Ulster. It celebrates the Glorious Revolution (1688) and victory of Protestant King William of Orange over C ...

platform in

Coagh Coagh ( ; ) is a small village in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, five miles (8 km) east of Cookstown. Part of the village also extends into County Londonderry. It had a population of 545 people in the 2001 Census. It owes its existence ...

and kicked unconscious by fellow members of the

Orange Order The Loyal Orange Institution, commonly known as the Orange Order, is an international Protestant fraternal order based in Northern Ireland and primarily associated with Ulster Protestants, particularly those of Ulster Scots heritage. It also ...

. Following his death in 1968 aged 47, his wife Anna was chosen to take over his candidacy, but the

by-election A by-election, also known as a special election in the United States and the Philippines, a bye-election in Ireland, a bypoll in India, or a Zimni election (Urdu: ضمنی انتخاب, supplementary election) in Pakistan, is an election used to f ...

was won by

Bernadette Devlin Josephine Bernadette McAliskey (née Devlin; born 23 April 1947), usually known as Bernadette Devlin or Bernadette McAliskey, is an Irish civil rights leader, and former politician. She served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Mid Ulster in North ...

.Westminster By-election (NI) Thursday 17 April 1969
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* 1921 births 1968 deaths Independent members of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom Independent politicians in Northern Ireland Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for Mid Ulster Ulster Unionist Party members of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom UK MPs 1955–1959 UK MPs 1959–1964 UK MPs 1964–1966 UK MPs 1966–1970 {{NorthernIreland-UK-MP-stub