Geoffrey Clegg Hutchinson, Baron Ilford QC, MC, TD (14 October 1893 – 21 August 1974) was a British soldier, a barrister and Conservative Party politician.

Background and military career

Born in

Prestwich Prestwich ( ) is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Bury, Greater Manchester, England, north of Manchester, north of Salford and south of Bury. Within the boundaries of the historic county of Lancashire, Prestwich was the seat of the ...

, he was the youngest son of the cotton manufacturer Henry Omerod Hutchinson and his wife Elizabeth Clegg.Fox-Davies (1929), p. 1013 He was educated at

Cheltenham College Cheltenham College is a public school ( fee-charging boarding and day school for pupils aged 13–18) in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England. The school opened in 1841 as a Church of England foundation and is known for its outstanding linguis ...

and went then to

Clare College, Cambridge Clare College is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. The college was founded in 1326 as University Hall, making it the second-oldest surviving college of the Unive ...

, graduating with a

Master of Arts A Master of Arts ( or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA or AM) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Those admitted to the degree have ...

in 1919. In 1920 Hutchinson was called to the bar by the

Inner Temple The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as the Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court and is a professional association for barristers and judges. To be called to the Bar and practice as a barrister in England and Wa ...

and went to the Northern Circuit. He was nominated a

Queen's Counsel A King's Counsel (Post-nominal letters, post-nominal initials KC) is a senior lawyer appointed by the monarch (or their Viceroy, viceregal representative) of some Commonwealth realms as a "Counsel learned in the law". When the reigning monarc ...

in 1939 and was selected a

bencher A bencher or Master of the Bench is a senior member of an Inn of Court in England and Wales or the Inns of Court in Northern Ireland, or the Honorable Society of King's Inns in Ireland. Benchers hold office for life once elected. A bencher c ...

in 1946. With the outbreak of the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

in 1914, Hutchinson joined the

Lancashire Fusiliers The Lancashire Fusiliers was a line infantry regiment of the British Army that saw distinguished service through many years and wars, including the Second Boer War, and the World War I, First and World War II, Second World Wars. It had many diffe ...

. He was attached to the British Expeditionary Force until the end of the war and during this time was wounded. In 1916 he was decorated with the

Military Cross The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level (second-level until 1993) military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) Other ranks (UK), other ranks of the British Armed Forces, and formerly awarded to officers of other Commonwealth of ...

and in 1933 obtained a captaincy. He was promoted to major in 1937 and was awarded the

Territorial Decoration __NOTOC__ The Territorial Decoration (TD) was a military medal of the United Kingdom awarded for long service in the Territorial Force and its successor, the Army Reserve (United Kingdom), Territorial Army. This award superseded the Volunteer O ...

in the next year. After the begin of the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

he was reactivated in 1940 and sent with the then Expeditionary Force to the Franco-Belgian border. Hutchinson was allocated to the

War Office The War Office has referred to several British government organisations throughout history, all relating to the army. It was a department of the British Government responsible for the administration of the British Army between 1857 and 1964, at ...

in the following year, where he served as deputy assistant to the Military Secretary. He retired in 1945 having reached the age limit and was appointed honorary colonel of the 5th battalion of his former regiment in 1948.

Political career

In 1931 Hutchinson joined

Hampstead Borough Council Hampstead was a Civil parishes in England, civil parish and Metropolitan boroughs of the County of London, metropolitan borough in London, England. It was an ancient parish in the county of Middlesex, governed by an administrative vestry. The pa ...

, on which he sat for six years. Subsequently, he served as president of the Non-County Boroughs Association until 1944 and chaired then the finance committee of the

London County Council The London County Council (LCC) was the principal local government body for the County of London throughout its existence from 1889 to 1965, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today ...

until 1949. Hutchinson continued to represent

Hampstead Hampstead () is an area in London, England, which lies northwest of Charing Cross, located mainly in the London Borough of Camden, with a small part in the London Borough of Barnet. It borders Highgate and Golders Green to the north, Belsiz ...

in the County Council until 1952. He was chosen vice-president of the Association of Municipal Corporations in 1944.Young (1975), p. 19 After unsuccessfully running for

Gower The Gower Peninsula (), or simply Gower (), is a peninsula in the south-west of Wales. It is the most westerly part of the historic county of Glamorgan, and is now within the City and County of Swansea. It projects towards the Bristol Channel ...

in 1935, Hutchinson entered the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of ...

in 1937, retaining

Ilford Ilford is a large List of areas of London, town in East London, England, northeast of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Redbridge, Ilford is within the Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county of Greater London. It had a po ...

for the Conservatives at a by-election.Stenton and Lees (1981), p. 183Dod (1966), p. 144 He represented that constituency until it was abolished in 1945, That year he ran for the new seat of

Ilford North Ilford is a large town in East London, England, northeast of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Redbridge, Ilford is within the ceremonial county of Greater London. It had a population of 168,168 in 2011, compared to 303,858 for the ...

and lost, but won it in 1950 and 1951. In Parliament, Hutchinson became a member of the Select Committee on National Expenditure in 1942 and of the Speaker's Committee in 1944. He sat in the Joint Committee on Consolidation, &c., Bills in 1951 and again two years later. Hutchinson was almoner and governor of

Christ's Hospital Christ's Hospital is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school (English Private schools in the United Kingdom, fee-charging boarding school for pupils aged 11–18) with a royal charter, located to the south of Horsham in West Sussex. T ...

. In 1947 he became director of the Colne Valley Water and three years later was president of the British Waterworks Association. He worked in the same function for the Water Companies Association from 1951 and chaired the

East Surrey Water Company Sutton and East Surrey Water plc, trading as SES Water, is the UK water supply company to its designated area of east Surrey, West Sussex, west Kent and south London serving in excess of 282,000 homes and businesses and a population of approxim ...

from the subsequent year.Who's Who (1963), p. 1552 He resigned from Parliament in 1954, when he became chairman of the

National Assistance Board The National Assistance Board was established by the National Assistance Act 1948 ( 11 & 12 Geo. 6. c. 29) and abolished in by the Ministry of Social Security Act 1966. It was preceded by the Unemployment Assistance Board (known from 1941 as t ...

, a position he held until 1964. He received a knighthood in 1952 and he became a

life peer In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the peerage whose titles cannot be inherited, in contrast to hereditary peers. Life peers are appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister. With the exception of the D ...

with the title Baron Ilford, of Bury, in the County Palatine of

Lancaster Lancaster may refer to: Lands and titles *The County Palatine of Lancaster, a synonym for Lancashire *Duchy of Lancaster, one of only two British royal duchies *Duke of Lancaster *Earl of Lancaster *House of Lancaster, a British royal dynasty ...

on 14 May 1962.

Family

Hutchinson married Janet Bidlake, youngest daughter of Henry Frederick Keep in 1919. He died in

Cannes Cannes (, ; , ; ) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a communes of France, commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes departments of France, department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions Internatio ...

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

in 1974.

Arms

Notes

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Hutchinson, Geoffrey 1893 births 1974 deaths Alumni of Clare College, Cambridge British Army personnel of World War I British Army personnel of World War II Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies

Knights Bachelor Lancashire Fusiliers officers Members of the Inner Temple People educated at Cheltenham College Recipients of the Military Cross UK MPs 1935–1945 UK MPs 1950–1951 UK MPs 1951–1955 UK MPs who were granted peerages Members of Hampstead Metropolitan Borough Council Members of London County Council Life peers created by Elizabeth II Military personnel from the Metropolitan Borough of Bury War Office personnel in World War II