Spencer Summers

Sir Gerard Spencer Summers (27 October 1902 – 19 January 1976), known as Spencer Summers, was a British Conservative politician. He was born in Flintshire, Wales in 1902 and educated at Wellington School and Trinity College, Cambridge.[1] He became a director of the family business of John Summers & Sons, steelmakers.

Summers

During the Second World War (1940-1945) he was the elected Member of Parliament (MP) for Northampton and appointed the Director-General of Regional Organisation at the Ministry of Supply.[1] In 1945, he was the Secretary for Overseas Trade in the post-war caretaker government.

In 1946 he also assumed the role of first chairman of the Outward Bound Trust.[2] He was also a Governor of UWC Atlantic College from its opening in 1962–76, and was on the foundation committee for three years prior to its opening.[3]

He was MP for Aylesbury from 1950 until his retirement in 1970. He was knighted in 1956 [4] and selected High Sheriff of Northamptonshire for 1974–75.[5]

Personal life

Spencer Summers married Jean Pickering in London in 1930. Their son, Shane, was a racing driver who competed in a few non-Championship Formula One races, but was accidentally killed at the age of 24 when practicing for the 1961 Silver City Trophy at the Brands Hatch circuit in Kent. Sir Gerard Spencer Summers died near Banbury, Oxfordshire in 1976, aged 73.

References
  1. Streat, Raymond. Lancashire and Whitehall: The Diary of Sir Raymond Streat, vol 2. p. 256.
  2. Arnold-Brown, Adam (1962). Unfolding Character: The Impact of Gordonstoun, London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.
  3. Atlantic College Yearbook 1976.
  4. "No. 40787". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 May 1956. p. 3100.
  5. "No. 46249". The London Gazette. 28 March 1974. p. 4007.
Political offices
Preceded by
Harcourt Johnstone		 Secretary for Overseas Trade
1945		 Succeeded by
Hilary Marquand
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Sir Mervyn Manningham-Buller		 Member of Parliament for Northampton
1940–1945		 Succeeded by
Reginald Paget
Preceded by
Sir Stanley Reed		 Member of Parliament for Aylesbury
1950–1970		 Succeeded by
Timothy Raison
Honorary titles
Preceded by
Michael Berry		 High Sheriff of Northamptonshire
1974		 Succeeded by
Timothy Sergison-Brooke


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