Thomas Bethell

Sir Thomas Robert Bethell (8 May 1867[1] – 23 December 1957) was a British barrister and Liberal Party politician.[2] He was Liberal MP for Maldon, Essex from 1906–10.[1][3]

Bethell in 1906
Not to be confused with Tom Bethell (born 1936), the conservative writer.

Background

Bethell was born in Grange-over-Sands, Cumberland,[4] the son of George Bethell of South Woodford and Frances Tipper. He was educated at Heversham Grammar School, Cumberland and King's College London. He settled in his native South Woodford,[5] before moving to Kensington. He was knighted in 1914.[6] He married Edith Lillie Tabor in 1925. Edith Lillie, Lady Bethell died 8 November 1957.[1] His elder brother was the politician John Bethell, who was created a baronet in 1911 and Baron Bethell in 1922.

Professional career

After qualifying as a barrister, Bethell was called to the Bar at Middle Temple in 1897. Thereafter he joined the South-Eastern Circuit.[5] He served as Deputy-Chairman of the County of London Electric Supply Co. Ltd, and a Director of other Associated and Subsidiary Companies until those companies were nationalised.[2][7]

Political career

Bethell was Liberal candidate for the Maldon division of Essex at the 1906 General Election. The Liberals had not won Maldon since 1892. He gained the seat from the Conservatives as part of the national tide running in the Liberal favour. In parliament he was a member of the Select committee on the Rural Housing Bill.[5] He sought re-election at Maldon at the January 1910 general election but was defeated by the Conservative. He did not contest the general election later that year not the following three general elections. In October 1924 he contested the Eye, Suffolk constituency at the general election. Eye had been a Liberal seat from 1885 to 1923. At the 1923 election a Labour candidate had intervened and split the anti-Conservative vote. Like his predecessor, he also faced a Labour opponent as well as the sitting Conservative. At this election the national tide was running against the Liberals and he finished in second place. He did not stand for parliament again.[8]

Electoral record
General election 1906: Maldon[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Thomas Robert Bethell 4,773 50.8 +9.3
Conservative Hon. Charles Hedley Strutt 4,624 49.2 -9.3
Majority 149 1.6
Turnout 88.5 +9.1
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing
General election January 1910: Maldon [10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative James Fortescue Flannery 5,691 54.1 +4.9
Liberal Thomas Robert Bethell 4,822 45.9 -4.9
Majority 869 8.2 +9.8
Turnout 91.3 +2.8
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +4.9
General election 1924: Eye
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist William Vanneck 13,450 53.3 +5.6
Liberal Thomas Robert Bethell 7,441 29.5 −10.0
Labour Charles Wye Kendall 4,329 17.2 +4.4
Majority 6,009 23.8 +15.6
Turnout 25,220 74.5 +3.6
Registered electors 33,841
Unionist hold Swing +7.8

References
  1. Burke, Sir Bernard, ed. (1939). Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knighthood (97th ed.). Burke's Peerage & Gentry. p. 2716.
  2. "Sir Thomas Bethell". The Times. The Times Digital Archive. 24 December 1957. p. 9.
  3. Mosley, Charles, ed. (2003). Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knighthood (107 ed.). Burke's Peerage & Gentry. ISBN 0-9711966-2-1.
  4. 1871 England Census
  5. The Liberal Year Book, 1907
  6. Notice of knighthood of Thomas Robert Bethell, Esq., thegazette.co.uk; accessed 22 December 2014.
  7. (2007, December 01). Bethell, Sir Thomas Robert, (died 23 Dec. 1957). WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO. Ed. Retrieved 30 Mar. 2019, from http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/10.1093/ww/9780199540891.001.0001/ww-9780199540884-e-234711.
  8. British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1973, FWS Craig
  9. British parliamentary election results 1885-1918, Craig, F.W.S.
  10. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Charles Hedley Strutt		 Member of Parliament for Maldon
1906–January 1910		 Succeeded by
James Fortescue Flannery
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