Alan McKibbin
Encyclopedia
Colonel Alan John McKibbin, OBE
, JP
, DL
(2 February 1892 – 2 December 1958) was a Northern Irish
company director and politician. After serving in the First World War, he later took charge of the Army Cadet Force
in Northern Ireland, and also ran the family estate agency firm. He was also an Ulster Unionist Party
Member of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
from 1950 until his death.
and was sent to Campbell College
, a leading grammar school in the city. He went to work in the family firm, but on the outbreak of the First World War he enlisted in the Army
. He served throughout the war. In 1922 he married Kathleen Laura Brennan, and they had a son together.
After working in the family firm, McKibbin joined the Home Guard
during the Second World War. He was commissioned into the Northern Ireland Army Cadet Force in December 1943, becoming commandant of the Third Cadet Battalion of The Royal Ulster Rifles, and was awarded the OBE
in 1949.
, McKibbin was elected as an Ulster Unionist Party
member to the United Kingdom Parliament
from the constituency of Belfast East
. His maiden speech
on 20 March 1950 highlighted the disparity in pay between Army soldiers and munitions factory workers, arguing that it explained the scarcity of army recruits. In March 1951 he initiated a debate calling for additional recruitment of soldiers from British dominions and colonies overseas, on the ground that it allowed the build-up of a voluntary force which could relieve British troops.
from the loss of work due to the suspension of work on the de Havilland Comet
airliner, which had suffered a series of disasters. The Minister of Supply agreed to try to bring forward other contracts. Support for the local aircraft industry became a regular subject for him to raise. He also pressed for an increase in pensions payable to the disabled, saying that anything less than 90s
. per week would be regarded as an instalment by the Royal British Legion
in Northern Ireland. In the 1955 budget, he put down an amendment to exempt vehicles used by limbless ex-servicemen from purchase tax.
McKibbin was appointed a Justice of the Peace
and a Deputy Lieutenant
for Belfast in 1955. Early the next year, he began a campaign to prevent civilian airliners from colliding with military aircraft, after an incident in which disaster was only narrowly avoided. He obtained a pledge to review the rules. McKibbin caused amusement in the House of Commons
in 1957 when arguing for a reduction in taxation on musical instruments, he reported that a euphonium
had been described to him as "the brass band
's revenge for the bagpipes
".
in Belfast, Antrim and North Down, and also became Chairman of the Army Cadet Force Association. He signed a motion critical of the conduct of the press after the Munich air disaster
in 1958. McKibbin died suddenly in a London hospital in December 1958.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, JP
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
, DL
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
(2 February 1892 – 2 December 1958) was a Northern Irish
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
company director and politician. After serving in the First World War, he later took charge of the Army Cadet Force
Army Cadet Force
The Army Cadet Force is a British youth organisation that offers progressive training in a multitude of the subjects from military training to adventurous training and first aid, at the same time as promoting achievement, discipline, and good citizenship, to boys and girls aged 12 to 18 and 9...
in Northern Ireland, and also ran the family estate agency firm. He was also an Ulster Unionist Party
Ulster Unionist Party
The Ulster Unionist Party – sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or, in a historic sense, simply the Unionist Party – is the more moderate of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland...
Member of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
from 1950 until his death.
Wartime service
McKibbin was the son of John McKibbin, who ran John McKibbin & Son Ltd. He was born in BelfastBelfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
and was sent to Campbell College
Campbell College
Campbell College is a Voluntary Grammar school in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The College educates boys from ages 11–18. It is one of the eight Northern Irish schools represented on the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference and is a member of the Independent Schools Council.The school occupies...
, a leading grammar school in the city. He went to work in the family firm, but on the outbreak of the First World War he enlisted in the Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. He served throughout the war. In 1922 he married Kathleen Laura Brennan, and they had a son together.
After working in the family firm, McKibbin joined the Home Guard
Ulster Defence Volunteers
The Ulster Defence Volunteers and later the Ulster Home Guard were a force recruited by the Government of Northern Ireland to perform the role of the Home Guard in Northern Ireland during World War II...
during the Second World War. He was commissioned into the Northern Ireland Army Cadet Force in December 1943, becoming commandant of the Third Cadet Battalion of The Royal Ulster Rifles, and was awarded the OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1949.
Member of Parliament
At the 1950 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 1950
The 1950 United Kingdom general election was the first general election ever after a full term of a Labour government. Despite polling over one and a half million votes more than the Conservatives, the election, held on 23 February 1950 resulted in Labour receiving a slim majority of just five...
, McKibbin was elected as an Ulster Unionist Party
Ulster Unionist Party
The Ulster Unionist Party – sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or, in a historic sense, simply the Unionist Party – is the more moderate of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland...
member to the United Kingdom Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
from the constituency of Belfast East
Belfast East (UK Parliament constituency)
Belfast East is a Parliamentary Constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons. The current MP is Naomi Long of the Alliance Party, elected in 2010...
. His maiden speech
Maiden speech
A maiden speech is the first speech given by a newly elected or appointed member of a legislature or parliament.Traditions surrounding maiden speeches vary from country to country...
on 20 March 1950 highlighted the disparity in pay between Army soldiers and munitions factory workers, arguing that it explained the scarcity of army recruits. In March 1951 he initiated a debate calling for additional recruitment of soldiers from British dominions and colonies overseas, on the ground that it allowed the build-up of a voluntary force which could relieve British troops.
Aircraft industry
In the early 1950s he tried to defend Short BrothersShort Brothers
Short Brothers plc is a British aerospace company, usually referred to simply as Shorts, that is now based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Founded in 1908, Shorts was the first company in the world to make production aircraft and was a manufacturer of flying boats during the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s...
from the loss of work due to the suspension of work on the de Havilland Comet
De Havilland Comet
The de Havilland DH 106 Comet was the world's first commercial jet airliner to reach production. Developed and manufactured by de Havilland at the Hatfield, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom headquarters, it first flew in 1949 and was a landmark in aeronautical design...
airliner, which had suffered a series of disasters. The Minister of Supply agreed to try to bring forward other contracts. Support for the local aircraft industry became a regular subject for him to raise. He also pressed for an increase in pensions payable to the disabled, saying that anything less than 90s
Shilling
The shilling is a unit of currency used in some current and former British Commonwealth countries. The word shilling comes from scilling, an accounting term that dates back to Anglo-Saxon times where it was deemed to be the value of a cow in Kent or a sheep elsewhere. The word is thought to derive...
. per week would be regarded as an instalment by the Royal British Legion
The Royal British Legion
The Royal British Legion , sometimes referred to as simply The Legion, is the United Kingdom's leading charity providing financial, social and emotional support to those who have served or who are currently serving in the British Armed Forces, and their dependants.-History:The British Legion was...
in Northern Ireland. In the 1955 budget, he put down an amendment to exempt vehicles used by limbless ex-servicemen from purchase tax.
McKibbin was appointed a Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
and a Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
for Belfast in 1955. Early the next year, he began a campaign to prevent civilian airliners from colliding with military aircraft, after an incident in which disaster was only narrowly avoided. He obtained a pledge to review the rules. McKibbin caused amusement in the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
in 1957 when arguing for a reduction in taxation on musical instruments, he reported that a euphonium
Euphonium
The euphonium is a conical-bore, tenor-voiced brass instrument. It derives its name from the Greek word euphonos, meaning "well-sounding" or "sweet-voiced"...
had been described to him as "the brass band
Brass band
A brass band is a musical ensemble generally consisting entirely of brass instruments, most often with a percussion section. Ensembles that include brass and woodwind instruments can in certain traditions also be termed brass bands , but are usually more correctly termed military bands, concert...
's revenge for the bagpipes
Bagpipes
Bagpipes are a class of musical instrument, aerophones, using enclosed reeds fed from a constant reservoir of air in the form of a bag. Though the Scottish Great Highland Bagpipe and Irish uilleann pipes have the greatest international visibility, bagpipes of many different types come from...
".
Army Cadet Force
In 1957 McKibbin was made hon. Colonel of the Army Cadet ForceArmy Cadet Force
The Army Cadet Force is a British youth organisation that offers progressive training in a multitude of the subjects from military training to adventurous training and first aid, at the same time as promoting achievement, discipline, and good citizenship, to boys and girls aged 12 to 18 and 9...
in Belfast, Antrim and North Down, and also became Chairman of the Army Cadet Force Association. He signed a motion critical of the conduct of the press after the Munich air disaster
Munich air disaster
The Munich air disaster occurred on 6 February 1958, when British European Airways Flight 609 crashed on its third attempt to take off from a slush-covered runway at Munich-Riem Airport in Munich, West Germany. On board the plane was the Manchester United football team, nicknamed the "Busby Babes",...
in 1958. McKibbin died suddenly in a London hospital in December 1958.