Denys Bullard
Encyclopedia
Denys Gradwell Bullard was a British
farmer and politician. Although he was an entertaining speaker, his political career was a precarious one as he was only elected in marginal constituencies.
, Bullard went to Wisbech Grammar School
and then got into Fitzwilliam House
, Cambridge
where he read Natural Sciences and won a first class honours degree. He then went to the Cambridge School of Agriculture where he wrote a postgraduate dissertation on agriculture. Using his academic knowledge, he returned to work on the family farm. At 300 acres (1.2 km²) it was relatively small for the area.
War Agricultural Committee
At the 1950 general election
, Bullard was selected as Conservative Party
candidate for South West Norfolk, which contained much of the Norfolk
farming area. He was pictured on his election address wearing his farming gear among the pig
s and potato
es of his farm. Despite a vigorous campaign he lost by 260 votes.
, who was a rapidly rising junior Minister. In 1955 Brooke, by then Financial Secretary to the Treasury, appointed him as Parliamentary Private Secretary
.
, and returned to his farm. He also became a broadcaster, at which his entertaining way of speaking made him a success. Although intending at first not to return to politics, he was persuaded to make another run at becoming a Member of Parliament, this time in King's Lynn
constituency.
, Bullard won the seat with a majority of over a thousand. Henry Brooke again called on him to be Parliamentary Private Secretary, which he remained until Brooke left office. In 1962 he introduced another Private members Bill which amended the law on drainage rates. His concern with the profitability of the farming industry led him to oppose the application to join the European Economic Community
.
, but only by 104 votes. He failed to regain the seat in the 1966 election
. He was made a member of the Anglian Water Authority and Chairman of the Broads Committee
in 1974. This gave him responsibility for preserving the Norfolk Broads
, a delicate environment. Bullard held the post for nine years before retiring.
In retirement, Bullard enjoyed gardening and painting. He married Diana Patricia Cox in 1970. A son, Patrick, was born to the couple in 1973, and a daughter, Elizabeth, in 1975.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
farmer and politician. Although he was an entertaining speaker, his political career was a precarious one as he was only elected in marginal constituencies.
Farming background
Born on a farm at Elm, near WisbechWisbech
Wisbech is a market town, inland port and civil parish with a population of 20,200 in the Fens of Cambridgeshire. The tidal River Nene runs through the centre of the town and is spanned by two bridges...
, Bullard went to Wisbech Grammar School
Wisbech Grammar School
Wisbech Grammar School is a co-educational independent school in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire for students ages 11 to 18. Founded by the Wisbech Guild of the Holy Trinity in 1379, it is one of the oldest schools in the country. The present headmaster is N.J.G. Hammond, a member of the Headmasters' and...
and then got into Fitzwilliam House
Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge
Fitzwilliam College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Cambridge in England.The college traces its origins back to 1869 and the foundation of the Non-Collegiate Students Board, a venture intended to offer students from less financially privileged backgrounds a chance to study...
, Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
where he read Natural Sciences and won a first class honours degree. He then went to the Cambridge School of Agriculture where he wrote a postgraduate dissertation on agriculture. Using his academic knowledge, he returned to work on the family farm. At 300 acres (1.2 km²) it was relatively small for the area.
Politics
During the Second World War, his farming duties meant he was not called up. He served as technical adviser to the HuntingdonshireHuntingdonshire
Huntingdonshire is a local government district of Cambridgeshire, covering the area around Huntingdon. Traditionally it is a county in its own right...
War Agricultural Committee
At the 1950 general election
United 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...
, Bullard was selected as Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
candidate for South West Norfolk, which contained much of the Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
farming area. He was pictured on his election address wearing his farming gear among the pig
Pig
A pig is any of the animals in the genus Sus, within the Suidae family of even-toed ungulates. Pigs include the domestic pig, its ancestor the wild boar, and several other wild relatives...
s and potato
Potato
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
es of his farm. Despite a vigorous campaign he lost by 260 votes.
First term in Parliament
When a second general election followed within two years, Bullard fought the seat again and won by 442 votes. In his first year in Parliament, Bullard piloted a Private Members' Bill regulating fireguards. Concentrating on farming issues, he campaigned for agricultural protection and restriction of non-Commonwealth imports, as well as for more drainage schemes and better rural transport. He became friendly with Henry BrookeHenry Brooke, Baron Brooke of Cumnor
Henry Brooke, Baron Brooke of Cumnor CH, PC was a British Conservative Party politician.-Political career:...
, who was a rapidly rising junior Minister. In 1955 Brooke, by then Financial Secretary to the Treasury, appointed him as Parliamentary Private Secretary
Parliamentary Private Secretary
A Parliamentary Private Secretary is a role given to a United Kingdom Member of Parliament by a senior minister in government or shadow minister to act as their contact for the House of Commons; this role is junior to that of Parliamentary Under-Secretary, which is a ministerial post, salaried by...
.
Defeat
However, Bullard lost his seat by 193 votes in the 1955 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 1955
The 1955 United Kingdom general election was held on 26 May 1955, four years after the previous general election. It resulted in a substantially increased majority of 60 for the Conservative government under new leader and prime minister Sir Anthony Eden against Labour Party, now in their 20th year...
, and returned to his farm. He also became a broadcaster, at which his entertaining way of speaking made him a success. Although intending at first not to return to politics, he was persuaded to make another run at becoming a Member of Parliament, this time in King's Lynn
King's Lynn (UK Parliament constituency)
King's Lynn was a constituency in Norfolk, known as Lynn or Bishop's Lynn prior to 1537, which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until 1885, and one member thereafter. Until 1918 it was a parliamentary borough, after which the name...
constituency.
Second term in Parliament
At the 1959 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 1959
This United Kingdom general election was held on 8 October 1959. It marked a third successive victory for the ruling Conservative Party, led by Harold Macmillan...
, Bullard won the seat with a majority of over a thousand. Henry Brooke again called on him to be Parliamentary Private Secretary, which he remained until Brooke left office. In 1962 he introduced another Private members Bill which amended the law on drainage rates. His concern with the profitability of the farming industry led him to oppose the application to join the European Economic Community
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
.
Subsequent career
Bullard was again defeated at the 1964 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 1964
The United Kingdom general election of 1964 was held on 15 October 1964, more than five years after the preceding election, and thirteen years after the Conservative Party had retaken power...
, but only by 104 votes. He failed to regain the seat in the 1966 election
United Kingdom general election, 1966
The 1966 United Kingdom general election on 31 March 1966 was called by sitting Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson. Wilson's decision to call an election turned on the fact that his government, elected a mere 17 months previously in 1964 had an unworkably small majority of only 4 MPs...
. He was made a member of the Anglian Water Authority and Chairman of the Broads Committee
Broads Authority
The Broads Authority is the agency which has statutory responsibility for the Broads in England. Originally, the Nature Conservancy Council , pressed for a special authority to manage the Broads which had been neglected for a long time. In 1978, the forerunner to the present-day Broads Authority...
in 1974. This gave him responsibility for preserving the Norfolk Broads
The Broads
The Broads are a network of mostly navigable rivers and lakes in the English counties of Norfolk and Suffolk. The Broads, and some surrounding land were constituted as a special area with a level of protection similar to a UK National Park by The Norfolk and Suffolk Broads Act of 1988...
, a delicate environment. Bullard held the post for nine years before retiring.
In retirement, Bullard enjoyed gardening and painting. He married Diana Patricia Cox in 1970. A son, Patrick, was born to the couple in 1973, and a daughter, Elizabeth, in 1975.