Edgar Keatinge
Encyclopedia
Major Sir Edgar Mayne Keatinge CBE
(3 February 1905 – 7 August 1998) was an English farmer, soldier and Conservative Party
politician. He is best known for having served as the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Bury St Edmunds
from 1944 to 1945, after a high-profile by-election. He disliked the name Edgar and preferred to introduce himself as "Mike". An obituarist describes him as "a simple and loyal man who had, for a brief period, endured a significant role in national life; and discharged his duty with honour".
), when his father worked for the Indian Civil Service. At the age of five he was sent to England to be educated, later boarding at Rugby
, and then went to South Africa
to study at the School of Agriculture in Natal
. He worked for the South African Department of Education until 1929, when he returned to England. His father Gerald had now retired and was running a modest family estate in Teffont Evias
. He took an aeroplane from France, arriving home days before he was expected. He was initially annoyed to find a guest in his room. This was Katherine Burrell, whose father Reginald was prospering as a fruit farmer in Risby, Suffolk. Within a few days they were engaged, and they married in 1930. The honeymoon included a trip up the Rhine, during which Keatinge became convinced that another war with Germany was likely. During the next ten years he divided his time between the Territorial Army, local activism in the Conservative Party
, and work in Risby on Reginald Burrell's farm. He was particularly adept at the business of military organisation and became an artillery officer in the Suffolk Yeomanry. In World War II
Keatinge served in the Royal Artillery
. He commanded a mountain battery of the West African Frontier Force, and became the first commander of the West African Artillery School. When, after serious illness, he returned to Suffolk
in 1943, he was again attached to the Suffolk Yeomanry, eventually reaching the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel.
for the Isle of Ely
constituency, to stand against Liberal
MP James de Rothschild
. The parties had expected a general election in late 1939, but it was postponed for the duration of the war.
In January 1944 the Conservative MP for Bury St Edmunds, Lieutenant-Colonel Frank Heilgers
, was killed in a train crash. The three political parties which shared office in the wartime Coalition Government 1940–1945 had agreed not to contest by-elections when vacancies arose in seats held by the other coalition parties, and when Keatinge was selected later in January as the Conservative and National Government candidate for the resulting by-election, he could have expected to be returned unopposed, as had happened in most other wartime by-elections. Bury St Edmunds was a safe seat
for the Conservatives, having returned Conservatives at every election since 1885, and Heilgers had been returned unopposed in 1931 and 1935.
However, the radical Liberal activist Margery Corbett Ashby
decided to contest the seat. She resigned her position in the Liberal Party, and stood as an Independent Liberal candidate with the support of the socialist Common Wealth Party
. The contest gained national attention, and became seen as a test of the credibility of the government. The poll was held on 29 February, when Keatinge held the seat after a hard-fought campaign unfamiliar in a safe seat, but with a majority of only 12%.
. His father Gerald Keatinge had transferred to him the ownership of the family's 460 acres (186.2 ha) estate of Teffont Evias
, near Salisbury
in Wiltshire
. The estate was in a ruinous condition after the war; large areas had been covered with concrete by the U.S. VIII Bomber Command
, all the hedges had overgrown enormously, and the Manor had been requisitioned for printing maps and the soldiers had stripped and sold the lead from the roof. Keatinge did not think it possible to effectively combine his role there with service in Parliament. Katherine was also very unhappy in the role then expected of a Conservative MP's wife. On the death of his father-in-law in 1947, almost all of Reginald's assets were liquidated to pay death duties; the Suffolk estate was sold.
In Wiltshire, after recovery from severe peritonitis
, he set about restoring the estate to good condition, though he was less successful in making it profitable. In 1954 the Ministry
tried to take full possession of the land used by the US Air Force; plans for the site included the construction of an isolated housing estate. He won the ensuing brief and unedifying dispute and the planned housing was eventually built as an integral part of the neighbouring village of Dinton
. He was active in local government and as a JP
. He was for many years Secretary of the local
Conservative Party
, and held two company directorships. He was knight
ed in 1960 for "political and public services in Suffolk and Wessex" having been made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1954.
He died in 1998, aged 93.
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...
(3 February 1905 – 7 August 1998) was an English farmer, soldier and 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...
politician. He is best known for having served as the Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Bury St Edmunds
Bury St Edmunds (UK Parliament constituency)
Bury St Edmunds is a county constituency located in Suffolk and centred on the town of Bury St Edmunds. It elects one Member of Parliament to in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
from 1944 to 1945, after a high-profile by-election. He disliked the name Edgar and preferred to introduce himself as "Mike". An obituarist describes him as "a simple and loyal man who had, for a brief period, endured a significant role in national life; and discharged his duty with honour".
Early life
Keatinge was born in Bombay, India (now MumbaiMumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
), when his father worked for the Indian Civil Service. At the age of five he was sent to England to be educated, later boarding at Rugby
Rugby School
Rugby School is a co-educational day and boarding school located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. It is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain.-History:...
, and then went to South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
to study at the School of Agriculture in Natal
Natal, South Africa
Natal is a region in South Africa. It stretches between the Indian Ocean in the south and east, the Drakensberg in the west, and the Lebombo Mountains in the north. The main cities are Pietermaritzburg and Durban...
. He worked for the South African Department of Education until 1929, when he returned to England. His father Gerald had now retired and was running a modest family estate in Teffont Evias
Teffont Evias
Teffont Evias, also Teffont Ewyas, past alternative spellings including Tevont Evias, is a small village and former civil parish in the south of Wiltshire, England. The present buildings are mostly of local stone, and several are thatched...
. He took an aeroplane from France, arriving home days before he was expected. He was initially annoyed to find a guest in his room. This was Katherine Burrell, whose father Reginald was prospering as a fruit farmer in Risby, Suffolk. Within a few days they were engaged, and they married in 1930. The honeymoon included a trip up the Rhine, during which Keatinge became convinced that another war with Germany was likely. During the next ten years he divided his time between the Territorial Army, local activism in the 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...
, and work in Risby on Reginald Burrell's farm. He was particularly adept at the business of military organisation and became an artillery officer in the Suffolk Yeomanry. In World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Keatinge served in the Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
. He commanded a mountain battery of the West African Frontier Force, and became the first commander of the West African Artillery School. When, after serious illness, he returned to Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
in 1943, he was again attached to the Suffolk Yeomanry, eventually reaching the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel.
Member of Parliament
He was a member of West Suffolk County Council from 1933 to 1945, and was selected in 1938 as the Conservative prospective parliamentary candidateProspective parliamentary candidate
Prospective parliamentary candidate is a term used in British politics to refer to candidates selected by political parties to fight individual constituencies in advance of a general election. This terminology was motivated by the strict limits on the amount of expenses incurred by an actual...
for the Isle of Ely
Isle of Ely (UK Parliament constituency)
Isle of Ely was a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, centred on the Isle of Ely in Cambridgeshire...
constituency, to stand against Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
MP James de Rothschild
James Armand de Rothschild
James Armand Edmond de Rothschild, DCM, DL, was a French-born British politician and philanthropist, from the wealthy Rothschild international banking dynasty....
. The parties had expected a general election in late 1939, but it was postponed for the duration of the war.
In January 1944 the Conservative MP for Bury St Edmunds, Lieutenant-Colonel Frank Heilgers
Frank Heilgers
Lieutenant-Colonel Frank Frederick Alexander Heilgers was a British Conservative Party Member of Parliament who was killed in a train crash during World War II....
, was killed in a train crash. The three political parties which shared office in the wartime Coalition Government 1940–1945 had agreed not to contest by-elections when vacancies arose in seats held by the other coalition parties, and when Keatinge was selected later in January as the Conservative and National Government candidate for the resulting by-election, he could have expected to be returned unopposed, as had happened in most other wartime by-elections. Bury St Edmunds was a safe seat
Safe seat
A safe seat is a seat in a legislative body which is regarded as fully secured, either by a certain political party, the incumbent representative personally or a combination of both...
for the Conservatives, having returned Conservatives at every election since 1885, and Heilgers had been returned unopposed in 1931 and 1935.
However, the radical Liberal activist Margery Corbett Ashby
Margery Corbett Ashby
Dame Margery Irene Corbett Ashby, DBE was a British Liberal politician, feminist and internationalist.She was born at Danehill, East Sussex, the daughter of Charles Henry Corbett a barrister who was sometime Liberal MP for East Grinstead and Marie Corbett herself a Liberal feminist and local...
decided to contest the seat. She resigned her position in the Liberal Party, and stood as an Independent Liberal candidate with the support of the socialist Common Wealth Party
Common Wealth Party
The Common Wealth Party was a socialist political party in the United Kingdom in the Second World War. Thereafter, it continued in being, essentially as a pressure group, until 1993.-The war years:...
. The contest gained national attention, and became seen as a test of the credibility of the government. The poll was held on 29 February, when Keatinge held the seat after a hard-fought campaign unfamiliar in a safe seat, but with a majority of only 12%.
Later life
He did not stand again at the 1945 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 1945
The United Kingdom general election of 1945 was a general election held on 5 July 1945, with polls in some constituencies delayed until 12 July and in Nelson and Colne until 19 July, due to local wakes weeks. The results were counted and declared on 26 July, due in part to the time it took to...
. His father Gerald Keatinge had transferred to him the ownership of the family's 460 acres (186.2 ha) estate of Teffont Evias
Teffont Evias
Teffont Evias, also Teffont Ewyas, past alternative spellings including Tevont Evias, is a small village and former civil parish in the south of Wiltshire, England. The present buildings are mostly of local stone, and several are thatched...
, near Salisbury
Salisbury
Salisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England and the only city in the county. It is the second largest settlement in the county...
in Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
. The estate was in a ruinous condition after the war; large areas had been covered with concrete by the U.S. VIII Bomber Command
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
, all the hedges had overgrown enormously, and the Manor had been requisitioned for printing maps and the soldiers had stripped and sold the lead from the roof. Keatinge did not think it possible to effectively combine his role there with service in Parliament. Katherine was also very unhappy in the role then expected of a Conservative MP's wife. On the death of his father-in-law in 1947, almost all of Reginald's assets were liquidated to pay death duties; the Suffolk estate was sold.
In Wiltshire, after recovery from severe peritonitis
Peritonitis
Peritonitis is an inflammation of the peritoneum, the serous membrane that lines part of the abdominal cavity and viscera. Peritonitis may be localised or generalised, and may result from infection or from a non-infectious process.-Abdominal pain and tenderness:The main manifestations of...
, he set about restoring the estate to good condition, though he was less successful in making it profitable. In 1954 the Ministry
Ministry of Defence (1947–1964)
The Ministry of Defence was a department of the British Government responsible for defence and the British Armed Forces.-History:Prior to the Second World War defence policy was co-ordinated by the Committee of Imperial Defence...
tried to take full possession of the land used by the US Air Force; plans for the site included the construction of an isolated housing estate. He won the ensuing brief and unedifying dispute and the planned housing was eventually built as an integral part of the neighbouring village of Dinton
Dinton, Wiltshire
Dinton is a village in Wiltshire, England, on the B3089 road about 8 miles west of Salisbury. The population was 597 at the 2001 census.-Present day:...
. He was active in local government and as a 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...
. He was for many years Secretary of the local
Salisbury (UK Parliament constituency)
Salisbury is a county constituency centred on the city of Salisbury in Wiltshire. It elects one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, by the first past the post voting system....
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...
, and held two company directorships. He was knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
ed in 1960 for "political and public services in Suffolk and Wessex" having been made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1954.
Family
His wife Katharine Burrell (Kitty, in later life The Old Cat) died in 1990. They had one daughter and a son, William, to whom Sir Edgar transferred the Teffont Evias estate in portions between 1967 and 1981. William thus received a forestry award for the woodland that Edgar had planted and nurtured on the Air Force site.He died in 1998, aged 93.
External links
- National Register of Archives: Sir Edgar Keatinge of Teffont Evias