Edward Keeling
Encyclopedia
Sir Edward Herbert Keeling (1888 – 23 November 1954) was a Conservative Party
politician in the United Kingdom
who served as a Member of Parliament
(MP) from 1935 to 1954.
Keeling unsuccessfully contested the 1929 general election
in the Southwark Central
constituency, a safe seat
for the Labour Party
.
His next parliamentary candidacy was at the 1935 general election
, when he was elected as MP for Twickenham
. He held the seat until death in 1954, aged 66. The resulting by-election in January 1955
was won by the Conservative candidate, Gresham Cooke
.
Keeling, who served as an officer in WWI in the Mesopotamian Campaign
, was present at the surrender of Kut
by the British at the hands of Ottoman Forces. Following the surrender, he served as a prisoner-of-war in Turkey until his escape, which eventually landed him in Bolshevik Russia. Following his return to England, he served as the head of a special branch (responsible for Turkey and Bulgaria) in the British General Staff for enabling officers to escape. He published his story as Adventures in Turkey and Russia, published in 1924.
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 in the United Kingdom
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...
who served as a 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) from 1935 to 1954.
Keeling unsuccessfully contested the 1929 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1929
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
in the Southwark Central
Southwark Central (UK Parliament constituency)
Southwark Central was a borough constituency returning a single Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom through the first past the post voting system...
constituency, 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 Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
.
His next parliamentary candidacy was at the 1935 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1935
The United Kingdom general election held on 14 November 1935 resulted in a large, though reduced, majority for the National Government now led by Conservative Stanley Baldwin. The greatest number of MPs, as before, were Conservative, while the National Liberal vote held steady...
, when he was elected as MP for Twickenham
Twickenham (UK Parliament constituency)
Twickenham is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
. He held the seat until death in 1954, aged 66. The resulting by-election in January 1955
Twickenham by-election, 1955
The Twickenham by-election, 1955 was a parliamentary by-election held on 25 January 1955 for the British House of Commons constituency of Twickenham in Middlesex....
was won by the Conservative candidate, Gresham Cooke
Gresham Cooke
Roger Gresham Cooke was a British Conservative Party politician.He was the son of Dr. Arthur Cooke, F.R.C.S., senior surgeon to Addenbrooke's Hospital.-Early life:...
.
Keeling, who served as an officer in WWI in the Mesopotamian Campaign
Mesopotamian Campaign
The Mesopotamian campaign was a campaign in the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I fought between the Allies represented by the British Empire, mostly troops from the Indian Empire, and the Central Powers, mostly of the Ottoman Empire.- Background :...
, was present at the surrender of Kut
Siege of Kut
The siege of Kut Al Amara , was the besieging of 8,000 strong British-Indian garrison in the town of Kut, 100 miles south of Baghdad, by the Ottoman Army. Its known also as 1st Battle of Kut. In 1915, its population was around 6,500...
by the British at the hands of Ottoman Forces. Following the surrender, he served as a prisoner-of-war in Turkey until his escape, which eventually landed him in Bolshevik Russia. Following his return to England, he served as the head of a special branch (responsible for Turkey and Bulgaria) in the British General Staff for enabling officers to escape. He published his story as Adventures in Turkey and Russia, published in 1924.