Hugh Rees
Encyclopedia
Hugh Rees, FRICS
(8 January 1928 – 1 December 2003) was a British
chartered auctioneer and surveyor, and politician. After a single term as a Conservative Party
Member of Parliament
, he went on to have several notable public appointments.
, and went to Parc Wern School and Glanmor School in Swansea before moving to Bromsgrove School
. He trained as a chartered surveyor, and also became a Fellow of the Chartered Auctioneers and Estate Agents' Institute. He became involved in politics early in his life, and was Chairman of Glamorgan Young Conservative group council from 1954 to 1956 and then of Wales and Monmouthshire Young Conservative area council from 1956 to 1958.
, Rees won the Swansea West
constituency as a Conservative
, gaining the seat from Labour by a majority of 403 votes. Loyal to the government, Rees nevertheless stood up for Swansea against the prospect of Port Talbot
steelworks taking all of South Wales' investment; he also defended his constituents who had their homes on a leasehold tenure. He was Parliamentary Private Secretary
to Sir Keith Joseph
from the end of May 1961.
campaign. Rees was unable to withstand the national swing against the Conservatives, and lost his seat. He could not win it back either at the 1966
or 1970
elections.
from 1976 to 1991 and Chairman of their associated Abbey Housing Association Ltd from 1980 to 1992.
His public career was not over, as he was made Chairman of the Cambrian Housing Society in 1968. In the same year he was appointed to the Council of the National Museum of Wales, on which he served for 26 years. In 1972 he was given a spot on the United Kingdom delegation to the European Community
's Economic and Social Committee
, on which he served until 1978. Under the Thatcher
government, Rees was a member of the Welsh Development Agency
from 1980 to 1986.
Rees was unwell for some time before his death, when he was found dead in his car. At his death, his successor Alan Williams
(who subsequently became Father of the House of Commons) paid tribute to him for continuing to fight his ground in Swansea rather than find a better seat elsewhere.
Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors is an independent, representative professional body which regulates property professionals and surveyors in the United Kingdom and other sovereign nations....
(8 January 1928 – 1 December 2003) was a British
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...
chartered auctioneer and surveyor, and politician. After a single term as a 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...
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,...
, he went on to have several notable public appointments.
Early career
Rees was born in SwanseaSwansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
, and went to Parc Wern School and Glanmor School in Swansea before moving to Bromsgrove School
Bromsgrove School
Bromsgrove School, founded in 1553, is a co-educational independent school in the Worcestershire town of Bromsgrove, England. The school has a long history and many notable former pupils.-History:...
. He trained as a chartered surveyor, and also became a Fellow of the Chartered Auctioneers and Estate Agents' Institute. He became involved in politics early in his life, and was Chairman of Glamorgan Young Conservative group council from 1954 to 1956 and then of Wales and Monmouthshire Young Conservative area council from 1956 to 1958.
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...
, Rees won the Swansea West
Swansea West (UK Parliament constituency)
Swansea West is a constituency of 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....
constituency as a Conservative
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...
, gaining the seat from Labour by a majority of 403 votes. Loyal to the government, Rees nevertheless stood up for Swansea against the prospect of Port Talbot
Port Talbot
Port Talbot is a town in Neath Port Talbot, Wales. It had a population of 35,633 in 2001.-History:Port Talbot grew out of the original small port and market town of Aberafan , which belonged to the medieval Lords of Afan. The area of the parish of Margam lying on the west bank of the lower Afan...
steelworks taking all of South Wales' investment; he also defended his constituents who had their homes on a leasehold tenure. He was 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...
to Sir Keith Joseph
Keith Joseph
Keith St John Joseph, Baron Joseph, Bt, CH, PC , was a British barrister and politician. A member of the Conservative Party, he served in the Cabinet under three Prime Ministers , and is widely regarded to have been the "power behind the throne" in the creation of what came to be known as...
from the end of May 1961.
Whip's Office
Rees was appointed as an Assistant Government Whip in April 1962, effectively silencing him in the chamber. However, he appeared as one of three young Conservative MPs in a party election broadcast at the start of 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...
campaign. Rees was unable to withstand the national swing against the Conservatives, and lost his seat. He could not win it back either at the 1966
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...
or 1970
United Kingdom general election, 1970
The United Kingdom general election of 1970 was held on 18 June 1970, and resulted in a surprise victory for the Conservative Party under leader Edward Heath, who defeated the Labour Party under Harold Wilson. The election also saw the Liberal Party and its new leader Jeremy Thorpe lose half their...
elections.
Further appointments
Rees started his own business in Swansea after his defeat. He was also a Director of Abbey National plcAbbey (bank)
Abbey National plc was a UK-based bank and former building society, which latterly traded under the Abbey brand name. It became a wholly owned subsidiary of Grupo Santander of Spain in 2004, and was rebranded as Santander in January 2010, forming Santander UK along with the savings business of the...
from 1976 to 1991 and Chairman of their associated Abbey Housing Association Ltd from 1980 to 1992.
His public career was not over, as he was made Chairman of the Cambrian Housing Society in 1968. In the same year he was appointed to the Council of the National Museum of Wales, on which he served for 26 years. In 1972 he was given a spot on the United Kingdom delegation to the European 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...
's Economic and Social Committee
Economic and Social Committee
The European Economic and Social Committee is a body of the European Union established in 1958. It is a consultative assembly composed of employers , employees and representatives of various other interests...
, on which he served until 1978. Under the Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
government, Rees was a member of the Welsh Development Agency
Welsh Development Agency
The Welsh Development Agency was a QUANGO and later an Assembly Sponsored Public Body established in 1976 to encourage business development and investment in Wales, to clear derelict land and to encourage growth of local businesses...
from 1980 to 1986.
Rees was unwell for some time before his death, when he was found dead in his car. At his death, his successor Alan Williams
Alan Williams
Alan John Williams is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Swansea West from 1964 to 2010.-Early life:...
(who subsequently became Father of the House of Commons) paid tribute to him for continuing to fight his ground in Swansea rather than find a better seat elsewhere.