Sidney Shephard
Encyclopedia
Sydney Shephard was a British
Conservative Party
politician.
Sydney Shephard was born at Nottingham on the 29th March 1894, one of five children of Charles and Mary Shephard. He is recorded in the 1901 Census, aged 7 years, living at 225 Noel Street, Nottingham, where his father’s occupation is given as ‘Late Draughtsman’.
Sydney Shepard was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the 2/7th (Robin Hood) Battalion, Notts and Derby Regiment, on the 23rd November 1916. His Medal Index Card confirms that he entered the French theatre of war in 1917, although no specific date is given.
Under the general reorganisation of 30 January 1918, the 1/7th and 2/7th (Robin Hood) Battalions were effectively merged to form the 7th (Robin Hood) Battalion.
Within three months, the reconstituded battalion had suffered grievous losses having fought to a finish at Bullecourt. The action had cost the battalion 653 all ranks, killed, wounded and missing, and it had to be reformed with drafts from other units.
As a result of further heavy losses sustained at Nueve Eglise and at Kemmel Hill during April, the 7th (Robin Hood) Battalion was reduced to a cadre on the 6th May 1918. Many officers, including Lieutenant Shephard were drafted into the 1st Battalion Notts and Derby Regiment, on the 19th June 1918.
Whilst serving with the 1st Battalion, Lieutenant Shephard was awarded the Military Cross for his gallantry near Beauchamp, on the night of the 23/24 June 1918. When in charge of a night patrol consisting of 32 men and a Lewis Gun, he encountered a strong enemy force which he engaged at close quarters, being slightly wounded in the head by a bomb. He successfully withdrew his entire party, including 9 wounded men, over a distance of 450 yards. The award of the MC was announced in the supplement to the London Gazette dated the 7th May 1919.
The following recommendation has been extracted from Battalion Orders, a copy of which accompanies the group: ‘On the night 23rd/24th June, accompanied by 32 men and a Lewis Gun, he advanced to within 150 yards of the enemy trenches. N.E. of BEAUCHAMP (Sheet57c.S.E. R.I.c.) in order to obtain identifications. Between 40 or 50 of the enemy were observed moving across his flank, and he skillfully manouvered in order to bring better fire to bear on them. He waited until they were within ten yards and then gave orders to fire. A rapid fire was brought to bear on the enemy from the Lewis gun and rifles, and it is believed heavy casualties were inflicted on the enemy. He then gave the order to charge, and himself led the charge, but was almost immediately knocked out by an enemy bomb. He was slightly wounded in the head, nine of his party being wounded at the same time. He eventually got the whole of his patrol back to our trenches, a distance of about 450 yards, himself helping to carry in the wounded. If he had not done this, the enemy would in all probability have obtained an identification. At least two of the wounded were quite unable to walk.
This Officer has consistently done good work both on patrols and in action.’
He was despatched to England for demobilisation on the 14th February 1919. His Medal Index Card confirms his eligibility for the award of the Silver War Badge, and also notes his address in 1921 as 10 Barrack Lane, Nottingham.
Sydney Shephard married Lily Jane Alexander in 1923, and they raised a family of two sons and a daughter. He became Chairman and Managing Director of Bairns-Wear Ltd, and was Master of the South Notts Hounds. In 1941, he was appointed High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire, and during the Second War, he acted as Army Welfare Officer, from 1939 until 1947. He also commanded the Newark Home Guard Battalion between 1940 and 1943. He was elected Conservative Member of Parliament for Newark in 1943, and served in that capacity until 1950. He died on the 25th November 1953, aged 60 years.
He was elected as Member of Parliament
(MP) for Newark
at a by-election in June 1943. The vacancy was caused when the Newark's Conservative MP Marquess of Titchfield
, succeeded to the peerage in April 1943, as the 7th Duke of Portland. During World War II
, the parties in the coalition government had agreed not to contest by-elections in sat held by the other coalition parties, and most vacancies related in the unopposed election of the nominee of the party which had previously held the seat. However, independent candidates and minor parties were not bound by the pact, and the Newark by-election was contested by three other candidates. Shephard won the seat, but with less than half the votes: Common Wealth Party
candidate won 14% of the votes, and an Independent Progressive won 31%.
Shephard held the seat at the 1945 general election
, with a slender majority of 2.8% of the votes over the second-placed Labour Party
candidate.
However, at the 1950 general election
, Newark's Labour candidate was George Deer
, the outgoing MP for Lincoln
. Deer won the seat, ending Shephard's career in the House of Commons.
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...
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.
Sydney Shephard was born at Nottingham on the 29th March 1894, one of five children of Charles and Mary Shephard. He is recorded in the 1901 Census, aged 7 years, living at 225 Noel Street, Nottingham, where his father’s occupation is given as ‘Late Draughtsman’.
Sydney Shepard was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the 2/7th (Robin Hood) Battalion, Notts and Derby Regiment, on the 23rd November 1916. His Medal Index Card confirms that he entered the French theatre of war in 1917, although no specific date is given.
Under the general reorganisation of 30 January 1918, the 1/7th and 2/7th (Robin Hood) Battalions were effectively merged to form the 7th (Robin Hood) Battalion.
Within three months, the reconstituded battalion had suffered grievous losses having fought to a finish at Bullecourt. The action had cost the battalion 653 all ranks, killed, wounded and missing, and it had to be reformed with drafts from other units.
As a result of further heavy losses sustained at Nueve Eglise and at Kemmel Hill during April, the 7th (Robin Hood) Battalion was reduced to a cadre on the 6th May 1918. Many officers, including Lieutenant Shephard were drafted into the 1st Battalion Notts and Derby Regiment, on the 19th June 1918.
Whilst serving with the 1st Battalion, Lieutenant Shephard was awarded the Military Cross for his gallantry near Beauchamp, on the night of the 23/24 June 1918. When in charge of a night patrol consisting of 32 men and a Lewis Gun, he encountered a strong enemy force which he engaged at close quarters, being slightly wounded in the head by a bomb. He successfully withdrew his entire party, including 9 wounded men, over a distance of 450 yards. The award of the MC was announced in the supplement to the London Gazette dated the 7th May 1919.
The following recommendation has been extracted from Battalion Orders, a copy of which accompanies the group: ‘On the night 23rd/24th June, accompanied by 32 men and a Lewis Gun, he advanced to within 150 yards of the enemy trenches. N.E. of BEAUCHAMP (Sheet57c.S.E. R.I.c.) in order to obtain identifications. Between 40 or 50 of the enemy were observed moving across his flank, and he skillfully manouvered in order to bring better fire to bear on them. He waited until they were within ten yards and then gave orders to fire. A rapid fire was brought to bear on the enemy from the Lewis gun and rifles, and it is believed heavy casualties were inflicted on the enemy. He then gave the order to charge, and himself led the charge, but was almost immediately knocked out by an enemy bomb. He was slightly wounded in the head, nine of his party being wounded at the same time. He eventually got the whole of his patrol back to our trenches, a distance of about 450 yards, himself helping to carry in the wounded. If he had not done this, the enemy would in all probability have obtained an identification. At least two of the wounded were quite unable to walk.
This Officer has consistently done good work both on patrols and in action.’
He was despatched to England for demobilisation on the 14th February 1919. His Medal Index Card confirms his eligibility for the award of the Silver War Badge, and also notes his address in 1921 as 10 Barrack Lane, Nottingham.
Sydney Shephard married Lily Jane Alexander in 1923, and they raised a family of two sons and a daughter. He became Chairman and Managing Director of Bairns-Wear Ltd, and was Master of the South Notts Hounds. In 1941, he was appointed High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire, and during the Second War, he acted as Army Welfare Officer, from 1939 until 1947. He also commanded the Newark Home Guard Battalion between 1940 and 1943. He was elected Conservative Member of Parliament for Newark in 1943, and served in that capacity until 1950. He died on the 25th November 1953, aged 60 years.
He was elected as 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 Newark
Newark (UK Parliament constituency)
Newark is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Since 1885, it has elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
at a by-election in June 1943. The vacancy was caused when the Newark's Conservative MP Marquess of Titchfield
William Cavendish-Bentinck, 7th Duke of Portland
William Arthur Henry Cavendish-Bentinck, 7th Duke of Portland KG , known as Marquess of Titchfield until 1943, was a British Conservative Party politician....
, succeeded to the peerage in April 1943, as the 7th Duke of Portland. During 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...
, the parties in the coalition government had agreed not to contest by-elections in sat held by the other coalition parties, and most vacancies related in the unopposed election of the nominee of the party which had previously held the seat. However, independent candidates and minor parties were not bound by the pact, and the Newark by-election was contested by three other candidates. Shephard won the seat, but with less than half the votes: 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:...
candidate won 14% of the votes, and an Independent Progressive won 31%.
Shephard held the seat at the 1945 general election
United 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...
, with a slender majority of 2.8% of the votes over the second-placed 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...
candidate.
However, 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...
, Newark's Labour candidate was George Deer
George Deer
George Deer, OBE was a British Trade union official and politician.-Early career:Deer went to an elementary school in Grimsby. He began work at the age of 12 and worked on the railways, at the docks and in engineering shops; he was also a commercial traveller...
, the outgoing MP for Lincoln
Lincoln (UK Parliament constituency)
Lincoln 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....
. Deer won the seat, ending Shephard's career in the House of Commons.