Walter Fletcher (politician)
Encyclopedia
Sir Walter Fletcher was a British
businessman and Conservative Party
politician.
Born Walter Fleischl von Marxon, he was the second son of Paul Fleischl von Marxon of Shagbrooke, Reigate
, Surrey
. His father was an Austrian-born woolbroker, who became a naturalised British citizen in 1887.
Following education at Charterhouse School
and the University of Lausanne
, he began training as a manager in the rubber industry. With the outbreak of World War I
in 1914 he entered the British Army
, obtaining a commission in the Army Ordnance Department
. He served in East Africa, and by the end of the war in 1918 had reached the rank of major.
In September 1919 he changed his name by deed poll
to Walter Fletcher. He returned to Africa where he managed a large number of rubber plantations. He returned to England where he subsequently became chairman and managing director of Hecht, Levis and Kahn, a major rubber and commodities company. He held the position for thirty years. In 1928 he married Esme Boyd.
Politically, Fletcher was a Conservative, and he was selected as the party's prospective parliamentary candidate for the Birkenhead East
seat in 1930. However, with the formation of a National Government
prior to the 1931 general election
he stood aside to allow Henry Graham White
, a Liberal
member of the government to hold the seat.
During World War II
Fletcher worked for the Special Operations Executive
, running an operation called Operation Remorse. Originally it was hoped Fletcher could use his contacts to smuggle rubber out of Japanese-occupied Malaya
and Indo-China through the Chinese black market. The operation was diversified to include the smuggling of foreign currency, diamonds and machinery to fund the SOE's activities. In 1947 he was made Commander of the British Empire
for his war service.
He was elected at the 1945 general election
as Member of Parliament
(MP) for Bury
in Lancashire
. When that constituency was abolished for the 1950 election
, he was returned for the new Bury and Radcliffe
constituency, and held the seat until he retired from the House of Commons at the 1955 general election
. In 1953 he was knighted
.
As well as his business and political interests Fletcher had extensive farms in Hertfordshire
. He was also an accomplished painter, exhibiting at the Royal Academy
and in Bond Street galleries.
He died at his London home in April 1956 aged 63. He was buried in Sacombe
, near Ware, Hertfordshire.
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
businessman 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.
Born Walter Fleischl von Marxon, he was the second son of Paul Fleischl von Marxon of Shagbrooke, Reigate
Reigate
Reigate is a historic market town in Surrey, England, at the foot of the North Downs, and in the London commuter belt. It is one of the main constituents of the Borough of Reigate and Banstead...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
. His father was an Austrian-born woolbroker, who became a naturalised British citizen in 1887.
Following education at Charterhouse School
Charterhouse School
Charterhouse School, originally The Hospital of King James and Thomas Sutton in Charterhouse, or more simply Charterhouse or House, is an English collegiate independent boarding school situated at Godalming in Surrey.Founded by Thomas Sutton in London in 1611 on the site of the old Carthusian...
and the University of Lausanne
University of Lausanne
The University of Lausanne in Lausanne, Switzerland was founded in 1537 as a school of theology, before being made a university in 1890. Today about 12,000 students and 2200 researchers study and work at the university...
, he began training as a manager in the rubber industry. With the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
in 1914 he entered the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, obtaining a commission in the Army Ordnance Department
Royal Army Ordnance Corps
The Royal Army Ordnance Corps was a corps of the British Army. It dealt only with the supply and maintenance of weaponry, munitions and other military equipment until 1965, when it took over most other supply functions, as well as the provision of staff clerks, from the Royal Army Service...
. He served in East Africa, and by the end of the war in 1918 had reached the rank of major.
In September 1919 he changed his name by deed poll
Deed poll
A deed poll is a legal document binding only to a single person or several persons acting jointly to express an active intention...
to Walter Fletcher. He returned to Africa where he managed a large number of rubber plantations. He returned to England where he subsequently became chairman and managing director of Hecht, Levis and Kahn, a major rubber and commodities company. He held the position for thirty years. In 1928 he married Esme Boyd.
Politically, Fletcher was a Conservative, and he was selected as the party's prospective parliamentary candidate for the Birkenhead East
Birkenhead East (UK Parliament constituency)
Birkenhead East was a parliamentary constituency centred on the Birkenhead area of Merseyside. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system-History:...
seat in 1930. However, with the formation of a National Government
National government
A national unity government, government of national unity, or national union government is a broad coalition government consisting of all parties in the legislature, usually formed during a time of war or other national emergency.- Canada :During World War I the Conservative government of Sir...
prior to the 1931 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1931
The United Kingdom general election on Tuesday 27 October 1931 was the last in the United Kingdom not held on a Thursday. It was also the last election, and the only one under universal suffrage, where one party received an absolute majority of the votes cast.The 1931 general election was the...
he stood aside to allow Henry Graham White
Henry Graham White
Henry Graham White was a British Liberal Party politician. He was educated at Birkenhead School and Liverpool University.-Politics:...
, a Liberal
National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)
The National Liberal Party, known until 1948 as the Liberal National Party, was a liberal political party in the United Kingdom from 1931 to 1968...
member of the government to hold the seat.
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...
Fletcher worked for the Special Operations Executive
Special Operations Executive
The Special Operations Executive was a World War II organisation of the United Kingdom. It was officially formed by Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Minister of Economic Warfare Hugh Dalton on 22 July 1940, to conduct guerrilla warfare against the Axis powers and to instruct and aid local...
, running an operation called Operation Remorse. Originally it was hoped Fletcher could use his contacts to smuggle rubber out of Japanese-occupied Malaya
Malay Peninsula
The Malay Peninsula or Thai-Malay Peninsula is a peninsula in Southeast Asia. The land mass runs approximately north-south and, at its terminus, is the southern-most point of the Asian mainland...
and Indo-China through the Chinese black market. The operation was diversified to include the smuggling of foreign currency, diamonds and machinery to fund the SOE's activities. In 1947 he was made Commander of the British Empire
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...
for his war service.
He was elected 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...
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 Bury
Bury (UK Parliament constituency)
Bury was a borough constituency centred on the town of Bury in Lancashire. It returned one Member of Parliament ) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
in Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
. When that constituency was abolished for the 1950 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...
, he was returned for the new Bury and Radcliffe
Bury and Radcliffe (UK Parliament constituency)
Bury and Radcliffe was a parliamentary constituency centred on the towns of Bury and Radcliffe in North West England. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
constituency, and held the seat until he retired from the House of Commons at the 1955 general election
United 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...
. In 1953 he was knighted
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
.
As well as his business and political interests Fletcher had extensive farms in Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
. He was also an accomplished painter, exhibiting at the Royal Academy
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
and in Bond Street galleries.
He died at his London home in April 1956 aged 63. He was buried in Sacombe
Sacombe
Sacombe is a village and civil parish in the East Hertfordshire district, in the county of Hertfordshire, England. At the 2001 census it had a population of 165...
, near Ware, Hertfordshire.