Edgar Granville was born in Reading, the son of Reginald and Margaret Granville.[1] His year of birth is sometimes incorrectly given as 1899, but his birth record states the actual year as 1898 (according to The Times, it was only the delivery of a telegram from Buckingham Palace on his 100th birthday that confirmed he was "a year older than had generally been thought").[2] He was educated in High Wycombe and in Australia, where he lived for some years. He served in the First World War with the Australian Imperial Force in Gallipoli, Egypt, and France. He was a scout with the Australian Light Horse and was wounded with the 4th Light Horse at Gallipoli. He was later president of the Gallipoli Association.
Granville served in the Royal Artillery as an officer in the Second World War, resigning his commission in August 1940.[3] In 1942, he left the Liberal Nationals to form a "People's Movement" with his fellow MP Captain Alec Cunningham-Reid, who had been deprived of the Conservative Party whip after campaigning for the Independent candidate W. J. Brown in the Rugby by-election earlier that year.[4] Attempts at popularising the Movement quickly foundered, however, and after three years sitting as an Independent Granville rejoined the Liberals in 1945. He stood for the party in Eye in that year's general election, facing both Conservative and Labour opposition, and managed to scrape out a win by 949 votes. He won again in 1950 with an even smaller majority – 627 – but could not overcome the Conservatives in the 1951 election and lost his seat.
In 1952 Granville joined the Labour Party, and stood once again for Eye in 1955, losing by just 898 votes despite the fact that Labour had previously been a distant third. He was elevated to the House of Lords as a life peer on 12 September 1967, with the title Baron Granville of Eye, of Eye in the County of Suffolk.[5] Initially sitting as a Labour member, in the 1970s he moved to the crossbenches.[1][6][7] He later swung even further rightwards, reportedly describing Margaret Thatcher as "the best Prime Minister since Churchill."[8] He is one of the few peers to have celebrated their 100th birthday, although he died just two days later.
He was managing director of E. L. Granville & Co. Ltd, chair and furniture manufacturers, of High Wycombe. He also wrote two novels, The Peking Pigeon and The Domino Plan (1975).
He was survived by his wife Elizabeth and a daughter, Linda Gounalakis.
Coat of arms of Edgar Granville, Baron Granville of Eye
Crest
In front of a mount Vert thereon a beech tree Proper a chaplet of roses Argent barbed and seeded Proper.
Escutcheon
Tierced in pairle Vert Purpure and Azure in chief two sea gulls volant Proper and in base a sun in splendour charged with an eye and on a bordure Or eight beech leaves Proper in aestival and autumnal tints alternately.
^'New Peers Choose Titles', The Guardian, 13 September 1967, p. 5.
^Malcolm Baines, 'Edgar Granville (Lord Granville)', in Duncan Brack (ed), Dictionary of Liberal Biography (London: Politico's, 1998), p. 139. ISBN1-90230-109-9
^'Lord Granville of Eye', Daily Telegraph, 17 February 1998, p. 23.
edgar, granville, baron, granville, edgar, louis, granville, baron, granville, february, 1898, february, 1998, british, politician, right, honourablethe, lord, granville, eyeedgar, granvillemember, parliamentfor, eyein, office, 1929, october, 1951preceded, byt. Edgar Louis Granville Baron Granville of Eye 12 February 1898 14 February 1998 was a British politician The Right HonourableThe Lord Granville of EyeEdgar GranvilleMember of Parliamentfor EyeIn office 30 May 1929 5 October 1951Preceded byThe Lord HuntingfieldSucceeded bySir James Harwood HarrisonPersonal detailsBornEdgar Louis Granville12 February 1898Died14 February 1998 1998 02 14 aged 100 Political partyLiberal until 1931 1945 1952 Liberal National 1931 1942 Independent 1942 1945 1970s 1998 Labour 1952 1970s OccupationPoliticianMilitary serviceAllegiance Australia United KingdomBranch service Australian Army British Army 1939 40 UnitFirst Australian Imperial Force Australian Light Horse Royal ArtilleryBattles warsWorld War IEdgar Granville was born in Reading the son of Reginald and Margaret Granville 1 His year of birth is sometimes incorrectly given as 1899 but his birth record states the actual year as 1898 according to The Times it was only the delivery of a telegram from Buckingham Palace on his 100th birthday that confirmed he was a year older than had generally been thought 2 He was educated in High Wycombe and in Australia where he lived for some years He served in the First World War with the Australian Imperial Force in Gallipoli Egypt and France He was a scout with the Australian Light Horse and was wounded with the 4th Light Horse at Gallipoli He was later president of the Gallipoli Association Granville was elected as Liberal Member of Parliament MP for Eye in Suffolk in 1929 He played a wide role within the Liberal Party becoming at various stages chair of their Agricultural Group secretary of the Foreign Affairs Group and vice president of the Young Liberals Becoming a Liberal National for the 1931 general election he served as Parliamentary Private Secretary to then Home Secretary Sir Herbert Samuel then to Sir John Simon Foreign Secretary in the National Governments of the 1930s Granville served in the Royal Artillery as an officer in the Second World War resigning his commission in August 1940 3 In 1942 he left the Liberal Nationals to form a People s Movement with his fellow MP Captain Alec Cunningham Reid who had been deprived of the Conservative Party whip after campaigning for the Independent candidate W J Brown in the Rugby by election earlier that year 4 Attempts at popularising the Movement quickly foundered however and after three years sitting as an Independent Granville rejoined the Liberals in 1945 He stood for the party in Eye in that year s general election facing both Conservative and Labour opposition and managed to scrape out a win by 949 votes He won again in 1950 with an even smaller majority 627 but could not overcome the Conservatives in the 1951 election and lost his seat In 1952 Granville joined the Labour Party and stood once again for Eye in 1955 losing by just 898 votes despite the fact that Labour had previously been a distant third He was elevated to the House of Lords as a life peer on 12 September 1967 with the title Baron Granville of Eye of Eye in the County of Suffolk 5 Initially sitting as a Labour member in the 1970s he moved to the crossbenches 1 6 7 He later swung even further rightwards reportedly describing Margaret Thatcher as the best Prime Minister since Churchill 8 He is one of the few peers to have celebrated their 100th birthday although he died just two days later He was managing director of E L Granville amp Co Ltd chair and furniture manufacturers of High Wycombe He also wrote two novels The Peking Pigeon and The Domino Plan 1975 He was survived by his wife Elizabeth and a daughter Linda Gounalakis Coat of arms of Edgar Granville Baron Granville of Eye Crest In front of a mount Vert thereon a beech tree Proper a chaplet of roses Argent barbed and seeded Proper Escutcheon Tierced in pairle Vert Purpure and Azure in chief two sea gulls volant Proper and in base a sun in splendour charged with an eye and on a bordure Or eight beech leaves Proper in aestival and autumnal tints alternately Supporters Dexter a bay horse sinister a kangaroo Proper Motto Pariter Opus Perseverantia 9 Bibliography editEntry by Dr Malcolm Baines in Dictionary of Liberal Biography Brack et al eds Politico s 1998 References edit a b Granville of Eye Who s Who amp Who Was Who Vol 2022 online ed A amp C Black Subscription or UK public library membership required Obituaries Lord Granville of Eye The Times 17 February 1998 p 23 No 34922 The London Gazette Supplement 13 August 1940 p 5003 PHS The Times Diary The Times 16 July 1971 p 12 No 44406 The London Gazette 12 September 1967 p 9903 New Peers Choose Titles The Guardian 13 September 1967 p 5 Malcolm Baines Edgar Granville Lord Granville in Duncan Brack ed Dictionary of Liberal Biography London Politico s 1998 p 139 ISBN 1 90230 109 9 Lord Granville of Eye Daily Telegraph 17 February 1998 p 23 Debrett s Peerage 1973 External links editHansard 1803 2005 contributions in Parliament by Edgar Granville Obituary in The IndependentParliament of the United KingdomPreceded byThe Lord Huntingfield Member for Eye1929 1951 Succeeded bySir James Harwood Harrison Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Edgar Granville Baron Granville of Eye amp oldid 1170970900, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
