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James Allason

Lieutenant Colonel James Harry Allason, OBE (6 September 1912 – 16 June 2011) was a British Conservative Party politician, sportsman, and former military planner who worked with Lord Mountbatten and Winston Churchill. At the time of his death, he was the oldest living former member of the House of Commons.

James Allason
Member of Parliament for Hemel Hempstead
In office
8 October 1959 – 20 September 1974
Preceded byFrances Davidson
Succeeded byRobin Corbett
Personal details
Born
James Harry Allason

(1912-09-06)6 September 1912
Kensington, London
Died16 June 2011(2011-06-16) (aged 98)
NationalityBritish
Political partyConservative
RelationsBrigadier General Walter Allason (father)
Military service
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Branch/serviceBritish Army
Years of service1930–1954
RankLieutenant Colonel
Battles/warsSecond World War
AwardsOfficer of the Order of the British Empire

Military career edit

The son of Brigadier General Walter Allason by his wife Katherine Hamilton Poland, daughter of Vice Admiral James Augustus Poland,[1][2] James Allason was raised primarily by a great-aunt following the death of his mother in 1913 protecting the infant James in a fall down stairs. Allason was a great-grandson of the architect Thomas Allason.[1]

Allason was educated at Haileybury and Imperial Service College and the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. He served as an officer in the British Army for 24 years from 1930 to 1954, including in India, Ceylon and Burma, rising to the rank of lieutenant colonel. He joined the Royal Artillery in 1932, transferring to the 3rd Carabiniers in 1937. A gifted mathematician, he addressed the problem of using magnetic compasses with tanks: the Allason Sun Compass was adopted for use throughout the Asian theatre.

Allason worked with the Supreme Allied Commander, Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten, as joint planning staff officer in South East Asia Command and was wounded while commanding tanks during the Burma campaign. He subsequently occupied a similar post as senior military planner at the War Office in London, answering Winston Churchill's queries and providing briefings in the Cabinet War Rooms. His last planning task was to advise on the logistics of withdrawing from Palestine. From 1950 to 1954, he served at the War Office in charge of army discipline.

Political career edit

After leaving the army Allason worked as a Lloyd's of London insurance broker. He was elected a councillor on Kensington Borough Council in 1956.

Allason contested Hackney Central in 1955. He was Member of Parliament for Hemel Hempstead (after defeating Margaret Thatcher for the Conservative nomination) from 1959 to 1974, when, following boundary changes, he narrowly lost the seat in the October election of that year to Labour's Robin Corbett.

In government Allason was acknowledged for his expertise not only on defence but also in the arcane but key subject of pensions.[citation needed] When the Conservatives were in opposition, Allason was the front-bench spokesman on Housing for six years and is credited with development of the policy of enabling council house tenants to purchase their own properties. That was taken up by Margaret Thatcher and adopted by subsequent Conservative governments, contributing to their electoral victories. After leaving parliament he continued to exercise a rational influence on environmental policy from positions on the executive of the Town and Country Planning Association and the Environment Council's Transport Committee.

After the deaths of Patrick Maitland, 17th Earl of Lauderdale, in December 2008 and Bert Hazell in January 2009, Allason became the oldest living former British Member of Parliament.[3]

Personal interests edit

As a sportsman Allason raced Bentleys at Brooklands, played polo with maharajahs in India, skied and sailed in international competition, and represented the House of Commons in five sports. He continued skiing until his 87th year, and continued to play Contract Bridge and attend the Opera, on which subjects he wrote.

In 1946, Allason married Nuala (who acted as Nuala McElveen and Nuala Barrie), daughter of John A. McArevey, of Foxrock, Dublin. They had two sons, the younger of whom, the Intelligence historian Rupert Allason, followed him into parliament as Member for Torbay. Julian (1948–2015), the elder son, was a photographer and travel-writer, as well as vice-president of the Anthony Powell Society.[4][5] The marriage was dissolved in 1974. His wife continued to live at what had been their family home at 15 Cheyne Walk in Chelsea.[6] Allason also lived at Pump Lane House, Bembridge, Isle of Wight.[1]

Notes edit

  1. ^ a b c Burke's Landed Gentry, eighteenth edition, vol. I, ed. Peter Townend, 1965, Burke's Peerage Ltd, p. 9
  2. ^ "Lt-Col James Allason: War hero who became an MP and formulated the Tory policy of selling council houses to tenants". The Independent. 22 October 2011.
  3. ^ Crick, Michael (27 June 2011). "On the death of the oldest former MP, James Allason". BBC News. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
  4. ^ "Julian Allason – obituary". www.telegraph.co.uk.
  5. ^ . Archived from the original on 17 August 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  6. ^ . Daily Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group Limited. Archived from the original on 4 January 2014. Retrieved 3 December 2013.

References edit

  • Times Guide to the House of Commons, 1950, 1966 and October 1974
  • Ringside Seat, by James Allason, Timewell Press, London 2007

External links edit

  • Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by James Allason
  • Obituary in The Independent
  • Obituary in The Telegraph

james, allason, lieutenant, colonel, james, harry, allason, september, 1912, june, 2011, british, conservative, party, politician, sportsman, former, military, planner, worked, with, lord, mountbatten, winston, churchill, time, death, oldest, living, former, m. Lieutenant Colonel James Harry Allason OBE 6 September 1912 16 June 2011 was a British Conservative Party politician sportsman and former military planner who worked with Lord Mountbatten and Winston Churchill At the time of his death he was the oldest living former member of the House of Commons James AllasonOBEMember of Parliament for Hemel HempsteadIn office 8 October 1959 20 September 1974Preceded byFrances DavidsonSucceeded byRobin CorbettPersonal detailsBornJames Harry Allason 1912 09 06 6 September 1912Kensington LondonDied16 June 2011 2011 06 16 aged 98 NationalityBritishPolitical partyConservativeRelationsBrigadier General Walter Allason father Military serviceAllegianceUnited KingdomBranch serviceBritish ArmyYears of service1930 1954RankLieutenant ColonelBattles warsSecond World WarAwardsOfficer of the Order of the British Empire Contents 1 Military career 2 Political career 3 Personal interests 4 Notes 5 References 6 External linksMilitary career editThe son of Brigadier General Walter Allason by his wife Katherine Hamilton Poland daughter of Vice Admiral James Augustus Poland 1 2 James Allason was raised primarily by a great aunt following the death of his mother in 1913 protecting the infant James in a fall down stairs Allason was a great grandson of the architect Thomas Allason 1 Allason was educated at Haileybury and Imperial Service College and the Royal Military Academy Woolwich He served as an officer in the British Army for 24 years from 1930 to 1954 including in India Ceylon and Burma rising to the rank of lieutenant colonel He joined the Royal Artillery in 1932 transferring to the 3rd Carabiniers in 1937 A gifted mathematician he addressed the problem of using magnetic compasses with tanks the Allason Sun Compass was adopted for use throughout the Asian theatre Allason worked with the Supreme Allied Commander Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten as joint planning staff officer in South East Asia Command and was wounded while commanding tanks during the Burma campaign He subsequently occupied a similar post as senior military planner at the War Office in London answering Winston Churchill s queries and providing briefings in the Cabinet War Rooms His last planning task was to advise on the logistics of withdrawing from Palestine From 1950 to 1954 he served at the War Office in charge of army discipline Political career editAfter leaving the army Allason worked as a Lloyd s of London insurance broker He was elected a councillor on Kensington Borough Council in 1956 Allason contested Hackney Central in 1955 He was Member of Parliament for Hemel Hempstead after defeating Margaret Thatcher for the Conservative nomination from 1959 to 1974 when following boundary changes he narrowly lost the seat in the October election of that year to Labour s Robin Corbett In government Allason was acknowledged for his expertise not only on defence but also in the arcane but key subject of pensions citation needed When the Conservatives were in opposition Allason was the front bench spokesman on Housing for six years and is credited with development of the policy of enabling council house tenants to purchase their own properties That was taken up by Margaret Thatcher and adopted by subsequent Conservative governments contributing to their electoral victories After leaving parliament he continued to exercise a rational influence on environmental policy from positions on the executive of the Town and Country Planning Association and the Environment Council s Transport Committee After the deaths of Patrick Maitland 17th Earl of Lauderdale in December 2008 and Bert Hazell in January 2009 Allason became the oldest living former British Member of Parliament 3 Personal interests editAs a sportsman Allason raced Bentleys at Brooklands played polo with maharajahs in India skied and sailed in international competition and represented the House of Commons in five sports He continued skiing until his 87th year and continued to play Contract Bridge and attend the Opera on which subjects he wrote In 1946 Allason married Nuala who acted as Nuala McElveen and Nuala Barrie daughter of John A McArevey of Foxrock Dublin They had two sons the younger of whom the Intelligence historian Rupert Allason followed him into parliament as Member for Torbay Julian 1948 2015 the elder son was a photographer and travel writer as well as vice president of the Anthony Powell Society 4 5 The marriage was dissolved in 1974 His wife continued to live at what had been their family home at 15 Cheyne Walk in Chelsea 6 Allason also lived at Pump Lane House Bembridge Isle of Wight 1 Notes edit a b c Burke s Landed Gentry eighteenth edition vol I ed Peter Townend 1965 Burke s Peerage Ltd p 9 Lt Col James Allason War hero who became an MP and formulated the Tory policy of selling council houses to tenants The Independent 22 October 2011 Crick Michael 27 June 2011 On the death of the oldest former MP James Allason BBC News Retrieved 28 November 2017 Julian Allason obituary www telegraph co uk Blog has been removed Archived from the original on 17 August 2016 Retrieved 31 July 2016 Cheyne Walk on the wild side for 5m Daily Telegraph Telegraph Media Group Limited Archived from the original on 4 January 2014 Retrieved 3 December 2013 References editTimes Guide to the House of Commons 1950 1966 and October 1974 Leigh Rayment s Historical List of MPs Ringside Seat by James Allason Timewell Press London 2007External links editHansard 1803 2005 contributions in Parliament by James Allason Obituary in The Independent Obituary in The TelegraphParliament of the United KingdomPreceded byFrances Davidson Member of Parliament for Hemel Hempstead1959 1974 Succeeded byRobin Corbett Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title James Allason amp oldid 1187949956, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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