John Grimston, 6th Earl of Verulam (17 July 1912 – 15 April 1973),[1] styled the Honourable John Grimston until 1960, was a British peer and Conservative Member of Parliament (MP).

Early life and education

Verulam was born John Grimston on 17 July 1912 in St Albans, Hertfordshire, the second son of James Grimston, 4th Earl of Verulam and his wife Lady Violet Constance Maitland Brabazon. He was educated at Oundle School and Christ Church, Oxford.[2]

Verulam was a tobacco farmer in Southern Rhodesia for two years before becoming director and general manager of Enfield Rolling Mills in 1938.[2]

Royal Air Force

Verulam joined the Royal Air Force Reserve of Officers in 1930 as a pilot and he was injured in an aircraft accident in 1933.[2] In 1937 he joined the Auxiliary Air Force and served in Coastal Command during the Second World War as a pilot.[2]

Political career

Verulam was elected to the House of Commons as MP for St Albans at the by-election in 1943,[3][4] but was defeated at the 1945 general election by the Labour candidate Cyril Dumpleton.[4] However, he re-took the seat at the 1950 general election,[5] and held it until he retired from the House of Commons at the 1959 general election.[1]

In 1960 Verulam succeeded his elder brother James in the earldom and entered the House of Lords.

Marriage and children

Verulam married Marjorie Ray Duncan, daughter of Walter Atholl Duncan and Clara Ray Parks, in 1938. The couple had five children:[6]

Death

Verulam died in April 1973 at the age of 60 and was succeeded in the earldom and other titles by his only son, John

Notes

  1. 1 2 Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "S" (part 1)
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Earl of Verulam - Former Tory MP for St Albans". The Times. No. 58760. London. 17 April 1973. p. 18.
  3. ↑ New M.P. For St. Albans, The Times, Wednesday 6 October 1943; page 2
  4. 1 2 Craig, F. W. S. (1983) [1969]. British parliamentary election results 1918–1949 (3rd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 375. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.
  5. ↑ "UK General Election results February 1950". Richard Kimber's political science resources. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 13 August 2010.
  6. ↑ Mosley, Charles, editor. Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes. Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003

References

  • Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990.
  • Leigh Rayment's Peerage Pages
  • Lundy, Darryl. "FAQ". The Peerage.
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