Brian Harrison (Conservative politician)
Encyclopedia
Brian Clarke Harrison DL
(3 October 1921 – 21 August 2011) was a British
Conservative
politician.
Harrison was born in 1921 in Melbourne, Australia
. He was the son of the soldier and politician Eric Harrison
. He was educated at Geelong Grammar School
and during World War II
served in the Australian Army
from 1940 and as a volunteer with the Australian Independent Companies (Commandos)
in Halmahera
and Borneo
.
After the war he was at Trinity College, Cambridge
. He rowed for Cambridge
in the record-breaking crew in the 1948 Boat Race. Most of the crew rowed for Great Britain in the 1948 Summer Olympics
; Harrison did not participate in the Games as Australia did not enter a squad.
Harrison returned to Australia from 1950 to 1951 and studied immigration and development. He then settled in the UK to become a farmer and estate manager near Colchester
. He became London director of the Commercial Bank of Australia
in January 1966. He served as a councillor on Lexden and Winstree Rural District
Council in Essex
. He was also High Sheriff of Essex
in 1979 and a Deputy Lieutenant
of the county.
Harrison was elected in the 1955 general election
as Member of Parliament
(MP) for Maldon
and served until he stood down in February 1974 general election
. He served as Parliamentary Private Secretary
to John Hare
while Hare was Minister of State for the Colonies between 1955 and 1956, Secretary of State for War
from 1956 to 1958 and Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
from 1958 to 1960.
Harrison died in Colchester on 21 August 2011 aged 89 following a short illness.
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
(3 October 1921 – 21 August 2011) was a British
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
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.
Harrison was born in 1921 in Melbourne, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. He was the son of the soldier and politician Eric Harrison
Eric Harrison (Australian soldier)
Eric Fairweather Harrison was an Australian soldier and politician.Harrison was born in the Sydney suburb of Stanmore, New South Wales and educated at Sydney Church of England Grammar School and Bedford Grammar School in England. He graduated from Trinity College, Cambridge with a B.A. in 1901...
. He was educated at Geelong Grammar School
Geelong Grammar School
Geelong Grammar School is an independent, Anglican, co-educational, boarding and day school. The school's main campus is located at Corio, on the northern outskirts of Geelong, Victoria, Australia, overlooking Corio Bay and Limeburners Bay....
and 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...
served in the Australian Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
from 1940 and as a volunteer with the Australian Independent Companies (Commandos)
Australian commandos
The name commando has been applied to a variety of Australian special forces and light infantry units that have been formed since 1941–42. The first Australian "commando" units were formed during the Second World War, where they mainly performed reconnaissance and long-range patrol roles during...
in Halmahera
Halmahera
Halmahera is the largest island in the Maluku Islands. It is part of the North Maluku province of Indonesia.Halmahera has a land area of 17,780 km² and a population in 1995 of 162,728...
and Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
.
After the war he was at Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
. He rowed for Cambridge
Cambridge University Boat Club
The Cambridge University Boat Club is the rowing club of the University of Cambridge, England, located on the River Cam at Cambridge, although training primarily takes place on the River Great Ouse at Ely. The club was founded in 1828...
in the record-breaking crew in the 1948 Boat Race. Most of the crew rowed for Great Britain in the 1948 Summer Olympics
1948 Summer Olympics
The 1948 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in London, England, United Kingdom. After a 12-year hiatus because of World War II, these were the first Summer Olympics since the 1936 Games in Berlin...
; Harrison did not participate in the Games as Australia did not enter a squad.
Harrison returned to Australia from 1950 to 1951 and studied immigration and development. He then settled in the UK to become a farmer and estate manager near Colchester
Colchester
Colchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...
. He became London director of the Commercial Bank of Australia
Commercial Bank of Australia
The Commercial Bank of Australia was an Australian retail bank which merged into the Bank of New South Wales bank in 1982, to form Westpac...
in January 1966. He served as a councillor on Lexden and Winstree Rural District
Rural district
Rural districts were a type of local government area – now superseded – established at the end of the 19th century in England, Wales, and Ireland for the administration of predominantly rural areas at a level lower than that of the administrative counties.-England and Wales:In England...
Council in Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
. He was also High Sheriff of Essex
High Sheriff of Essex
The High Sheriff of Essex was an ancient High Sheriff title originating in the time of the Angles, not long after the invasion of the Kingdom of England, which was in existence for around a thousand years...
in 1979 and a Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
of the county.
Harrison was elected in 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...
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 Maldon
Maldon (UK Parliament constituency)
Maldon is a county 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...
and served until he stood down in February 1974 general election
United Kingdom general election, February 1974
The United Kingdom's general election of February 1974 was held on the 28th of that month. It was the first of two United Kingdom general elections held that year, and the first election since the Second World War not to produce an overall majority in the House of Commons for the winning party,...
. He served as Parliamentary Private Secretary
Parliamentary Private Secretary
A Parliamentary Private Secretary is a role given to a United Kingdom Member of Parliament by a senior minister in government or shadow minister to act as their contact for the House of Commons; this role is junior to that of Parliamentary Under-Secretary, which is a ministerial post, salaried by...
to John Hare
John Hare, 1st Viscount Blakenham
John Hugh Hare, 1st Viscount Blakenham OBE, PC, DL , was a British Conservative politician.-Background and education:...
while Hare was Minister of State for the Colonies between 1955 and 1956, Secretary of State for War
Secretary of State for War
The position of Secretary of State for War, commonly called War Secretary, was a British cabinet-level position, first held by Henry Dundas . In 1801 the post became that of Secretary of State for War and the Colonies. The position was re-instated in 1854...
from 1956 to 1958 and Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food was a UK cabinet position, responsible for the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. The post was originally named President of the Board of Agriculture and was created in 1889...
from 1958 to 1960.
Harrison died in Colchester on 21 August 2011 aged 89 following a short illness.