John Richard Anthony Oldfield
Encyclopedia
John "Jack" Richard Anthony Oldfield (5 July 1899 – 11 December 1999), was a British
landowner and politician.
The son of Major H E Oldfield of the Royal Field Artillery
, his father was killed in action two days before his first birthday during the Second Anglo-Boer War
. With his widowed mother he moved home many times, spending much time at Doddington Place
, Kent
, which had been purchased by his grandfather and aunt in 1906.
Educated at Eton College
, Oldfield was commissioned as an officer in the Grenadier Guards
in the latter stages of the First World War
. In 1920 he entered Trinity College, Cambridge
. While at Cambridge he converted from Anglicanism
to Roman Catholicism. He also took an interest in social matters, and began voluntary work at Toynbee Hall
in the East End of London
and joined the Labour Party
in the early 1920s.
At the 1929 general election
he was elected as member of parliament
for South East Essex
. With the formation of the Second Labour Government he was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Air
, Lord Thomson
. Thomson was killed when the R101
airship crashed on its maiden voyage in October 1930, and Oldfield returned to the backbenches.
With the formation of a National Government in August 1931 the parliamentary Labour Party was split, with supporters of Prime Minister Ramsay McDonald forming the National Labour Organisation and the remaining MPs moving to the opposition benches. Oldfield chose to join the latter group, and when a general election was held in October 1931
, was defeated with most of his Labour colleagues. He attempted to regain the seat in 1935
without success.
Earlier in 1931 Oldfield had been elected to the London County Council
to represent Whitechapel and St George's. He remained a member of the council until 1958, later representing Stepney
and was vice chairman in 1954–1955.
With the outbreak of World War II
in 1939 Oldfield attempted to rejoin the forces, but was initially rejected due to his age. He eventually succeeded in enlisting as an able seaman
in the Royal Navy
. He finished the war with the rank of sub-lieutenant
.
In 1953 he married Jonnet Elizabeth Richards, and the couple moved to Doddington. There he created a mushroom farm while his wife worked on the gardens of Doddington Place. In 1964 he joined the Conservative Party
and was elected to Kent County Council
in the following year. He remained on the council until 1981.
He died at Doddington aged 100 in December 1999.
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...
landowner and politician.
The son of Major H E Oldfield of the Royal Field Artillery
Royal Field Artillery
The Royal Field Artillery of the British Army provided artillery support for the British Army. It came into being when the Royal Artillery was divided on 1 July 1899, it was reamalgamated back into the Royal Artillery in 1924....
, his father was killed in action two days before his first birthday during the Second Anglo-Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
. With his widowed mother he moved home many times, spending much time at Doddington Place
Doddington, Kent
Doddington is an affluent rural English village, in the south eastern county of Kent, within the borough of Swale. A picturesque village nestling in the 'Syndale Valley' which is in the Kent Downs and is designated an Area of outstanding natural beauty...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, which had been purchased by his grandfather and aunt in 1906.
Educated at Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
, Oldfield was commissioned as an officer in the Grenadier Guards
Grenadier Guards
The Grenadier Guards is an infantry regiment of the British Army. It is the most senior regiment of the Guards Division and, as such, is the most senior regiment of infantry. It is not, however, the most senior regiment of the Army, this position being attributed to the Life Guards...
in the latter stages of the First World War
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 1920 he entered 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...
. While at Cambridge he converted from Anglicanism
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
to Roman Catholicism. He also took an interest in social matters, and began voluntary work at Toynbee Hall
Toynbee Hall
Toynbee Hall is a building in Tower Hamlets, East London which is the home of a charity working to bridge the gap between people of all social and financial backgrounds, with a focus on eradicating poverty and promoting social inclusion....
in the East End of London
East End of London
The East End of London, also known simply as the East End, is the area of London, England, United Kingdom, east of the medieval walled City of London and north of the River Thames. Although not defined by universally accepted formal boundaries, the River Lea can be considered another boundary...
and joined the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
in the early 1920s.
At the 1929 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1929
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
he was elected 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,...
for South East Essex
South East Essex (UK Parliament constituency)
South East Essex was a parliamentary constituency in Essex in the East of England...
. With the formation of the Second Labour Government he was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Air
Secretary of State for Air
The Secretary of State for Air was a cabinet level British position. The person holding this position was in charge of the Air Ministry. It was created on 10 January 1919 to manage the Royal Air Force...
, Lord Thomson
Christopher Thomson, 1st Baron Thomson
Christopher Birdwood Thomson, 1st Baron Thomson PC was a British Army officer who went on to serve as a Labour minister and peer...
. Thomson was killed when the R101
R101
R101 was one of a pair of British rigid airship completed in 1929 as part of a British government programme to develop civil airships capable of service on long-distance routes within the British Empire. It was designed and built by an Air Ministry-appointed team and was effectively in competition...
airship crashed on its maiden voyage in October 1930, and Oldfield returned to the backbenches.
With the formation of a National Government in August 1931 the parliamentary Labour Party was split, with supporters of Prime Minister Ramsay McDonald forming the National Labour Organisation and the remaining MPs moving to the opposition benches. Oldfield chose to join the latter group, and when a general election was held in October 1931
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...
, was defeated with most of his Labour colleagues. He attempted to regain the seat in 1935
United Kingdom general election, 1935
The United Kingdom general election held on 14 November 1935 resulted in a large, though reduced, majority for the National Government now led by Conservative Stanley Baldwin. The greatest number of MPs, as before, were Conservative, while the National Liberal vote held steady...
without success.
Earlier in 1931 Oldfield had been elected to the London County Council
London County Council
London County Council was the principal local government body for the County of London, throughout its 1889–1965 existence, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today known as Inner London and was replaced by the Greater London Council...
to represent Whitechapel and St George's. He remained a member of the council until 1958, later representing Stepney
Stepney (UK Parliament constituency)
Stepney was a parliamentary constituency centred on the Stepney district of the East End of London. 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 system.-History:...
and was vice chairman in 1954–1955.
With the outbreak of 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...
in 1939 Oldfield attempted to rejoin the forces, but was initially rejected due to his age. He eventually succeeded in enlisting as an able seaman
Able Seaman (rank)
In the British Royal Navy in the middle of the 18th century, the term able seaman referred to a seaman with at least two years' experience at sea...
in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
. He finished the war with the rank of sub-lieutenant
Sub-Lieutenant
Sub-lieutenant is a military rank. It is normally a junior officer rank.In many navies, a sub-lieutenant is a naval commissioned or subordinate officer, ranking below a lieutenant. In the Royal Navy the rank of sub-lieutenant is equivalent to the rank of lieutenant in the British Army and of...
.
In 1953 he married Jonnet Elizabeth Richards, and the couple moved to Doddington. There he created a mushroom farm while his wife worked on the gardens of Doddington Place. In 1964 he joined the 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...
and was elected to Kent County Council
Kent County Council
Kent County Council is the county council that governs the majority of the county of Kent in England. It provides the upper tier of local government, below which are 12 district councils, and around 300 town and parish councils. The county council has 84 elected councillors...
in the following year. He remained on the council until 1981.
He died at Doddington aged 100 in December 1999.