Robert Mathew
Encyclopedia
Robert Mathew TD
(9 May 1911 – 8 December 1966) was a British
Barrister and politician.
From a military family (his father was a Major-General), Mathew went to Eton College
and Trinity College
, Cambridge
. He read for the Bar and was called (Lincoln's Inn
) in 1937. He joined the Territorial Army in the King's Royal Rifle Corps
and during the Second World War served in Italy and Greece as well as at the Staff College. He ended the war with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel.
He was demobilized early as a Parliamentary candidate, fighting South Ayrshire
for the Conservative Party
in the 1945 general election
. He fought the same seat in a 1946 byelection, having in the meantime been elected to Chelsea
Borough Council for Hans Town ward. He fought Rochester and Chatham
in the elections of 1950
and 1951
, a potentially winnable seat.
Mathew was chosen for the safe seat of Honiton
and won it in the 1955 general election
. Derek Walker-Smith
, who served as Minister for Health, picked him as his Parliamentary Private Secretary
from 1957 to 1960 and also in 1964. Although a backbencher, Mathew's views were regarded as important; his strong support for British membership of the European Economic Community
when the Macmillan government applied for membership did much to solidify Conservative opinion.
Mathew died in his sleep in December 1966 at the early age of 55.
Territorial Decoration
The Territorial Decoration was a medal of the United Kingdom awarded for long service in the Territorial Force and its successor, the Territorial Army...
(9 May 1911 – 8 December 1966) 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...
Barrister and politician.
From a military family (his father was a Major-General), Mathew went to 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"....
and Trinity College
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...
, Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
. He read for the Bar and was called (Lincoln's Inn
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn. Although Lincoln's Inn is able to trace its official records beyond...
) in 1937. He joined the Territorial Army in the King's Royal Rifle Corps
King's Royal Rifle Corps
The King's Royal Rifle Corps was a British Army infantry regiment, originally raised in colonial North America as the Royal Americans, and recruited from American colonists. Later ranked as the 60th Regiment of Foot, the regiment served for more than 200 years throughout the British Empire...
and during the Second World War served in Italy and Greece as well as at the Staff College. He ended the war with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel.
He was demobilized early as a Parliamentary candidate, fighting South Ayrshire
South Ayrshire (UK Parliament constituency)
South Ayrshire was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1868 until 1983, when it was abolished...
for 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...
in the 1945 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1945
The United Kingdom general election of 1945 was a general election held on 5 July 1945, with polls in some constituencies delayed until 12 July and in Nelson and Colne until 19 July, due to local wakes weeks. The results were counted and declared on 26 July, due in part to the time it took to...
. He fought the same seat in a 1946 byelection, having in the meantime been elected to Chelsea
Metropolitan Borough of Chelsea
The Metropolitan Borough of Chelsea was a Metropolitan borough of the County of London between 1900 and 1965. It was created by the London Government Act 1899 from most of the ancient parish of Chelsea...
Borough Council for Hans Town ward. He fought Rochester and Chatham
Rochester and Chatham (UK Parliament constituency)
Rochester and Chatham was a parliamentary constituency in Kent which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1950 until it was abolished for the 1983 general election....
in the elections of 1950
United Kingdom general election, 1950
The 1950 United Kingdom general election was the first general election ever after a full term of a Labour government. Despite polling over one and a half million votes more than the Conservatives, the election, held on 23 February 1950 resulted in Labour receiving a slim majority of just five...
and 1951
United Kingdom general election, 1951
The 1951 United Kingdom general election was held eighteen months after the 1950 general election, which the Labour Party had won with a slim majority of just five seats...
, a potentially winnable seat.
Mathew was chosen for the safe seat of Honiton
Honiton (UK Parliament constituency)
Honiton was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Honiton in east Devon, formerly represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It sent members intermittently from 1300, consistently from 1640. It elected two Members of Parliament until it was...
and won it 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...
. Derek Walker-Smith
Derek Walker-Smith
Derek Colclough Walker-Smith, Baron Broxbourne PC, TD, QC, Bt. , known as Sir Derek Walker-Smith, Bt., from 1960 to 1983, was a British Conservative Party politician....
, who served as Minister for Health, picked him as his 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...
from 1957 to 1960 and also in 1964. Although a backbencher, Mathew's views were regarded as important; his strong support for British membership of the European Economic Community
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
when the Macmillan government applied for membership did much to solidify Conservative opinion.
Mathew died in his sleep in December 1966 at the early age of 55.