Vyvyan Adams
Encyclopedia
Vyvyan Adams full name Samuel Vyvyan Trerice Adams, was a British Conservative Party
politician. He was the Member of Parliament
for Leeds West
from 1931 to 1945, when he was defeated by the swing to Labour
. He stood unsuccessfully in the Fulham East
constituency in 1947 and 1950
. He had been adopted for the safe
Conservative seat of Darwen
early in 1951, but died later that year.
His Times obituary was headed Intellectual Honesty and Independence. He was opposed to appeasement of Mussolini (in Abyssinia) and Hitler, and was one of the two Conservative MPs (with Duff Cooper
) to oppose the Munich agreement with Hitler in 1938. He was opposed to the death penalty.
, who was later a televisiion producer and programme director. He was a barrister, and was a Major in the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
of the British Army in World War II.
In 1951 he drowned while swimming at Gunwalloe Church Cove near Helston, Cornwall, a place noted for strong currents. Their daughter Sally, then 14, helped her mother but was unable to save her father.
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. He was the 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 Leeds West
Leeds West (UK Parliament constituency)
Leeds West is a borough constituency in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire which is represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
from 1931 to 1945, when he was defeated by the swing to Labour
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...
. He stood unsuccessfully in the Fulham East
Fulham East (UK Parliament constituency)
Fulham East was a borough constituency in the Metropolitan Borough of Fulham in London. It was represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 to 1955...
constituency in 1947 and 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...
. He had been adopted for the safe
Safe seat
A safe seat is a seat in a legislative body which is regarded as fully secured, either by a certain political party, the incumbent representative personally or a combination of both...
Conservative seat of Darwen
Darwen (UK Parliament constituency)
Darwen was a county constituency in Lancashire, centred on the town of Darwen. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 until it was abolished for the 1983 general election....
early in 1951, but died later that year.
His Times obituary was headed Intellectual Honesty and Independence. He was opposed to appeasement of Mussolini (in Abyssinia) and Hitler, and was one of the two Conservative MPs (with Duff Cooper
Duff Cooper
Alfred Duff Cooper, 1st Viscount Norwich GCMG, DSO, PC , known as Duff Cooper, was a British Conservative Party politician, diplomat and author. He wrote six books, including an autobiography, Old Men Forget, and a biography of Talleyrand...
) to oppose the Munich agreement with Hitler in 1938. He was opposed to the death penalty.
Personal
He was educated at Kings School, Cambridge, Haileybury, and Kings College, Cambridge (MA). He married in 1925 Mary CampinMary Adams (broadcaster)
Mary Grace Agnes Adams [née Campin] , television producer and programme director, was a producer and administrator in the BBC. She was instrumental in setting up the BBC's television service both before and after World War II....
, who was later a televisiion producer and programme director. He was a barrister, and was a Major in the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
The Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1959. Its lineage is continued today by The Rifles....
of the British Army in World War II.
In 1951 he drowned while swimming at Gunwalloe Church Cove near Helston, Cornwall, a place noted for strong currents. Their daughter Sally, then 14, helped her mother but was unable to save her father.
Publications
He wrote several books, the first three under the pseudonym Watchman:- Right Honourable Gentlemen (1939)
- What of the Night? (1940)
- Churchill: Architect of Victory (1940)
- A Letter to a Young Politician (1946)
- The British Co-operative Movement (1948)