Hugh Seely, 1st Baron Sherwood

Hugh Michael Seely, 1st Baron Sherwood (2 October 1898 – 1 April 1970), known as Sir Hugh Seely, 3rd Baronet of Sherwood Lodge, Nottinghamshire, from 1926 to 1941, was a British Liberal politician.

The Lord Sherwood
Under-Secretary of State for Air
In office
1941–1944
Serving with The Lord Balfour of Inchrye (1941–44)
Prime MinisterWinston Churchill
Preceded byAnthony Muirhead
Succeeded byRupert Brabner
Member of Parliament
for Berwick-upon-Tweed
In office
14 November 1935  14 August 1941
Preceded byAlfred Todd
Succeeded byGeorge Grey
Member of Parliament
for East Norfolk
In office
6 December 1923  29 October 1924
Preceded byMichael Falcon
Succeeded byReginald Neville
Personal details
Born(1898-10-02)2 October 1898
Died1 April 1970(1970-04-01) (aged 71)
NationalityBritish
Political partyLiberal
Spouses
Hon. Molly Chetwode
(m. 1942; div. 1948)
    Catherine Thornton Ranger
    (m. 1970)
    Military service
    AllegianceUnited Kingdom
    Branch/serviceBritish Army,Auxiliary Air Force
    Years of service1914–1918, 1936-1938
    RankLieutenant, Squadron Leader
    UnitGrenadier Guards, No. 504 Squadron RAF
    CommandsNo. 504 Squadron RAF
    Battles/warsFirst World War

    Early life

    Seely was born on 2 October 1898 into a family of politicians, industrialists and significant landowners. His great-grandfather Charles Seely, grandfather Sir Charles Seely, 1st Baronet, father Sir Charles Seely, 2nd Baronet, and uncle John Edward Bernard Seely, 1st Baron Mottistone were all Members of Parliament. His mother, Hilda Lucy Grant, was the daughter of Richard Tassell Anthony Grant and the granddaughter of inventor Sir Thomas Tassell Grant. His brother Victor's son was Sir Nigel Edward Seely.[1]

    Seely was educated at Eton College and became a lieutenant in the Grenadier Guards.[1]

    Career

    He served with the Auxiliary Air Force and was the Commanding Officer for No. 504 Squadron RAF from 1936 to 1938.[2] He was a Member of Parliament (MP) for East Norfolk from 1923 to 1924, High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire for 1925 and MP for Berwick-upon-Tweed from 1935 to 1941. He was the Joint Under-Secretary of State for Air during a large part of the Second World War (1941–45). In 1946 he acquired and was Chairman of the famous gunmaker James Purdey and Sons.[3]

    He was created Baron Sherwood, of Calverton in the County of Nottingham on 14 August 1941.[4]

    Personal life

    On 23 March 1942, he married Hon. Molly Patricia (née Berry) Chetwode, daughter of William Berry, 1st Viscount Camrose, who owned The Daily Telegraph newspaper. She was the widow of Roger Charles George Chetwode (a son of Philip Chetwode, 1st Baron Chetwode), with whom she had two sons. The marriage was short lived, however, as the couple divorced in 1948. She later married Sir Richard Cotterell, 5th Baronet in 1958.[1]

    Lord Sherwood remarried to Catherine (née Thornton) Ranger (widow of John Osborne Ranger) on 16 March 1970, shortly before his death on 1 April 1970. As he had no children, the barony became extinct upon his death. His brother Victor Seely inherited the baronetcy.[1]

    See also

    References

    1. Peter W. Hammond, editor, The Complete Peerage or a History of the House of Lords and All its Members From the Earliest Times, Volume XIV: Addenda & Corrigenda (Stroud, Gloucestershire, U.K.: Sutton Publishing, 1998), page 749.
    2. Rolls-Royce From the Wings 1925-1971 Military Aviation,R.W.Harker,ISBN 0 902280 38 4, p.20 photograph caption "...From the left:...Lord Sherwood."
    3. "Purdey History". Purdey: Gun & Rifle Makers. Retrieved 14 January 2017.
    4. "No. 35251". The London Gazette. 19 August 1941. p. 4808.

    Further reading

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