Herbert Butcher

Sir Herbert Walter Butcher, 1st Baronet (12 June 1901 – 11 May 1966)^[1] was an English Conservative and National Liberal^[2] politician. He sat in the House of Commons from 1937 to 1966.

Sir Herbert Butcher Bt
Butcher in 1952
Member of Parliament for Holland with Boston
In office 24 June 1937 – 10 March 1966
Preceded by	James Blindell
Succeeded by	Richard Body
Mayor of Hackney
In office 1935–1937
Preceded by	Henry Goodrich
Succeeded by	Henry Capell
Personal details
Born	Herbert Walter Butcher (1901-06-12)12 June 1901
Died	11 May 1966(1966-05-11) (aged 64)
Political party	National Liberal (1948–1966)
Other political affiliations	Liberal National (before 1948)
Parent	Frank Butcher
Education	Hastings Grammar School

Early life

Butcher was the son of Frank Butcher.^[3] He was educated at Hastings Grammar School, and served in the Royal Navy during World War I, from 1916 to 1919.^[3] He was as a Hackney Borough Councillor from 1928 to 1961, serving as Mayor of Hackney from 1935 to 1937.^[3]

Political career

He was elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Holland with Boston at a by-election in June 1937,^[2] after the death of the National Liberal MP Sir James Blindell.^[4] He held the seat at the next six general elections until his retirement at the 1966 general election, when Richard Body was elected as his successor.

From 1950 to 1951, Butcher was Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to the Civil Lord of the Admiralty, Walter "Stoker" Edwards. He served as a Lord of the Treasury from 1951 to 1953.

Personal life

In 1958, he advised his friend John Poulson to set up a servicing company to win business for his architect's practice.

Having been knighted on 10 February 1953,^[5] Butcher was created a Baronet of Holland in the County of Lincoln on 22 July 1960.^[6]

After 29 years as an MP, Butcher died less than two months after his retirement, aged 64.