William Rupert Rees-Davies QC (19 November 1916 – 12 January 1992) was a British Conservative politician and barrister.
Early life
editRees-Davies was the son of Sir William Rees-Davies, Chief Justice of Hong Kong. He was born in Hong Kong while his father was serving as Chief Justice. His grandfather was William Davies, Liberal MP for Pembrokeshire[1]
He was educated at Eton College and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he gained a cricket blue.[1] He also played for the Kent Second XI. He was a right-arm fast-medium bowler.[2]
Non-political career
editHe was a barrister, called to the bar by Inner Temple in 1939. He was appointed a Queen's Counsel in 1973.[3] He was commissioned in the Welsh Guards in 1939 and served until 1943 when he lost his right arm on service during World War II.[1] Because he had lost his arm, he was some time referred to as the "one armed bandit".[4]
Political career
edit
Rees-Davies contested Nottingham South in 1950 and 1951. He was Member of Parliament for the Isle of Thanet from a 1953 by-election to 1974, then for Thanet West from 1974 to 1983 when his seat was abolished in boundary changes. He lost the selection for North Thanet to Roger Gale, and his attempts to reverse his deselection failed. He died in 1992, aged 75.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b c d Obituary of William Rees Davies, The Daily Telegraph, 14 January 1992.
- ^ Cricinfo records for Rees Davies
- ^ "The London Gazette" (PDF). www.thegazette.co.uk. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
- ^ "Judges at wits' end". Law Gazette.
- Times Guide to the House of Commons 1979
- Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs
External links
edit- Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by William Rees-Davies
- Cricket career
- Photos of Rees-Davies from the SEAS archives