Maurice Petherick

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Maurice Petherick (October 5, 1894 - August 4, 1985)^[1]was Conservative MP for Penryn & Falmouth (1931-1945) and Financial Secretary to the War Office, briefly, in 1945.

He was born October 5, 1894, the son of George Tallack Petherick and Edith Petherick, his wife.

He was educated at Marlborough College and Trinity College, Cambridge.

During the Great War, he was a Second Lieutenant in the Royal Devon Yeomanry 1914 but was invalided out in 1915. He served in Foreign Office, 1916-17; he was recommissioned Royal Scots Greys, 1917 and served in France, 1918.

In October 1939, he was recommissioned to the General List Army, as a Captain and promoted to Temporary Major. He having contested the parliamentary seat of Penryn & Falmouth in 1929 ^[2], he was elected as MP in that division in the General Elections of 1931 and 1935.

He was one of the MPs, who, in 1945, opposed the Yalta agreement, because of the treatment of Poland^[3]. He was Financial Secretary to the War Office from May 26, 1945 to August 4, 1945, in the "Caretaker Government".

In the 1945 General Election, he was defeated by the Labour candidate, Evelyn King.

Between 1953 and 1971, he was a Director of the Prudential Assurance Co. Ltd.. He was High Sheriff of Cornwall in 1957.

He died on August 4, 1985. At his death, his residence was Porthpean House^[4], St Austell, Cornwall. The garden that he developed there is still famous.

[edit] Publications

Captain Culverin, London, Ernest Benn, 1932 [A Novel].
Victoire: a novel, London, Macmillan, 1943.
Restoration Rogues (On Thomas Blood, William Bedloe, Ralph Montagu, Thomas Dangerfield, Edward Fitzharris^[5] and Barbara Villiers. With plates, including portraits.), Hollis & Carter, 1951.

[edit] References

^ Who was Who
^ On 29 May 1929, Sir John Tudor Walters(1868-1933) won the election for Penryn & Falmouth. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs.
^ Obituary in The Times, 9 August 1985, Page 12, column g,Letter 7 September 1968, page 9 Column c.
^ "A special collection of camellias, azaleas and rhododendrons, but also a magnificent view of St Austell Bay and access to the beach. This three-acre garden was first developed by Maurice Petherick some 40 years ago. It contains a special collection of camellias, also many azaleas and rhododendrons. The grounds have access to the beach and from the main lawn there is a magnificent view of St Austell Bay. On spring days cherry blossoms stand out sharply against the blue of the sea. There is also a nursery garden with Victorian greenhouses. " Garden Arena website.
^ Edward Fitzharris (1648?-1681): An Irish Catholic, who advocated the deposition of Charles II in favour of James, Duke of York in 1681 (DNB)