Sir Dennis Boles, 1st Baronet

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Sir Dennis Fortescue Boles, 1st Baronet CBE, DL (6 September 1861 – 26 July 1935), was a British Conservative politician.

Boles was the son of Reverend James Thomas Boles of Ryll Court, Exmouth, Devon. He was educated at Bradfield School and Exeter College, Oxford. He was returned to Parliament for Wellington, Somerset, in 1911, a seat he held until 1918, and then sat for Taunton from 1918 to 1921. Apart from his political career Boles was also a Lieutenant-Colonel in the 3rd Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment, a Justice of the Peace and Deputy Lieutenant of Somerset and High Sheriff of Somerset. He was made a CBE in 1919 and in 1922 he was created a Baronet, of Bishop's Lydeard in the County of Somerset.

Boles married Beatrice, daughter of John Lysaght, in 1894. He died in July 1935, aged 73, and was succeeded in the baronetcy by his second but eldest surviving son Gerald. His eldest son, 2nd Lt. Hastings Fortescue Boles, was killed in action in France on 24th May 1915 while serving with the Royal Flying Corps. Lady Boles died in 1939.

Sir Dennis was a fine cricketer and did much to popularise the Exmouth Club. During 2 1/2 years of the Great War he commanded the third Battalion Devonshire Regiment, from which he retired in February 1917 after 32 years service in it. His total command was seven years, and on his retirement was specially mentioned by the Secretary for War for his valuable services. When he left, there was a remarkable demonstration of esteem on the part of all ranks. All the officers, warrant officers, and NCO’s who could be spared from duty assembled on the railway station and gave him an exceedingly hearty send off. This demonstration was entirely unexpected by the Colonel, who was exceedingly popular with all ranks. In the battalion orders just previously Sir Dennis gave a farewell message on leaving the battalion: “We have had a very strenuous time since the battalion was mobilised in August, 1914,” he wrote “but all ranks have responded cheerfully to to the call of duty; and it is owing to the zeal and energy displayed that the battalion has earned such a good reputation for discipline and efficiency.”

Sir Dennis founded two private packs, which were for some years run entirely at his own expense. In 1931 he resigned the Mastership of the Quantock Staghounds, but continued as popular leader of the West Somerset Hunt, where he completed 31 years’ Mastership - a record. He was a former president of Somerset County Cricket Club.

Sir Dennis entered Parliament in 1911, upon the elevation to the peerage of the late Lord St. Audries, and was returned for West Somerset by 604 majority over Mr. C.H. Dudley Ward, his Liberal opponent. At the next appeal to electors, in December 1918, he was elected for the newly-constituted Taunton Division, with a majority of 7,803 over a Labour opponent, Rev. G.S. Woods. He might have remained the representative of the constituency, but with singular generosity he gave up his seat in 1921 in favour of his personal and political friend Sir Arthur Griffith-Boscawen, the Minister for Agriculture, who had been defeated at Dudley on seeking reelection after accepting office.

In recognition of his Parliamentary and Army service he was created a baronet in 1922, and also had conferred upon him the Companionship of the British Empire. Up to his death Sir Dennis was president of Taunton Division Conservative Association, and in August 1917 succeeded Lord St. Audries as president of the West Somerset Farmer’s Club. He was High Sheriff of Somerset in 1923. Sir Dennis was a generous supporter of the Taunton and Somerset Hospital, of which he was a life-governor, and he had been president on two occasions. He was also president of Taunton Motor Club, Assistant County Commissioner for the Boy Scouts and Chairman of the Bishops Lydeard Bank.

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Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Sir Alexander Fuller-Acland-Hood		 Member of Parliament for Wellington, Somerset
1911–1918		 Succeeded by
(constituency abolished)
Preceded by
Sir Gilbert Wills		 Member of Parliament for Taunton
1918–1921		 Succeeded by
Sir Arthur Griffith-Boscawen
Baronetage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
new creation		 Baronet
(of Bishop's Lydeard)
1922–1935		 Succeeded by
Gerald Fortescue Boles