Thomas Leslie Teevan (July 1927 – 11 October 1954) was an Ulster Unionist Party politician and lawyer, notable for his extreme youth, brief career, and very early death.
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Thomas Teevan was born in Limavady, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland in 1927. He was educated at Limavady Academy and Queen's University Belfast. He was a lecturer in law.
In 1950, a vacancy arose in the Belfast West constituency, owing to the disqualification of the Reverend James MacManaway for being an Anglican priest despite the Church of Ireland being disestablished. Teevan was selected as Unionist candidate for the ensuing by-election.
He was elected on 29 November 1950 over the Irish Labour Party candidate, Jack Beattie, a former MP for the seat, by 913 votes. Teevan was aged only 23 and became Baby of the House upon taking the oath on 5 December 1950.[1]
His tenure lasted only 330 days, and he lost the seat to Beattie by just 25 votes in the 1951 General Election. Aged only 24, he thus became the youngest person to leave the House of Commons in modern times. Rev MacManaway himself died in November 1951 aged 53.
Teevan qualified as a barrister in Northern Ireland in 1952. He also served as Chairman of Limavady Urban District Council.
Thomas Teevan died suddenly in 1954, at his home in Portstewart, County Londonderry aged just 27.
List of United Kingdom MPs with the shortest service
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by James Godfrey MacManaway |
Member of Parliament for Belfast West November 1950–1951 |
Succeeded by Jack Beattie |
| Preceded by Tony Benn |
Baby of the House 1950-1951 |
Succeeded by Tony Benn |