Arthur Vere Harvey, Baron Harvey of Prestbury

Arthur Vere Harvey, Baron Harvey of Prestbury, CBE (31 January 1906 – 5 April 1994) was a senior Royal Air Force officer and a British Conservative politician who served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for 26 years.

The Lord Harvey of Prestbury
Member of Parliament
for Macclesfield
In office
5 July 1945 – 1 May 1971
Preceded byW. Garfield Weston
Succeeded bySir Nicholas Winterton
Personal details
Born
Arthur Vere Harvey

(1906-01-31)31 January 1906
Died5 April 1994(1994-04-05) (aged 88)
Saint Martin, Guernsey
Political partyConservative
Military service
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Branch/serviceRoyal Air Force
Years of service1925–1930
1937–1945
RankAir Commodore
CommandsNo. 10 (Fighter) Group (1944)
RAF Coltishall (1943)
No. 615 (County of Surrey) Squadron (1937–40)
Battles/warsSecond World War
AwardsCommander of the Order of the British Empire
Mentioned in Despatches (2)

Early life and Second World War

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Harvey was educated at Framlingham College, Suffolk and served with the Royal Air Force 1925–30 and during the Second World War. He was an advisor to the Southern Chinese Air Forces 1932–35 and a squadron leader in the Auxiliary Air Force in 1937. He founded the No. 615 (County of Surrey) Squadron and commanded it through the Battle of France. He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1942.[1] He later became a company chairman and director of several firms.

Member of Parliament

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Harvey was selected as the Conservative candidate for Macclesfield after the previous candidate Guy Gibson was killed in action. Harvey was elected as Member of Parliament for Macclesfield in 1945, and held the seat in seven further general elections. He was knighted in 1957.[2]

In the Commons, Harvey was chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee from 1966 to 1970. On 14 October 1969 he was made an Honorary Freeman of the Borough of Macclesfield.[3]

Harvey was created a life peer as Baron Harvey of Prestbury, of Prestbury in the County Palatine of Chester on 1 May 1971.[4] He was succeeded as MP in the subsequent by-election by fellow-Conservative, Nicholas Winterton.

Family and later life

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He was married three times.

  • in 1940 to Jacqueline Dunnett (two sons, marriage dissolved 1954)
  • in 1955 Mrs Hilary Williams (died 1978; marriage dissolved 1977)
  • in 1978 Mrs Carol Cassar-Torreggiani; three adopted daughters.

He died at St Martin's Port, Guernsey 5 April 1994.[5]

Arms

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Coat of arms of Arthur Vere Harvey, Baron Harvey of Prestbury
 
Crest
A roundel Gules charged with a roundel Argent thereon a roundel Azure charged with two fleurs-de-lis in fess Or.
Escutcheon
Per pale Argent and Sable a chevron counterchanged between two lions passant respectant the dexter Azure the sinister Or in chief a tun counterchanged in base on a chief Vert a garb between two fleurs-de-lis Or.
Supporters
On either side a rabbit Argent charged on the shoulder with a fleur-de-lis Vert.
Motto
Je Noublieray Jamais [6]

Notes

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  1. ^ "No. 35586". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 June 1942. p. 2487.
  2. ^ "No. 41134". The London Gazette. 23 July 1957. p. 4379.
  3. ^ "Sir Nick is made a freeman". Macclesfield Express. 5 September 2002. Archived from the original on 29 September 2006.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  4. ^ "No. 45361". The London Gazette. 6 May 1971. p. 4626.
  5. ^ "Obituary: Lord Harvey of Prestbury". The Independent. 8 April 1994.
  6. ^ Debrett's Peerage. 1985.
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Military offices
Preceded by Air Officer Commanding No. 10 (Fighter) Group
1944
Succeeded by
Preceded by Commanding Officer RAF Coltishall
1943
Succeeded by
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Macclesfield
19451971
Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Chairman of the 1922 Committee
1966–1970
Succeeded by