Frederic Walter Harris (6 March 1915 – 4 January 1979, Kenya) was a British politician and businessman. Events 1079 - Omar Khayyám completes the Iranian calendar. 1454 - Thirteen Years' War: Delegates of Year 1915 ( MCMXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Events 46 BC - Titus Labienus defeats Julius Caesar in the Battle of Ruspina. Year 1979 ( MCMLXXIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1979 Gregorian calendar) The Republic of Kenya is a country in East Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia to the north Somalia to the northeast Tanzania to the south The politics of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland takes place in the framework of a Constitutional monarchy, in which the Monarch is Head A businessperson (also businessman or businesswoman) is someone who is employed at usually a profit-oriented enterprise, or more specifically someone He was Conservative Member of Parliament in Croydon between 1948 and 1970. The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a Parliament. Croydon is a large town and major commercial centre in South London, and the principal settlement of the London Borough of Croydon.
Fred Harris was born in Balham, South London and educated at Belmont College, Streatham. Balham is a neighbourhood in South London, England. The settlement appears in the Domesday Book as Belgeham. South London is the southern part of London, England. The area it covers is defined differently for a range of purposes Streatham is a place in the London Borough of Lambeth in the United Kingdom. After working for a period in local government, he set up his own business with money invested by Sir Sidney Marshall. Marshall's Malted Milk was set up in Clapham but soon moved to Croydon. Clapham is an area of South London, England, in the London Borough of Lambeth. The company expanded and during World War II making a range of foodstuffs. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Harris made his fortune. The company became Marshall's Universal Ltd, then was publicly listed. By 1965, the company had fourteen subsidiaries in Britain and East Africa, working in engineering, vehicles, canning, food manufacture and farming. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located East Africa is the Easternmost Region of the African Continent. It had an annual turnover of £5million and Fred Harris remained Chairman of every company, even as MP.
Harris was active in the local Conservative Party. He stood in the 1945 and 1946 local elections in Broad Green and Addiscombe respectively but was unsuccessful. Broad Green is a small residential and retail area of the London Borough of Croydon in London. Addiscombe is a suburb in the London Borough of Croydon, England. He was elected to the council of the County Borough of Croydon for Central ward in December 1946 in a by-election, however, and was re-elected in 1947 for a full four-year term. Croydon was a local government district in north east Surrey, England from 1849 to 1965 He served as a ratepayers' association representative, which was effectively a cover for the local Conservatives. He was also elected as the youngest councillor on Surrey County Council, representing Godstone. Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. Godstone is a village in the county of Surrey, England. It is located approximately six miles east of Reigate at the junction of the A22 and
Croydon had been safe Conservative territory since first electing its own Member of Parliament in 1885. But in the 1945 General Election, Labour had taken Croydon South and come within 607 votes in Croydon North. Results |} Total votes cast 24073025 All parties shown Conservative total includes Ulster Unionists Reason for Labour victory The Labour Party is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Founded at the start of the 20th century it has been since the 1920s the principal party of the This seat should not be confused with the current Croydon South constituency Croydon South was a constituency represented in the Croydon North is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, covering the north west of the In January 1948, Sir Henry Willink resigned as Conservative MP for Croydon North. Sir Henry Urmston Willink 1st Baronet ( 7 March, 1894 &ndash 20 July, 1973) was a British Politician and Public Labour and the Liberals selected high-profile candidates - Harold Nicolson for Labour and Air Vice-Marshal Don Bennett for the Liberal Party. The Liberal Party was one of the two major British political parties from the early 19th century until the rise of the Labour Party in the 1920s and a third party Sir Harold George Nicolson KCVO CMG ( November 21 1886 &ndash May 1 1968) was an English Diplomat Air Vice Marshal Donald Clifford Tyndall Bennett CB CBE DSO RAF (14 September 1910–15 September 1986 was an Australian Harris was selected by the local Conservative Association as their candidate for the Croydon North by-election, and had their wholehearted support. The Croydon North by-election 1948 was a parliamentary By-election held in the British House of Commons constituency of Croydon North
Conservative Central Office were not so sure. Conservative Campaign Headquarters (CCHQ formerly known as Conservative Central Office (CCO is the headquarters of the British Conservative Party They were concerned that a local businessman with little fame or track record would struggle to beat the former MP and author and the World War II hero. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Odds were given of 6:1 against the Conservatives winning. Harris was summoned to see Party leader Winston Churchill, which Harris realised was to dissuade him from standing. Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC, PC (Can ( 30 November 1874 He later said, "when he discovered how determined I was to win the seat, he put his arm around my shoulders and said he would help me all he could. " Churchill toured the constituency, making speeches from the top of his car. Helpfully, his daughter Mary Soames was then in a Croydon maternity hospital giving birth to her son, Nicholas, bringing the campaign positive publicity. Mary Soames Baroness Soames, LG, DBE (born 15 September 1922) is the widow of the Lord Soames. The Hon Arthur Nicholas Winston Soames (born 12 February 1948) is a British Conservative Politician, widely known as Nicholas In the end, Harris triumphed with an 11,664 majority. A national newspaper the next morning ran the headline "Oh what a beautiful morning". The song (from Oklahoma!) became his theme tune when touring Croydon. " Oh What a Beautiful Mornin' " is the opening song from the musical Oklahoma! written by composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist/librettist Oklahoma! is the first musical written by composer Richard Rodgers and librettist Oscar Hammerstein II.
Harris never shone in Parliament. He was a moderate Tory and embraced change and democracy. He had no time for the right-wing, predicting that their politics would "die". In Croydon however, he was extremely popular, working hard especially on casework for individual constituents, which he said was the most rewarding part of the job. He was given the honour to drive the last tram (before Tramlink returned) through the constituency with the Mayor of Croydon. Tramlink (initially known as Croydon Tramlink) is a Tramway system serving the South London area of United Kingdom. He increased his majority and served as MP for Croydon North, then Croydon North West for 22 years until he stepped down at the 1970 general election. Croydon North West was a Constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Opinion poll summary ORC (Opinion Research Council Conservative lead of 1%Harris (Express Newspapers Labour lead of 2%NOP This at that time made him the longest-serving Croydon MP (a record later broken by Bernard Weatherill). Bruce Bernard Weatherill Baron Weatherill PC, DL ( 25 November 1920 &ndash 6 May, 2007) was an English
Fred Harris had three children with his first wife - Roger who became an engineer in Kenya, Gillian, who also moved to East Africa, and Jacqueline who worked as secretary to the Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party. His wife died in 1955. In 1957 he married Joan Bagnall. He lived in Woldingham, Surrey and on his farm in Subukia, Kenya.
Harris was very keen on sport. He had held a schoolboy cricket record and played football (soccer) in the Spartan League. The Spartan League was an English football league covering London and adjacent counties He played tennis all his life and was an occasional croc hunter. He campaigned successfully for Croydon Council to build Croydon Sports Arena in South Norwood. South Norwood is a urban town and ward within the Greater London boundaries in Croydon, England. He was also a racehorse owner, with Gordon Richards as a regular jockey. Sir Gordon Richards ( May 5 1904 - November 10 1988) was an English Jockey, and is usually considered the world's greatest In the 1940s he had a considerable lucky streak, with 50 wins out of 90 outings. The 1940s decade ran from 1940 to 1949 Events and trends The 1940s was a period between the radical 1930s and the conservative 1950s which also leads the period to be His horse 'Now or Never' won the Great Metropolitan at Epsom in 1948. See also Epsom New Hampshire, and Epsom New Zealand. For the chemical compound see Epsom salts.
Harris died in January 1979 in Kenya after a long illness.
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Henry Willink |
Member of Parliament for Croydon North 1948–1955 |
Succeeded by Seat abolished |
| Preceded by New creation |
Member of Parliament for Croydon North West 1955–1970 |
Succeeded by Robert Taylor |
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