Evelyn King (politician) facts for kids

Evelyn Mansfield King (born May 30, 1907 – died April 14, 1994) was a British politician. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) for two different political groups. First, he represented the Labour Party. Later, he joined and represented the Conservative Party. He had a long career serving the public.

Early Life and Education

Evelyn King was born on May 30, 1907. His parents were Harry Percy King and Winifred Elizabeth Paulet. He went to school at Cheltenham College. Later, he studied at King's College, Cambridge. While at Cambridge, he wrote for Sunday Times newspaper from 1928 to 1930. After college, he joined the Inner Temple in London. This is a place where lawyers are trained.

A Career in Teaching

Before becoming a politician, Evelyn King was a teacher. He worked as an Assistant Master at Bedford School. He also taught at Craigend Park School. In 1935, he became the Headmaster and Warden of Clayesmore School. He stayed in this role until 1950.

Clayesmore School was having money problems. Evelyn King helped to make it successful again. He brought some students from his old school, Craigend Park. He managed Clayesmore with lots of energy. He helped the school become well-known. It even got listed on the Headmasters' Conference.

World War II Service

During World War II, Evelyn King served in the military. He joined the Gloucestershire Regiment in 1940. By 1941, he was promoted to Acting Lieutenant-Colonel. This showed his leadership skills.

Political Career: Labour Party

Evelyn King first became a politician with the Labour Party. In 1945, he was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP). He represented the area of Penryn and Falmouth.

From 1947 to 1950, he held an important government job. He was the Parliamentary Secretary at the Ministry of Town and Country Planning. This role helped plan how towns and countryside areas would develop. His constituency was changed for the 1950 election. He then tried to become MP for Poole but did not win.

Switching Political Parties

In 1951, Evelyn King made a big change. He decided to leave the Labour Party. He then joined the Conservative Party. This was an unusual move for a politician. In 1959, he tried to win a seat in Southampton Itchen but was not successful.

Political Career: Conservative Party

In 1964, Evelyn King ran for MP again. This time, he stood in South Dorset. He won the election. He defeated Guy Barnett, who was the Labour MP for that area. King served as the MP for South Dorset until he retired in 1979.

International Work and Committees

As an MP, Evelyn King traveled a lot. He was part of parliamentary groups that visited other countries. These trips helped build relationships with other nations.

Some places he visited include:

• Bermuda and Washington DC in 1946.
• Tokyo in 1947.
• Cairo and the Middle East in 1967.
• Jordan and the Persian Gulf in 1968.
• Kenya and the Seychelles in 1969.
• Malta in 1970 (where he was the leader of the group).
• Malawi in 1971 (where he was also the leader).

He also worked on important committees in Parliament. In 1971, he was on the Select Committee on Overseas Aid. From 1971 to 1973, he was the Chairman of the Food Committee.

Later Life

Evelyn King was a long-time member of the Primrose League. This is a group linked to the Conservative Party. From about 1974 until his death, he was a Vice-President of the Conservative Monday Club. He retired from Parliament in 1979. He passed away on April 14, 1994, at the age of 86.