Hugh Fraser (British politician) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Major The Right Honourable Sir Hugh Fraser MBE MP
Secretary of State for Air
In office 16 July 1962 – 1 April 1964
Prime Minister	Harold Macmillan Alec Douglas-Home
Preceded by	Julian Amery
Succeeded by	Office Abolished
Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies
In office 28 October 1960 – 16 July 1962
Prime Minister	Harold Macmillan
Preceded by	Julian Amery
Succeeded by	Nigel Fisher
Under-Secretary of State and Financial Secretary for War
In office 28 November 1958 – 28 October 1960
Prime Minister	Harold Macmillan
Preceded by	Julian Amery
Succeeded by	James Ramsden
Member of Parliament for Stafford Stafford and Stone (1950–1983) Stone (1945–1950)
In office 5 July 1945 – 6 March 1984
Preceded by	Joseph Lamb
Succeeded by	Bill Cash
Personal details
Born	Hugh Charles Patrick Joseph Fraser (1918-01-23)23 January 1918 Westminster, London, England
Died	6 March 1984(1984-03-06) (aged 66) Lambeth, London, England
Political party	Conservative
Spouses	Lady Antonia Pakenham ​ ​ (m. 1956; div. 1977)​
Children	6, including Rebecca and Flora
Parents	Simon Fraser, 14th Lord Lovat Hon. Laura Lister
Alma mater	Balliol College, Oxford
Occupation	Politician

Sir Hugh Charles Patrick Joseph Fraser (born January 23, 1918 – died March 6, 1984) was a British politician. He was a member of the Conservative Party. He was also the first husband of the well-known author, Lady Antonia Fraser.

Early Life and Education

Hugh Fraser was born in Westminster, London. He was the second son of the 14th Lord Lovat. His family was also a prominent Roman Catholic family.

He went to school at Ampleforth College. Later, he studied at Balliol College, Oxford, a famous university. While at Oxford, he became the President of the Oxford Union, which is a debating society. He also studied for a time at the Sorbonne in Paris, France.

A Career in the Military

In 1936, Hugh Fraser joined the Lovat Scouts, a special British Army unit. He served throughout World War II. During the war, he worked in an intelligence unit.

He was promoted to temporary captain in 1942. He helped plan and organize secret missions in Southern Holland. His leadership helped these missions succeed.

Fraser also received a special award from Belgium, the 1940 Belgian Croix de Guerre. This was for his brave work in Belgium. He helped supply weapons to the Belgian secret army. He also helped allied soldiers who were hiding from the enemy.

Becoming a Politician

Hugh Fraser started his political career in 1945. He was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) for the area of Stone. An MP is someone elected to represent people in the British Parliament.

Over the years, his constituency changed names to Stafford and Stone and then Stafford. He served as an MP continuously from 1945 until his death in 1984. This means he was an MP for almost 40 years!

He held several important government jobs. From 1958 to 1960, he was a junior minister in the War Office. From 1960 to 1962, he worked in the Colonial Office. Then, from 1962 to 1964, he became the Secretary of State for Air. This was a very important role in the government.

In 1962, he was made a member of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom. This gave him the special title "The Right Honourable" for the rest of his life. In 1975, he tried to become the leader of the Conservative Party but was not successful.

Family Life

In 1956, Hugh Fraser married Antonia Pakenham. She later became a famous author. They had six children together: Benjamin, Damian, Orlando, Rebecca, Flora, and Natasha. They later divorced in 1977.

A Dangerous Event

In October 1975, a dangerous event happened near Hugh Fraser's home. A car bomb was placed on one of his cars. It was meant to harm him. However, the bomb exploded too early.

A cancer researcher named Professor Gordon Hamilton Fairley was walking by at that moment. He was sadly killed instantly by the explosion. Hugh Fraser's wife, Lady Antonia, and their guest, Caroline Kennedy, would have been in the car if the bomb had not gone off early.

Later Years

Sir Hugh Fraser continued to serve in Parliament until his death. He passed away in March 1984 at the age of 66. He died from lung cancer. After his death, Bill Cash won the election to become the new MP for Stafford.

Sources

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Sir Hugh Fraser