Hugh Seely, 1st Baron Sherwood facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Right Honourable The Lord Sherwood
Under-Secretary of State for Air
In office 1941–1944 Serving with The Lord Balfour of Inchrye (1941–44)
Prime Minister	Winston Churchill
Preceded by	Anthony Muirhead
Succeeded by	Rupert Brabner
Member of Parliament for Berwick-upon-Tweed
In office 14 November 1935 – 14 August 1941
Preceded by	Alfred Todd
Succeeded by	George Grey
Member of Parliament for East Norfolk
In office 6 December 1923 – 29 October 1924
Preceded by	Michael Falcon
Succeeded by	Reginald Neville
Personal details
Born	(1898-10-02)2 October 1898
Died	1 April 1970(1970-04-01) (aged 71)
Nationality	British
Political party	Liberal
Spouses	Hon. Molly Chetwode ​ ​ (m. 1942; div. 1948)​ Catherine Thornton Ranger ​ ​ (m. 1970)​
Military service
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Branch/service	British Army,Auxiliary Air Force
Years of service	1914–1918, 1936-1938
Rank	Lieutenant, Squadron Leader
Unit	Grenadier Guards, No. 504 Squadron RAF
Commands	No. 504 Squadron RAF
Battles/wars	First World War Western Front

Hugh Michael Seely, 1st Baron Sherwood (born October 2, 1898 – died April 1, 1970) was an important British politician. He was a member of the Liberal Party. Before he became a Baron, he was known as Sir Hugh Seely, 3rd Baronet. This title was used from 1926 to 1941.

Early Life and Family Background

Hugh Seely was born into a family that was very involved in politics and business. His family owned a lot of land. Many of his relatives were Members of Parliament (MPs). This means they were elected to help make laws for the country.

• His great-grandfather, Charles Seely (1803–1887), was an MP.
• His grandfather, Sir Charles Seely, 1st Baronet, was also an MP.
• His father, Sir Charles Seely, 2nd Baronet, was an MP.
• His uncle, John Edward Bernard Seely, 1st Baron Mottistone, was also an MP.

Hugh Seely went to Eton College, a famous school in England. After school, he joined the military. He became a lieutenant in the Grenadier Guards, which is a part of the British Army.

Public Service and Political Career

Hugh Seely had a long career serving his country. He was involved in both the military and politics.

Military Service

He served in the Auxiliary Air Force. This was a volunteer reserve force for the Royal Air Force (RAF). From 1936 to 1938, he was the Commanding Officer for No. 504 Squadron RAF. This means he was in charge of a group of airmen and their aircraft. He also fought in the First World War as a young man.

Political Roles

Hugh Seely was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) for two different areas:

• He represented East Norfolk from 1923 to 1924.
• He represented Berwick-upon-Tweed from 1935 to 1941.

In 1925, he held the position of High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire. This is an old and important role, mainly ceremonial today, but it used to involve keeping law and order in a county.

During a big part of the Second World War (from 1941 to 1944), he served as the Joint Under-Secretary of State for Air. This was a very important job. He helped manage the Royal Air Force during wartime. The Prime Minister at the time was Winston Churchill.

Later Life and Business

In 1941, Hugh Seely was given a special title. He became Baron Sherwood, of Calverton in Nottinghamshire. This made him a member of the House of Lords, which is the upper house of the UK Parliament.

After the war, in 1946, he became the Chairman of a famous gun-making company called James Purdey and Sons.

Personal Life

Lord Sherwood was married twice.

• On March 23, 1942, he married Hon. Molly Patricia Chetwode. Her father, William Berry, 1st Viscount Camrose, owned The Daily Telegraph newspaper. This marriage ended in 1948.
• He married Catherine Thornton Ranger on March 16, 1970. This was shortly before he passed away on April 1, 1970.

Lord Sherwood did not have any children. Because of this, when he died, his title of Baron Sherwood ended. His brother, Victor Seely, inherited the family's older title of baronet.

See also

• Seely baronets