John Powley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Powley
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|---|---|
| Member of Parliament for Norwich South |
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| In office 9 June 1983 – 18 May 1987 |
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| Preceded by | John Garrett |
| Succeeded by | John Garrett |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
John Albert Powley
3 August 1936 |
| Died | 16 October 2020 (aged 84) |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouse |
Jill Palmer
(m. 1957) |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Cambridge Grammar School Cambridgeshire College of Arts and Technology |
John Albert Powley (born August 3, 1936 – died October 16, 2020) was a British politician. He was a member of the Conservative Party. Powley served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Norwich South. This was from 1983 to 1987. He was also the chairman of the Cambridgeshire County Council from 2011 to 2013. Before becoming an MP, he tried to become the MP for Harlow in 1979. However, he was not elected, losing to Labour and Co-operative politician Stan Newens.
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John Powley's Early Life and Education
John Powley was born on August 3, 1936. His parents were Albert and Evelyn Powley. He went to Cambridge Grammar School. After that, he studied at the Cambridgeshire College of Arts and Technology. Later, he joined the RAF for his national service.
Starting in Local Government
In 1967, John Powley began his career in local government. He was elected to the Cambridge City Council. He also joined the Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely County Council.
In the mid-1970s, he played a big part in building the Grafton Centre. This is a shopping centre in Cambridge. There was some discussion at the time about old buildings being taken down to make way for it. In 1976, he became the leader of the Cambridge City Council.
Becoming a Member of Parliament
In the 1979 general election, John Powley ran for MP in Harlow. He gained a lot of support for the Conservative Party. However, he just missed winning the seat. He lost to the Labour MP Stan Newens by 1,392 votes.
Four years later, in the 1983 general election, he was elected. He became the Member of Parliament for Norwich South. He won against the Labour MP John Garrett. John Powley had a majority of 1,712 votes. But in the 1987 election, John Garrett won the seat back. He won by a small number of votes, just 336.
Return to Local Politics
After losing his seat as an MP, John Powley went back to local government. He served as a county councillor for Soham in Cambridgeshire. He was an important voice for the local community. This was especially true after the sad events of the Soham murders in 2003.
From 2011 to 2013, he was the Chairman of the Cambridgeshire County Council. After about 50 years of public service, he decided not to run for re-election.
Family Life and Later Years
John Powley married Jill Palmer in 1957. They had three children together: Stephen, Amanda, and Stewart. John Powley passed away in October 2020. He was 84 years old.
