John Stokes (Conservative politician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir John Stokes
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| Member of Parliament for Halesowen and Stourbridge (Oldbury and Halesowen, 1970-1974) |
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| In office 18 June 1970 – 16 March 1992 |
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| Preceded by | John Horner |
| Succeeded by | Warren Hawksley |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
John Heydon Romaine Stokes
23 July 1917 |
| Died | 27 June 2003 (aged 85) |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouses |
Barbara Yorke
(m. 1939; died 1988)Elsie F. Plowman
(m. 1989; died 1990)Lady Ruth Bligh
(m. 1991; div. 1996)Frances Packham
(m. 1996) |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Haileybury |
| Alma mater | Queen's College, Oxford |
Sir John Heydon Romaine Stokes (23 July 1917 – 27 June 2003) was a British Conservative politician. He served as a Member of Parliament (MP).
Contents
Early Life and Military Service
John Stokes was born in 1917. He went to Haileybury College. Later, he studied at Queen's College, Oxford. While at Oxford, he was president of The Oxford Monarchists.
During World War II, Stokes joined the Royal Fusiliers. He became a Major in the army. He took part in the expedition to Dakar in 1940. He was injured in North Africa in 1943. From 1944 to 1946, he worked as a military assistant. He served in Beirut and Damascus.
After the war, Stokes worked in human resources. He worked for companies like ICI and Courtaulds. From 1959 to 1980, he was a partner in his own company. This company was called Clive and Stokes.
Political Career in Parliament
John Stokes ran for Parliament several times. He first tried in 1964 and 1966. In 1970, he was elected as an MP. He represented Oldbury and Halesowen. In 1974, he was elected for Halesowen and Stourbridge. He held this seat until he retired in 1992.
He was known as an "old-fashioned Conservative." He believed in traditional values. People in Parliament respected him. They often listened to his speeches. He thought that Parliament needed more people from different backgrounds. He believed this would make it stronger.
Stokes was a strong supporter of the House of Lords. This is the second chamber of the UK Parliament. He believed in keeping its traditional structure. He spoke against changes to hereditary titles in 1975.
He was concerned about public order. He supported the idea of identity cards. He believed a strong nation could overcome challenges. He was Chairman of the Primrose League General Purposes Committee. This was from 1971 to 1985.
In foreign affairs, Stokes supported Rhodesia. He also supported the Turkish Cypriots. He traveled with parliamentary groups to many countries. He was a delegate to the Council of Europe from 1983. In 1992, he observed elections in Albania.
Stokes was a member of the Church of England. He believed in traditional church practices. He was part of the General Synod of the Church of England. He also supported the Prayer Book Society. This group wanted to keep the traditional prayer book.
Conservative Monday Club Membership
John Stokes was a long-time member of the Conservative Monday Club. This was a political group. He joined the club before 1970. He was a speaker at some of their meetings.
Personal Life and Family
Sir John Stokes was married four times. His first wife was Barbara Yorke. They married in 1939. She passed away in 1988. They had one son and two daughters. He later married Elsie F. Plowman in 1989. She passed away in 1990. In 1991, he married Lady Ruth Bligh. This marriage ended in 1996. He married Frances Packham in 1996.
