Leslie Pym facts for kids
Leslie Ruthven Pym (born 24 May 1884 – died 17 July 1945) was a politician from the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) and served in the government during World War II.
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Early Life and Education
Leslie Pym was the son of Walter Ruthven Pym, who was a bishop in Bombay (now Mumbai), India. A bishop is a senior leader in the Christian church.
Leslie Pym went to Bedford School and later studied at Magdalene College, Cambridge, a famous university in England.
Political Career
Pym became a Member of Parliament (MP) for the area of Monmouth in Wales. An MP is a person elected by citizens to represent them in the House of Commons, which is part of the UK Parliament.
He was first elected in a special election called a by-election in 1939. He continued to represent Monmouth in the House of Commons until his death.
Role as a Government Whip
During World War II, Leslie Pym was a "government whip" in the wartime government. A whip is like a team manager for a political party. Their job is to make sure that members of their party attend important votes and vote the way their party wants them to.
Death and Posthumous Election
Leslie Pym died on 17 July 1945. This happened during the 1945 United Kingdom general election, just 12 days after people had voted. The election results were announced nine days after his death.
Because the results were declared after he passed away, he was officially announced as elected on 26 July 1945. This is called being "posthumously elected," meaning he was elected after his death. This unusual situation meant that another by-election had to be held for his Monmouth seat, which was then won by Peter Thorneycroft.
Coincidentally, another MP, Sir Edward Campbell, also died on the same day as Pym and was also posthumously elected.
Family Connections
Leslie Pym was not related to John Pym, a famous politician from the 1600s.
His son, Francis Pym (1922–2008), also became a Conservative MP and later served as a Cabinet minister. A Cabinet minister is a senior member of the government who leads a specific department.
