Reginald Blair facts for kids

Sir Reginald Blair (born November 8, 1881 – died September 18, 1962) was an important British politician. He was a member of the Conservative Party. He served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for two different periods. First, from 1912 to 1922, and then again from 1935 to 1945. Being an MP means he was elected to represent people in the British Parliament.

Growing Up and Early Life

Reginald Blair was born in a city called Glasgow in 1881. He went to school at Kelvinside Academy and then studied at Glasgow University. After finishing his education, he became an accountant, which is someone who manages money records for businesses.

He was married and had a son named Malcolm Reginald Blair. Sadly, his son died in 1940 during World War II when he was 33 years old.

First Steps in Politics

Blair first became an MP in 1912. He won a special election called a by-election in an area called Bow and Bromley. This by-election happened because the previous MP, George Lansbury, decided to resign.

Lansbury resigned to bring attention to a big issue at the time: women's suffrage. This was the movement for women to get the right to vote. Even though Lansbury was from the Labour Party, they didn't support his decision to resign. So, he ran as an independent candidate, meaning he wasn't officially part of a political party. Blair won this election by a small number of votes.

World War I Service

During the first two years of World War I, Reginald Blair served in the army. He was part of the British Expeditionary Force. He was even mentioned in official reports for his good work. From 1916 to 1918, he worked as a field cashier, helping manage money for the army. During this time, he held the temporary rank of Major.

Blair kept his seat in Parliament in the 1918 election. However, he lost his seat in the 1922 election to George Lansbury. Lansbury continued to be the MP for Bow and Bromley until he passed away in 1940.

After losing his election, Reginald Blair was given the title of knight. This meant he became "Sir Reginald Blair." He also became the head of the Racehorse Betting Control Board, which managed horse racing bets.

Later Political Career

In 1935, Reginald Blair was elected as an MP again. This time, he represented a different area called Hendon. He took over from another Conservative politician, Philip Cunliffe-Lister.

On June 19, 1945, he received another special honor. He was made a baronet, which is a hereditary title, like a knight but passed down through the family. This title was linked to Harrow Weald in Middlesex.

His Hendon seat in Parliament was removed for the 1945 election. After this, he decided to retire from politics. Sir Reginald Blair passed away in 1962 when he was 80 years old. He was buried in Harrow Cemetery in Harrow, London. The baronetcy title ended after his death because he had no surviving son to pass it on to.