Rupert De la Bère

Sir Rupert De la Bère, 1st Baronet, KCVO (16 June 1893 – 25 February 1978)[1][2] was a British businessman, soldier, and Conservative Party politician. He was the 625th Lord Mayor of London.

He was the son of Reginald De la Bère from Addlestone in Surrey,[3] educated at Tonbridge School, and during World War I served overseas with the East Surrey Regiment and the Royal Air Force.[3]

After the war he became a director of Hay's Wharf and an Alderman of the City of London for the Tower ward.[3] He was elected a Sheriff of the City of London for 1941-42 [3] and the Lord Mayor of London for 1952–53. He was the first member of the Skinners Company to hold the office of Lord Mayor since Sir Robert Kite in 1766, and no other Skinner has been Lord Mayor since.[4]

He was elected at the 1935 general election as the Member of Parliament for Evesham,[5] and held the seat until the constituency was abolished at the 1950 general election.[1] He was then elected for the new South Worcestershire constituency, and held that seat until he stood down at the 1955 general election.[2]

He was knighted in June 1952,[6] appointed Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in the Coronation Honours of June 1953,[7] and a baronet (of Crowborough) in November 1953.[8][3] He was appointed Knight of the Order of the Dannebrog (Denmark), Knight of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, and Knight of the Order of the Polar Star (Sweden).[3]

In 1919 he married Marguerite Humphery, daughter of Sir John Humphery.[3] She died in 1969.[3]

Coat of arms of Rupert De la Bère

Crest Issuant from an ancient crown Or a plume of five ostrich feathers Argent charged with a ladybird Proper. [9] Escutcheon Argent on a fess between three crescent Sable a lizard of the field. Motto Prest Pour Le Roy (Ready For The King)

References

1. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "E" (part 2)
2. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "W" (part 5)
3. Stenton, Michael; Lees, Stephens (1981). Who's Who of British Members of Parliament: Volume IV, 1945–1979. Brighton: The Harvester Press. p. 91. ISBN 0-85527-335-6.
4. "Lord Mayors of the City of London from 1189" (PDF). City of London. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 December 2010. Retrieved 28 December 2010.
5. Craig, F. W. S. (1989) [1974]. British parliamentary election results 1885–1918 (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 501. ISBN 0-900178-27-2.
6. "No. 39555". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 May 1962. p. 3008.
7. "No. 39863". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 June 1963. p. 2946.
8. "No. 40022". The London Gazette. 20 November 1953. p. 6287.
9. Burke's Peerage. 2003.

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Sir Rupert de la Bere