Percivall Pott (politician)

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Henry Percivall Pott (29 March 1908 – 17 January 1964) was a British farmer, company director and politician. He concentrated in his political career on agricultural issues, and was a fairly low-profile backbench Member of Parliament for nine years.

Entry to farming

Pott was descended from

National Farmers Union. He specialised in farming poultry and in 1938 he was chosen as part of a delegation from the National Poultry Council to the Danish National Agricultural Exhibition.[1]

Wartime

During the

Second World War, Pott served in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
from 1941, and achieved the rank of Squadron Leader. In 1946, after he was discharged from the RAFVR, Pott married Mary Larkworthy, who had also been a member of the National Poultry Council delegation eight years before. He moved to Hampshire where he was on the Hampshire County Executive of the NFU from 1947 to 1952. He was also on the Estate Management Committee of the Hampshire Agricultural Executive Committee from 1948 to 1953.

Politics

Meanwhile, Pott became involved in politics as a member of the

Justice of the Peace
in 1951. His business involvement also extended to two Water companies: he was a Director of the Mid-Wessex Water Company and became Chairman of Wey Valley Water Company.

When Christopher Hollis announced his retirement as Member of Parliament for Devizes, Pott was selected to follow him as Conservative candidate. The Times' analysis of the election prospects noted that the seat had a Conservative majority of only 1,577 and that Labour prospects were helped by the building of overspill housing from Swindon. The Labour candidate was also a farmer.[2] However, Pott kept the seat Conservative and increased the majority to 2,075.

Parliament

As many expected, Pott concentrated on agriculture issues in the House of Commons. He spoke rarely, and remained loyal to the Conservative Party, casting no dissenting votes against the Conservative whip.[3] In December 1957, he welcomed the Local Government Bill and observed that if local authorities had to look to Whitehall for sanction for their actions, then no-one of any calibre would get involved in local government.[4] He also signed a motion opposing the "Suez Group" which supported the development of an economic and politically based organisation behind NATO.[5]

At the

London Heathrow Airport.[6]

Death

His Parliamentary activity was reduced by illness, although he did speak in support of the Conservative candidate in the Chippenham by-election in 1962. In 1963 Pott announced that he would not fight the next election, but in the end he was found dead in bed at his London flat in January 1964 before Parliament had been dissolved.[7]

References

  • "Who Was Who", A & C Black
  1. ^ "Danish Agricultural Exhibition", The Times, 18 June 1938.
  2. ^ "Potato Patch Polemics", The Times, 12 May 1955.
  3. ^ Philip Norton, "Dissension in the House of Commons 1945-74" (Macmillan, 1975) includes an index of all MPs who cast dissenting votes; Pott's name does not appear.
  4. ^ "Parliament", The Times, 10 December 1957.
  5. ^ "Conservative M.P.s' Motion On N.A.T.O.", The Times, 23 December 1957.
  6. ^ "M.P.s Opposing Pipe Line Bill", The Times, 26 May 1960.
  7. ^ "Mr. Percivall Pott" (Obituary), The Times, 20 January 1964.

External links

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Devizes
1955–1964 		Succeeded by
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