Paul Bryan (politician)

Sir Paul Bryan DSOMC
Member of Parliament forBoothferry (Howden,1955–1983)
In office 26 May 1955 – 18 May 1987
Preceded by	Constituency established
Succeeded by	David Davis
Personal details
Born	Paul Elmore Oliver Bryan (1913-08-03)3 August 1913 Karuizawa,Empire of Japan
Died	11 October 2004(2004-10-11)(aged 91) Sawdon,North Yorkshire,England
Nationality	British
Political party	Conservative
Spouses	Betty Hoyle ​ ​ (m.1939; died 1968)​ Cynthia Duncan ​ ​ (m.1971)​
Children	Elizabeth Felicity Bernadette
Education	St John's School, Leatherhead
Alma mater	Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge
Civilian awards	Knight Bachelor(1972)
Military service
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Branch/service	British Army
Rank	Lieutenant colonel
Unit	Royal West Kent Regiment
Commands	6th Battalion
Battles/wars	Second World War Operation Torch Allied invasion of Sicily Allied invasion of Italy Battle of Monte Cassino
Military awards	Military Cross Distinguished Service Order

Sir Paul Elmore Oliver BryanDSOMC(3 August 1913 – 11 October 2004) was a BritishConservativepolitician.

Early life

Bryan was born inKaruizawa, Japan,the seventh of nine children of The Rev Ingram Bryan.He lived in Japan until he was eight and then returned to England and was educated atSt John's School, Leatherhead.He studied Modern Languages atGonville and Caius College, Cambridge,where he took great interest in sport, playing cricket and rugby – he was scrum half in the college rugby team where he played alongside his friendIain Macleod,the future Conservative Chancellor.After graduating he worked in Halifax, Yorkshire, where he met his first wife Betty Hoyle.They married in 1939.

Military career

Paul Bryan had a distinguished wartime career.He served with theRoyal West Kent RegimentduringWorld War II.He entered as a private soldier and attained the rank of lieutenant-colonel gaining theMilitary Crossand theDistinguished Service Order(DSO).In 1942 he fought first in North Africa as part of theTorch Landings.He was given command of 6th Battalion for the invasion of Sicily and then Italy in September 1943.For his "outstanding" leadership shown in the capture of Centuripe, Bronte and Monte Rivoglia in Sicily, he was awarded a DSO.After leading his battalion atMonte Cassino,he finished the war as commandant of a training unit established at Barmouth, Wales. Here he brought his wartime colleagues Denis Forman and Fred Majdelaney as instructors.

Political career

After the war he worked in Sowerby Bridge where he started to take an interest in politics.He contestedSowerbyin 1949, 1950 and 1951. In 1955 he becameMember of ParliamentforHowdenin the East Riding of Yorkshire, and later forBoothferryfrom 1983 until he retired in 1987.In 1956,Edward Heath,then Chief Whip, invited him to become a whip. He was vice-chairman of the Conservative Party 1961–65, awhip1956 and 1958–61, and Minister for Employment from 1970 to 1972.Bryan was one of the first Tory MPs after the Labour victories of 1974 to suggest openly that it was time for Edward Heath to resign.In the leadership contest of 1975, he served onWilliam Whitelaw's campaign committee. He was captain of the Parliamentary Golf Society and vice-chairman of the Conservative backbench 1922 Committee from 1977 to 1987.

Through his wartime friendDenis Formanhe became involved inGranada TelevisionwhereSidney Bernsteininvited him to join the board.He assembled the consortium which gained the licence forPiccadilly Radioin Manchester. He was chairman ofCroydon Cable Televisionfrom 1985.

Having been brought up in The Far East he took a great interest in Japan and China. He was chairman of the All-Party Hong Kong Parliamentary Group from 1974 to 1987.He made many friends among political leaders and businessmen both in the colony and in mainland China.He tookChris Pattenon his first visit to Hong Kong and later took great interest in the negotiations for the transfer of the colony to China. He took a practical approach to the negotiations.He had immense sympathy for the people of Hong Kong but believed that a handover to China was unavoidable; at the same time, he remained optimistic about the prospects for the colony under Chinese rule.

Personal life

He had three daughters: DrElizabeth Bryan,a paediatrian;Felicity Bryan,a literary agent and writer; andBernadette Hingleywho was one of the first women priests in the Church of England.

In 1971 he married Cynthia Duncan, daughter of SirPatrick Ashley Cooperand the widow of Patrick Duncan and gained four stepchildren: Patrick, Alex, Ann and Emma Duncan.

He had a passion for golf which he learned from his first father-in-law James Hoyle. He played regularly at Ganton Golf Course until his last years.He was President ofGanton Golf Club.While he never considered himself a good golfer, he gained fame in 1962 by hitting two holes-in-one in one round. After his death, members of the club placed a bench, inscribed with his name, on the course from which you can see both the holes.He became aKnight Bachelorin 1972.

External links

• 'The Times Obituary'.http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article493482.ece
• 'The Guardian Obituary'Obituary: Sir Paul Bryan
• 'The Independent Obituary'Sir Paul Bryan
• The Times Guide to the House of Commons,Times Newspapers Ltd,1950, 1966, 1983 & 1987
• 'The Telegraph Obituary',Sir Paul Bryan
• Barnes, John (14 October 2004)."Sir Paul Bryan".The Independent.Retrieved23 August2009.
• Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs
• 'Guardian Obituary of his daughter Dr Elizabeth Bryan'Obituary: Elizabeth Bryan
• 'Independent obituary of his daughter The Rev Bernadette Hingley'obituaries: The Rev Bernadette Hingley