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Career: He was national president of Federation of Master Builders from 1945 to at least 1951, when he celebrated his 80th birthday by laying the 80th brick in a wall built in his honour at the Connaught Rooms
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== Career ==
== Career ==
Selley was born in [[Topsham]], Devon, and became a builder's apprentice. He rose to run his own business, and estimated that he had been responsible for the building of more than 25,000 house in London and its suburbs.<ref name="times-obit" />
Selley was born in [[Topsham]], Devon, and became a builder's apprentice. He rose to run his own business, and estimated that he had been responsible for the building of more than 25,000 house in London and its suburbs.<ref name="times-obit" />

He was national president of [[Federation of Master Builders]] from 1945 to at least 1951, when he celebrated his 80th birthday by laying the 80th brick in a wall built in his honour at the [[Connaught Rooms]].<ref name="times-1951-12-11">{{cite news
|title=Birthday Celebrated By Bricklaying Sir Harry Selley's Long Career In Building
|date=11 December 1951
|work=The Times
|page=2
|accessdate=9 August 2010
}}</ref>


== Politics ==
== Politics ==

Revision as of 05:23, 9 August 2010

Sir Harry Ralph Selley (9 December 1871 – 24 February 1960)[1] was a British master builder[2] and Conservative Party politician who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Battersea South in London from 1931 to 1945.

Career

Selley was born in Topsham, Devon, and became a builder's apprentice. He rose to run his own business, and estimated that he had been responsible for the building of more than 25,000 house in London and its suburbs.[2]

He was national president of Federation of Master Builders from 1945 to at least 1951, when he celebrated his 80th birthday by laying the 80th brick in a wall built in his honour at the Connaught Rooms.[3]

Politics

A member of the London County Council from 1925 to 1937,[2] he first stood for Parliament at the Battersea South by-election in February 1929, when he lost by 2.1% of the votes to the Labour Party candidate, William Bennett.[4] He contested the seat again at the general election in May 1929, cutting Bennett's majority to only 1.1%,[4] and at the 1931 general election he defeated Bennett with a majority 36.2%.[4][5]

He was re-elected in 1935,[6][4] and held the seat until he retired from the House of Commons at the 1945 general election.[7] He was knighted in 1944.[8]

Family

Selley was married in 1896 to Eleanor Kate Westcott, daughter or Thomas Westcott. They had a son a daughter, and after her death in 1935 her married again in 1939 to Margaret Avelyn (Sheila), the widow of Joseph Hendrick.[2]

After his death in 1960, at the age of 88, his estate was valued at £63,204.[9]

References

  1. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "B" (part 1)
  2. ^ a b c d "Obituaries: Sir Harry Selley, Master Builder". The Times. 25 February 1960. p. 21. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  3. ^ "Birthday Celebrated By Bricklaying Sir Harry Selley's Long Career In Building". The Times. 11 December 1951. p. 2. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  4. ^ a b c d Craig, F. W. S. (1983) [1969]. British parliamentary election results 1918–1949 (3rd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 4. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.
  5. ^ "No. 33769". The London Gazette. 6 November 1931.
  6. ^ "No. 34223". The London Gazette. 26 November 1935.
  7. ^ "Retiring M.P.s At Farewell Dinner". The Times. 14 June 1945. p. 8. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  8. ^ "No. 36393". The London Gazette. 22 February 1944.
  9. ^ "Latest Wills". The Times. 12 May 1960. p. 9. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Battersea South
19291931
Succeeded by