Clive Bossom

Sir Clive Bossom, 2nd Baronet, FRSA, FRGS (4 February 1918-8 March 2017) was a former British Conservative Party politician and former Member of Parliament (MP).

Family

Bossom is the son of Alfred Charles Bossom (also an MP, later ennobled as Lord Bossom) and Emily Bayne. He was educated at Eton. He married Lady Barbara Joan North (a sister of the 9th Earl of Guilford) on 28 September 1951, with whom he had four children.

Career

Bossom served in the Second World War in The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment) in Europe and the Far East and became a Major. He left the Army in 1948. His political career began in 1949 when he became a County Councillor in Kent until 1951 and he was subsequently Conservative Member of Parliament for Leominster from 1959 to 1974. During this time he was also Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance from 1960 to 1961, to the Secretary of State for Air from 1962 to 1964, to the Minister of Defence (RAF) in 1964 and to the Home Secretary from 1970 to 1972.

Bossom succeeded to the title of 2nd Baronet Bossom, of Maidstone, in the County of Kent on 4 September 1965. Outside politics he was a director of Vosper from 1973 to 1988, chairman of Europ Assistance Ltd (1972-88), chairman of the Anglo-Eastern Bank, director of the Northern Star Insurance Co, chairman of the British Motor Sports Council (1975-82), vice-chairman of the British Roads Federation (1975-82), vice-president (d'honneur) of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, president of IFPA (1969-81), and Master of the Worshipful Company of Grocers (1979-80). Bossom was also active in international relations. He was president of the Anglo-Netherlands Society (1978-89), Anglo-Belgian Society (1983-85) and the Iran Society. He received several awards from these countries.

In the social fields, he was international president of the International Social Service for Refugees (1984-89), chairman of the Ex-Servicemens War Disabled Help Committee (1973-88) and vice-chairman Joint Committee of the Red Cross and St John (1987-92). He was Almoner of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem between 1987 and 1993. Bossom is a patron of the charity Children and Families Across Borders (CFAB).

Awards and decorations

• Knight, Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem (1961)
• Knight Commander of the Order of Homayoun (Iran)
• Knight Commander of the Order of Orange-Nassau (Netherlands)
• Commander of the Order of Leopold II (Belgium)
• Commander of the Order of the Crown (Belgium)
• Fellow, Royal Geographical Society
• Fellow, Royal Society of Arts

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Clive Bossom