22 Facts About Aidan Crawley

Aidan Crawley was a member of both of Britain's major political parties: the Labour Party and Conservative Party, and was elected to the House of Commons as a Labour MP from 1945 to 1951, and as a Conservative MP from 1962 to 1967.

Aidan Crawley played cricket for both Harrow and for Oxford University Cricket Club.

Aidan Crawley scored 87 in the 1926 Eton v Harrow match at Lord's, an innings which Wisden described as "widely regarded as the best innings in the match for many year", and he was described in the same publication as a "beautiful player".

Aidan Crawley had a varied career, playing first-class cricket, serving in the armed forces, acting as a Member of Parliament for two political parties, making documentary films and serving as the first chairman of London Weekend Television.

Aidan Crawley made his first-class cricket debut in May 1927, playing for Oxford University against Harlequins.

Aidan Crawley made at least ten first-class appearances in each year between 1927 and 1932 and made a total of 87 first-class appearances, the majority during this period.

Aidan Crawley played a total of 39 times for Oxford and 33 for Kent as well as eight times for Marylebone Cricket Club as well as making a few appearances for other teams such as the Free Foresters.

Aidan Crawley played only six more first-class matches after the end of the 1932 season, four of which took place after the Second World War whilst he was a sitting MP.

Aidan Crawley joined the Auxiliary Air Force in 1936, and was a trained fighter pilot at start of the Second World War.

Aidan Crawley remained in Germany, despite escape attempts, latterly at Stalag Luft III.

Aidan Crawley was Labour Member of Parliament for Buckingham from 1945 to 1951, when he lost to the Conservative candidate Frank Markham, himself an ex-Labour MP.

Aidan Crawley was Under-Secretary of State for Air in Clement Attlee's Labour Government.

Aidan Crawley held the seat through two general elections, before resigning in 1967 to become Chairman of London Weekend Television where he remained until 1973.

Aidan Crawley left ITN after a row when the company tried to trim down the news operations and rejoined the BBC.

Aidan Crawley wrote several books, including biographies of Konrad Adenauer and Charles De Gaulle.

Aidan Crawley was the second son of the Rev Stafford Aidan Crawley, Canon of Windsor.

Stafford Aidan Crawley was the brother-in-law of the Earl of Cavan and Aidan Crawley's mother was related to the Lords Wraxall, of Tyntesfield and the Lords Aldenham and Hunsdon.

Stafford Aidan Crawley was chaplain to the Archbishop of York at Bishopthorpe and later Canon of St George's Chapel, Windsor.

The Crawleys had three sons and two daughters, of whom Aidan was the middle son.

Aidan Crawley's wife died in 1983 in a road accident near Biarritz in France.

Aidan Crawley then lost heavily in the Lloyd's crash and at the time of his death, Crawley was virtually penniless.

Aidan Crawley was survived by his daughter Harriet, his two widowed daughters-in-law and six grandchildren:.