24 Facts About Gerald Nabarro

Sir Gerald David Nunes Nabarro was a British businessman and Conservative Party politician who was an MP from 1950 until his death.

Gerald Nabarro was born in Willesden Green, Middlesex, the son of Solomon Nunes Gerald Nabarro, a retail tobacconist who went bankrupt in 1921, and his wife Lena, nee Drucquer.

Gerald Nabarro was born to a prominent Sephardi Jewish family, but later converted to Christianity.

Gerald Nabarro left school at 14, and ran away from home into the Merchant Navy.

Gerald Nabarro later enlisted in the British Army's King's Royal Rifle Corps in 1930, rising to the rank of staff sergeant instructor.

Gerald Nabarro went into the timber-supply industry, where he made his fortune, able to later claim to have served in every grade from labourer to managing director.

Gerald Nabarro served in the Territorial Army from 1937, and at the start of the Second World War, he was commissioned as an officer in the Royal Artillery.

Gerald Nabarro left full-time military service in favour of industrial employment in 1943, but remained on the Reserve of Officers until 1946.

Gerald Nabarro was interested in the revival of the Severn Valley Railway, and his fascination with the SVR served as the basis of two of his books, Severn Valley Steam and Steam Nostalgia.

Gerald Nabarro resigned from the board of directors in May 1973.

At the 1945 general election, Gerald Nabarro stood as the Conservative candidate in the Labour-held West Bromwich constituency.

Gerald Nabarro duly won the seat in the 1966 general election, and represented it until he died in office in November 1973.

Gerald Nabarro unsuccessfully proposed an amendment to the Life Peerages Bill in 1958 that would have allowed hereditary peers to renounce their peerages, and seek election to sit in the House of Commons.

Gerald Nabarro was made a Knight Bachelor for political and public services in the 1963 New Years Honours list.

Gerald Nabarro characterised himself as an old-style Tory: he opposed the European Economic Community project, as well as drugs, pop music, and pornography, and was critical of students.

Gerald Nabarro was a supporter of capital punishment, and backed Enoch Powell following the latter's "Rivers of Blood" speech.

Gerald Nabarro enjoyed driving, and owned the personalised number plates NAB 1 to 8, which he attached to his large garage of cars, including three Daimlers.

Gerald Nabarro considered that a Conservative candidate's car should be substantial, but not too substantial, and did not own Rolls-Royces or Bentleys.

On 1 June 1943, Gerald Nabarro married Joan Maud Violet im Thurn, the elder daughter of Colonel Bernhardt Basil von Brumsey im Thurn, DSO, of Winchester, a British Army officer of Austrian ancestry.

The police charged him as the driver, but Gerald Nabarro insisted it was his secretary, who agreed with his story.

Gerald Nabarro announced his appeal on the court steps immediately afterwards, accompanied by his private secretary, Christine Holman.

Gerald Nabarro suffered two strokes in the following year, and was cleared in the delayed second trial, after four new witnesses testified that they had seen a woman driving.

Gerald Nabarro added that his father suffered from diabetes, and had hardly driven for some years before the dangerous driving allegation at his doctor's orders.

Gerald Nabarro had suffered a cerebral haemorrhage the week prior.