12 Facts About Toby Jessel

Toby Henry Francis Jessel was a British Conservative Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Twickenham from 1970 to 1997.

Toby Jessel was the great-grandson of Marcus Samuel, 1st Viscount Bearsted, and his great-great uncle was the judge George Jessel.

Toby Jessel's sister Camilla married the Polish-born composer Andrzej Panufnik.

Toby Jessel received his formal education at the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, and at Balliol College, Oxford.

Toby Jessel joined the Conservative Party, and served as a councillor in the London Borough of Southwark from 1964.

Toby Jessel represented Richmond upon Thames on the Greater London Council between 1967 and 1973.

Toby Jessel was elected as the Member of Parliament for Twickenham at the 1970 general election, and held it for almost 30 years until being defeated in the 1997 general election by Vince Cable of the Liberal Democrats.

Toby Jessel married Philippa Jephcott in 1967; they were divorced in 1973.

Toby Jessel married his second wife, Eira Heath, in 1980.

Toby Jessel played the piano from an early age, and unsuccessfully applied to study at the Royal Academy of Music during his youth.

Toby Jessel was a member of the Garrick Club and famously stood up in the House of Commons with his club tie sticking out of his trouser fly.

Toby Jessel resided at The Old Court House near Hampton Court Palace for decades, until selling it in 2013.