William Rees-Davies (Conservative politician)

William Rupert Rees-Davies QC (19 November 1916 – 12 January 1992) was a British Conservative politician.

Rees-Davies as a member of the Eton cricket team

Early life

Rees-Davies was the son of Sir William Rees-Davies, Chief Justice of Hong Kong. He was born in Hong Kong while his father was serving as Chief Justice. His grandfather was William Davies, Liberal MP for Pembrokeshire[1]

He was educated at Eton College and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he gained a cricket blue.[1] He also played for the Kent Second XI. He was a right-arm fast-medium bowler.[2]

Non-political career

He was a barrister, called to the bar by Inner Temple in 1939. He was appointed a Queen's Counsel in 1973.[3] He was commissioned in the Welsh Guards in 1939 and served until 1943 when he lost his right arm on service during World War II.[1] Because he had lost his arm, he was some time referred to as the "one armed bandit".[4]

Political career
Rees-Davies is re-elected MP for the Isle of Thanet Constituency with 33,434 votes. The results were declared outside Granville House, Ramsgate. Photographed by Eric Easton, 18 June 1970.

Rees-Davies contested Nottingham South in 1950 and 1951. He was Member of Parliament for the Isle of Thanet from a 1953 by-election to 1974, then for Thanet West from 1974 to 1983 when his seat was abolished in boundary changes.[1]

References
  1. Obituary of William Rees Davies, The Daily Telegraph, 14 January 1992.
  2. Cricinfo records for Rees Davies
  3. "The London Gazette" (PDF). www.thegazette.co.uk. Retrieved 29 May 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. "Judges at wits' end". Law Gazette.


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