Sir Gerald David Nunes Nabarro (29 June 1913 – 18 November 1973) was a British businessman and Conservative Party politician who was an MP from 1950 until his death. Nabarro positioned himself on the right of the Conservative Party. Though he never left the backbenches, he was a comparatively high-profile political figure, owing in large part to his eccentric personal style.

Early life

Nabarro was born in Willesden Green, Middlesex, the son of Solomon Nunes Nabarro, a retail tobacconist who went bankrupt in 1921, and his wife Lena (died 1921), née Drucquer. He was born to a prominent Sephardi Jewish family, but later converted to Christianity. Until age 14, he was educated at London County Council schools.

Career

Nabarro left school at 14, and ran away from home into the Merchant Navy. He later enlisted in the British Army's King's Royal Rifle Corps in 1930, rising to the rank of staff sergeant instructor. After some self-education, he was accepted for commissioning as an officer, but believed he had insufficient private means and, having served his time, he was honourably discharged in 1937. He 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. During the war, he was seconded for special industrial production processes in the United Kingdom. He left full-time military service in favour of industrial employment in 1943, The share issue took place, but after SVR volunteers discovered he planned to sell the Bridgnorth railway station site for hotel and housing development and bring business friends from outside onto the board, it led to a threatened strike by the railway's volunteer staff, and his proposals were thrown out at a heated annual general meeting (AGM). Nabarro resigned from the board of directors in May 1973.

Political career

At the 1945 general election, Nabarro stood as the Conservative candidate in the Labour-held West Bromwich constituency. The seat was comfortably held by Labour's John Dugdale, with a swing of 18.6%, much higher than the national average of 10%.

In the general election of 1950, Nabarro was elected as Member of Parliament (MP) for Kidderminster, Worcestershire, which he held until 1964. He then retired on health grounds.

Given a clean bill of health later, he was selected as Conservative candidate for the safer constituency of South Worcestershire, neighbouring his old constituency, after the previous MP, Sir Peter Agnew, had retired. He duly won the seat in the 1966 general election, and represented it until he died in office in November 1973. No by-election was held following his death; the seat was still vacant when Parliament was dissolved on 8 February 1974 for the general election later that month. He was a supporter of capital punishment, and backed Enoch Powell following the latter's "Rivers of Blood" speech. Even five years earlier, on 5 April 1963, while appearing on Any Questions?, Nabarro asked, "How would you feel if your daughter wanted to marry a big buck nigger with the prospect of coffee-coloured grandchildren?"—remarks which were excised from a repeat of the programme the following week.

Despite humble beginnings, Nabarro had the style of a conservative toff, sporting a Jimmy Edwards-style handlebar moustache, a booming baritone voice, and a Terry-Thomas accent. He enjoyed driving, and owned the personalised number plates NAB 1 to 8, which he attached to his large garage of cars, including three Daimlers. He considered that a Conservative candidate's car should be substantial, but not too substantial, and did not own Rolls-Royces or Bentleys.

Personal life

On 1 June 1943, 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. They had two sons and two daughters. His wife survived him and died in 2009.

Later years

On the night of 21 May 1971, Nabarro's car, a Daimler Sovereign bearing the number plate NAB 1, was seen to swerve at speed the wrong way round a roundabout at Totton, Hampshire. It was occupied by Nabarro and his company secretary, Margaret Mason. The police charged him as the driver, but Nabarro insisted it was his secretary, who agreed with his story. During the trial, Nabarro testified that he had spent the week leading up to the accident attending "a meeting of the women's advisory committee of the New Forest Conservatives at the Grand Hotel in Lyndhurst." A few months later, having recently announced a decision to retire from the Commons on grounds of health, he died at his home, Orchard Farmhouse, in Broadway, Worcestershire on 18 November 1973, aged 60.

Publications

(Sourced from Who's Who)

  • Portrait of a Politician (memoir) – 1970
  • Severn Valley Steam – 1971
  • Steam Nostalgia – 1972
  • Learners at Large – 1973
  • Exploits of a Politician (memoir) – 1973

Notes

  • Nabarro is mocked on the cover of Private Eye
  • Critical article from The Guardian