Lieutenant-Colonel Geoffrey Reginald Devereux Shaw (29 May 1896 – 8 September 1960) was a British barrister, and the

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...

MP for Sowerby.

Early career

Shaw was educated at

Cheltenham College Cheltenham College is a public school ( fee-charging boarding and day school for pupils aged 13–18) in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England. The school opened in 1841 as a Church of England foundation and is known for its outstanding linguis ...

and

King's College, Cambridge King's College, formally The King's College of Our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge, is a List of colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college lies beside the River Cam and faces ...

. On the outbreak of the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

he joined the

5th Battalion, King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry The 5th Battalion, King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (5th Bn KOYLI), was a unit of Britain's Territorial Force formed in 1908 from Volunteer Force, Volunteer units originally raised in the West Riding of Yorkshire in 1860. It served in some of ...

, serving as an officer with them until February 1916, then transferring to the East Riding Yeomanry until the end of the war. He returned to Cambridge to study law, and in 1923 was

called to the Bar The call to the bar is a legal term of art in most common law jurisdictions where persons must be qualified to be allowed to argue in court on behalf of another party and are then said to have been "called to the bar" or to have received "call to ...

by the

Inner Temple The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as the Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court and is a professional association for barristers and judges. To be called to the Bar and practice as a barrister in England and Wa ...

. In 1924 he married Elizabeth Fuller, daughter of Admiral Sir

Cyril Fuller Admiral Sir Cyril Thomas Moulden Fuller, (22 May 1874 – 1 February 1942) was a Royal Navy officer who served as Second Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Personnel from 1930 to 1932. Early life Fuller was born in the Isle of Wight on 22 May 1874, t ...

; they had two sons and three daughters. Elizabeth Shaw was made an MBE in 1945 for her work supporting the

St John Ambulance Brigade St John Ambulance is an affiliated movement of charitable organisations in mostly Commonwealth countries which provide first aid education and consumables and emergency medical services. St John organisations are primarily staffed by volunteer ...

Parliament

He entered politics in 1924, as the Conservative candidate for Sowerby in West Yorkshire. Sowerby was a historically Liberal seat, but the appearance of Labour candidates since 1918 had made it possible for Conservatives to win in a three-way fight. Shaw won the seat on a vote of just under 38%, ahead of the Liberal incumbent, Arnold Williams, on 32% and Arthur Dawson for Labour on 30%. He did not run for re-election in 1929, saying that his legal career did not allow him to dedicate enough time to his constituency.

Later career

After leaving Parliament, he returned to his successful legal practice, and bought a farming estate in Whilton, Northamptonshire, where he kept a herd of pedigree dairy cattle and owned a haymaking company. He also became active in the Territorial Army, taking command of a company of the 5th King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry in 1928, and remaining with the battalion after it was converted into an anti-aircraft regiment. He commanded the successor 57th LAA Regiment, RA during the early stages of the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, standing down in 1940. He was elected to

Northamptonshire County Council Northamptonshire County Council was the county council for Northamptonshire in England from 1889 to 2021. It was originally created in 1889, reformed in 1974, and abolished in 2021. The headquarters of the council was County Hall, Northampton, ...

for

Braunston Braunston is a village and civil parish in the West Northamptonshire unitary authority area of Northamptonshire, England, next to the border with Warwickshire. At the 2011 Census, the parish had a population of 1,759. Braunston is situated ju ...

in 1942, and was re-elected unopposed in 1946 as an independent candidate. However, at the end of the year he left the county to move to

Scottow Scottow is a village and civil parish in the England, English county of Norfolk. It is located some 2.5 miles north of Coltishall and 5 miles south of North Walsham. The villages name means 'Scots' hill-spur'. The civil parish has an area of ...

, in Norfolk. He remained a councillor, but did not seek re-election in 1949. He died in September 1960, aged 64, at Scottow Hall, leaving an estate of £200,000.

Sources

* Craig, FWS, ed. (1974). ''British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918'' London: Macmillan Press. p. 448. . {{DEFAULTSORT:Shaw, Geoffrey Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies Politicians from Yorkshire People from North Norfolk (district) 1896 births 1960 deaths Members of the Inner Temple British Army personnel of World War I King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry officers East Riding of Yorkshire Yeomanry officers