Major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...

John Sewell Courtauld, (30 August 1880–20 April 1942) was a

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

Conservative Party politician and architect.

Early life and education

John "Jack" Sewell Courtauld was born on the 26 August 1880 to

Sydney Courtauld Sydney Courtauld Justice of the Peace, JP (1840–1899) was a Crêpe_(textile), Crêpe and Silk manufacturer, and part of the Courtauld family empire in Great Britain Personal life He was born on 10 March 1840 in Bocking, Essex, Bocking, Bra ...

(1840–1899) and Sarah Lucy Sharpe (1844–1906). Courtauld had two sisters, Sydney Renée Courtauld and

Catharine Dowman Catharine Dowman (; 25 May 1878 – 19 September 1972) was an English philanthropist associated with women's suffrage and the restoration of the ''Cutty Sark''. Family Catharine was a member of the wealthy English Courtauld textile family. She ...

(), and three brothers

Sir William Courtauld, 1st Baronet Sir William Julien Courtauld, 1st Baronet (6 June 1870 – 13 May 1940) was a British businessman and benefactor and a member of the Courtaulds, Courtauld family empire in Great Britain. Background Courtauld was the son of Sydney Courtauld ...

, Samuel Courtauld, and Sir Stephen Courtauld. Courtauld was educated at

Rugby School Rugby School is a Public school (United Kingdom), private boarding school for pupils aged 13–18, located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire in England. Founded in 1567 as a free grammar school for local boys, it is one of the oldest independ ...

and at

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 25 October 1906, Courtauld married Henrietta Barbara Courtauld () at St Mary's Church in

Wimbledon Wimbledon most often refers to: * Wimbledon, London, a district of southwest London * Wimbledon Championships, the oldest tennis tournament in the world and one of the four Grand Slam championships Wimbledon may also refer to: Places London * W ...

. The couple had one daughter.

Military service

He saw active service in 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 took up his Commission in October 1914, becoming a 2nd Lieutenant in the 6th Battn. Somerset Light Infantry. He was in France in May, 1915 and served in the Ypres Salient until March 1916. He was at Arras until September, 1916, then going to the Somme until November 1916. He was awarded the

Military Cross The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level (second-level until 1993) military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) Other ranks (UK), other ranks of the British Armed Forces, and formerly awarded to officers of other Commonwealth of ...

in December 1916. He was appointed Director of Army Accounts and Quartermaster General of the Division, and later served in Salonika. He was gazetted Major in 1917 and received the Croix-de-Guene avec Palme at the close of the Palestine campaign.

Career

He owned a company of architects, but at the 1924 general election he was elected as Member of Parliament (MP) for the constituency of

Chichester Chichester ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and civil parish in the Chichester District, Chichester district of West Sussex, England.OS Explorer map 120: Chichester, South Harting and Selsey Scale: 1:25 000. Publisher ...

, a safe Conservative seat. He was duly re-elected at the general elections of 1929, 1931 and 1935, until his death in 1942, aged 61. He had a London residence at 9 Grosvenor Square and in 1919 he acquired the

Burton Park Burton Park is a 19th-century country house in the civil parish of Duncton in West Sussex, and is situated 1/2 a mile to the east of the village of Duncton, within its own estate. It is a listed building, Grade I listed building, now converted i ...

estate, West Sussex, within the Chichester constituency. He moved to a cottage on the estate after it was requisitioned by the Army at the start of the Second World War. He had a longstanding interest in film production and in 1934 became Chairman of the Directors of a new company, British National Films Ltd. Colleagues on the Board were Lady Yule, J. Arthur Rank and Managing Director John Corfield

Personal life

He was a breeder and owner of racehorses, and was an active member of the Jockey Club and Chairman of the Racecourse Betting Control Board

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Courtauld, John Sewell 1880 births 1942 deaths Military personnel from Essex Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies Recipients of the Military Cross UK MPs 1924–1929 UK MPs 1929–1931 UK MPs 1931–1935 UK MPs 1935–1945

John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...

English people of French descent English architects English businesspeople People from Bocking, Essex British Army personnel of World War I Somerset Light Infantry officers People educated at Rugby School