Lancelot Dykes Spicer DSO, MC and Bar, (22 March 1893 – 6 December 1979), was a British

Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. For example, while the political systems ...

politician.

Background

He was the youngest son of Rt Hon. Sir Albert Spicer, the Liberal Party politician. He 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

Trinity College, Cambridge Trinity College is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, Trinity is one of the largest Cambridge colleges, with the largest financial endowment of any ...

. He married in 1920, Iris Cox. They had one son who was killed in action on 31 May 1944. Iris obtained a divorce in 1935. Lancelot's second marriage, in 1951, was to Dorothy Beverley Gwyther.

War 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 was granted temporary commission in the Army in September 1914. He was made T/Captain in July 1916 and Brigade-Major in April 1918. He served with the

King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry The King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (KOYLI) was a Light infantry, light infantry regiment of the British Army. It officially existed from 1881 to 1968, but its predecessors go back to 1755. In 1968, the regiment was amalgamated with the Somers ...

, 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 October 1917, bar to Military Cross in May 1918 and was made a Companion of the

Distinguished Service Order The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a Military awards and decorations, military award of the United Kingdom, as well as formerly throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth, awarded for operational gallantry for highly successful ...

in September 1918.

Professional career

He was a director of the family paper-manufacturing business Spicers Ltd, serving as chairman from 1950 to 1959. He served as president of the Stationers' Association of Britain and Ireland.

Political career

In November 1941 he was a founder of the Liberal Action Group, a pressure group inside of the Liberal Party that lobbied for the party to withdraw from the wartime electoral truce.Liberal Crusader: The Life of Sir Archibald Sinclair By Gerard J. De Groot In 1943 he was selected as Liberal prospective parliamentary candidate for the

Walthamstow West Walthamstow West was a borough constituency in what is now the London Borough of Waltham Forest, but was until 1965 the Walthamstow Urban District of Essex. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of ...

Division of Essex and at the 1945 General Election finished second. He was Liberal candidate for the

Kensington South Kensington South was a parliamentary constituency centred on the Kensington district of west London. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The constituency was created ...

Division of London at the

1945 Kensington South by-election The 1945 Kensington South Kensington South was a parliamentary constituency centred on the Kensington district of west London. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ...

where he finished second. KensingtonSouth1918

He did not stand for parliament again.

References

External links

*Sir Archibald Sinclair:https://books.google.com/books?id=J7XiewCEo5wC&pg=PA207&dq=lancelot+spicer+liberal&hl=en&sa=X&ei=GU_WUsIUrKDsBuTlgYAO&ved=0CDYQuwUwAA#v=onepage&q=lancelot%20spicer%20&f=false *Liberal Action Group:https://books.google.com/books?id=qps14mSlghcC&pg=PA316&dq=lancelot+spicer+liberal&hl=en&sa=X&ei=9U_WUr29IuTW7Qa4sYAQ&ved=0CDkQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=lancelot%20spicer%20liberal&f=false {{DEFAULTSORT:Spicer, Lancelot Dykes 1893 births 1979 deaths Alumni of Trinity College, Cambridge Recipients of the Military Cross Companions of the Distinguished Service Order Liberal Party (UK) parliamentary candidates Younger sons of baronets People educated at Rugby School