Ralph Humphrey Etherton (11 February 1904 – 10 December 1987) was a British

barrister A barrister is a type of lawyer in common law jurisdictions. Barristers mostly specialise in courtroom advocacy and litigation. Their tasks include taking cases in superior courts and tribunals, drafting legal pleadings, researching law and ...

and Conservative politician. He was the son of Captain Louis Etherton.''Marriages'', The Times, 16 December 1944 He was educated at

Charterhouse School (God having given, I gave) , established = , closed = , type = Public school Independent day and boarding school , religion = Church of England , president ...

and Trinity Hall, Cambridge, and was called to the Bar in 1926.''Obituary of Mr Ralph Etherton'', The Times, 9 January 1988 He became involved in Conservative politics, failing to win a parliamentary seat at Everton, Liverpool in

1935 Events January * January 7 – Italian premier Benito Mussolini and French Foreign Minister Pierre Laval conclude Franco-Italian Agreement of 1935, an agreement, in which each power agrees not to oppose the other's colonial claims. * ...

. In 1937, he unsuccessfully stood for election to the London County Council as a Municipal Reform Party candidate. Two tears later, the

1939 Stretford by-election The 1939 Stretford by-election was held on 8 December 1939. The by-election was held due to the death of the incumbent Conservative MP, Anthony Crossley Anthony Crommelin Crossley (13 August 1903 – 15 August 1939) was a British writer, ...

was caused by the death of

Anthony Crossley Anthony Crommelin Crossley (13 August 1903 – 15 August 1939) was a British writer, publisher and Conservative politician. Early life Crossley was born on 13 August 1903, the only son of Sir Kenneth Irwin Crossley, 2nd Baronet. His father w ...

, Member of Parliament for

Stretford Stretford is a market town in Trafford, Greater Manchester, England. It is situated on flat ground between the River Mersey and the Manchester Ship Canal, south of Manchester city centre, south of Salford and north-east of Altrincham. Str ...

. Etherton won the contest and was elected to the seat. Etherton joined the Royal Air Force, rising from the rank of Pilot Officer to Flight Lieutenant. On 15 December 1944, he married Johanne Cloherty in St Mary Undercroft, the crypt chapel of the

Palace of Westminster The Palace of Westminster serves as the meeting place for both the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Informally known as the Houses of Parli ...

. He met his future wife while she was

Charles de Gaulle Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle (; ; (commonly abbreviated as CDG) 22 November 18909 November 1970) was a French army officer and statesman who led Free France against Nazi Germany in World War II and chaired the Provisional Government ...

's diplomatic driver. He lost his parliamentary seat at the

1945 general election The following elections occurred in the year 1945. Africa * 1945 South-West African legislative election Asia * 1945 Indian general election Australia * 1945 Fremantle by-election Europe * 1945 Albanian parliamentary election * 1945 Bulgaria ...

. He retired from active politics and pursued a career in business. He died in December 1987, aged 82.

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* {{DEFAULTSORT:Etherton, Ralph 1904 births 1987 deaths People educated at Charterhouse School Alumni of Trinity Hall, Cambridge Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies Royal Air Force personnel of World War II Royal Air Force officers UK MPs 1935–1945 Municipal Reform Party politicians