Edward Gardner correspondence and political papers

Description

Comprises: (1) Scrapbooks recording election campaigns, including newspaper cuttings, letters, telegrams, posters and leaflets: Erith and Crayford, 1955; Billericay, 1959, 1964 and 1966; South Fylde, 1970, February 1974, October 1974 and 1979. (2) Cuttings from national and local newspapers, many relating to events in Lancashire from the West Lancashire Evening Gazette, in 24 scrapbooks, Nov 1970 to Feb 1987; (3) 38 appointment diaries, 1950 to 1995; (4) 7 notebooks containing diary entries, some in shorthand, Oct 1971 to May 1987; (5) House of Commons Parliamentary Diary, 1985; (6) 3 volumes of letters of congratulation on Sir Edward's knighthood, January 1983; (7) Material relating to Contract Prisons PLC (of which he was a director), including a tender to the Home Office to manage the Wolds Remand Centre, 1991; (8) Political correspondence and papers, including material relating to Electoral Reform, Capital Punishment, and Human Rights legislation; (9) Copies of newspapers and
periodicals containing articles by Sir Edward; (10) Material relating to service in the RN and RNVR, 1945 to 1949.

Biography or history

Sir Edward Lucas Gardner QC, the Conservative politician, was born in Preston, on 10 May 1912, the son of a businessman He was educated at Hutton Grammar School and worked as a journalist on the Lancashire Daily Post and the Daily Mail. During the Second World War he served in the Royal Navy, surviving the sinking of both HMS Fiji and HMS Coventry, reaching the rank of commander in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve as Chief of Naval Information in the East Indies. He qualified for the bar at Gray's Inn in 1947 and became a QC in 1960. He unsuccessfully contested Erith and Crayford in the 1955 general election, but sat as MP for Billericay from 1959 until 1966. He was appointed PPS to the Attorney General in 1962, but also established a successful legal practice and was a Crown Court recorder, 1972-1985. In 1970 he returned to parliament representing Fylde South until 1983, and then the revised constituency of Fylde, until he retired in 1987. He was knighted in 1983 and was Chairman of
the Home Affairs Select Committee, 1984-1987. He died on 2 August 2001.

Access and usage

Access

This collection has not been listed in detail and access to parts of it may be protected under the Data Protection Act and other relevant legislation. If you would like to request access to any part of this collection, please contact Special Collections. Upon receipt of your request, a member of the team will discuss your requirements with you and review relevant material accordingly

Related records in our catalogue

Sculpture

ART 097: Bust of Edward Gardner

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