Claude Lancaster

Claude Granville Lancaster
Born	(1899-08-30) 30 August 1899 London, England
Died	25 July 1977(1977-07-25) (aged 77)
Occupation(s)	British Army officer, coal industry director, politician
Years active	1918–1970
Known for	Conservative MP for Fylde and Fylde South; chairman of B.A. Collieries Ltd; military service in WWI and WWII

Colonel Claude Granville Lancaster (30 August 1899 – 25 July 1977) was a British Army officer, director in the coal industry, and a politician affiliated with the Conservative Party.

Family and early life

Claude Lancaster was born on 30 August 1899 as the son of George Granville Lancaster, who purchased Kelmarsh Hall near Market Harborough in Leicestershire in 1902. His grandfather, John Lancaster, was a coal proprietor and served as a Member of Parliament for Wigan during the 19th century.

He received his education at Eton College followed by training at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. Lancaster was commissioned into the Royal Horse Guards ('Blues') in August 1918, achieved the rank of Captain by October 1924, and departed from military service in 1931.

Upon inheriting Kelmarsh Hall in 1924, Lancaster also assumed control of the family’s mining enterprises, becoming a director at Bestwood Coal & Iron Co Ltd based in Nottinghamshire. After his military career ended, he progressed within the coal sector; in 1936, Bestwood merged with two other Nottinghamshire companies to establish B.A. Collieries Ltd, where he held the position of chairman. Additionally, he oversaw agricultural activities across Northamptonshire and Nottinghamshire. In 1938, Lancaster was elected as the Conservative Member of Parliament for Fylde during a by-election and continued to represent Fylde and later Fylde South until his retirement from Parliament in 1970.

Second World War

Shortly before Second World War hostilities commenced, Lancaster was appointed as Reserve officer to lead the 9th Battalion of the Sherwood Foresters, a duplicate unit of the Territorial Army formed near Nottingham. This battalion became part of the 139th Brigade within the 46th Division, which deployed with the British Expeditionary Force to France in April 1940 for training and labor assignments. As German forces advanced, the 46th Division participated in the Battle of Dunkirk. On 29 May, the 139 Brigade joined 'Macforce' to defend a canal line near Carvin. When defensive positions contracted, orders came on 27 May for the 46th Division to enter Dunkirk’s perimeter. The 9th Foresters reinforced Bergues—a fortified town south of Dunkirk—holding out until 2 June. Lancaster’s battalion was among the final units evacuated from France.

In December 1940, the 9th Foresters detached from the 46th Division and transitioned into lorried infantry within the 1st Support Group of the 1st Armoured Division. On 1 November 1941, his battalion converted into an armoured car regiment designated as 112th Regiment Royal Armoured Corps. Lancaster maintained command before briefly serving with the Guards Armoured Division and subsequently returning to Parliament with an Honorary Colonel appointment in the Royal Armoured Corps.

Mining and politics

Throughout his military service, Lancaster preserved his involvement in coal industry affairs. In 1943, he played a key role in organizing a mission to the United States aimed at preparing for the introduction of American power loading equipment into British mines. After coal was nationalised under the Attlee Government in 1947, Lancaster expressed full support for the National Coal Board and advocated for injecting energy and efficiency into its traditionally slow-moving administration. In 1948, he authored a pamphlet concerning National Coal Board organisation and later co-wrote another publication in 1951 titled Structure and Control of the Coal Industry alongside former board members Sir Charles Carlow Reid and Sir Eric Young. Furthermore, he served on the Parliamentary Select Committee focused on Nationalised Industries and contributed to a 1969 investigation into operations of the Bank of England.

Marriage

In 1948, Lancaster entered into matrimony with Nancy Keene Perkins (1897–1994), an American known for her work as an interior designer and gardener. She had previously been married to Ronald Tree, the Member of Parliament for Harborough. Between 1927 and 1933, Perkins and Tree rented Kelmarsh Hall from Lancaster; during this period, she enhanced the Great Hall by incorporating Chinese wallpaper, a decorative element that remains today. The marriage between Claude and Nancy ended in divorce in 1953. Subsequently, Nancy emerged as a prominent figure in the English Country House design movement and took ownership of Colefax & Fowler. When Lancaster passed away in 1977, his obituary in The Times did not reference her.

References

• George Forty, British Army Handbook 1939–1945, Stroud: Sutton Publishing, 1998, .
• M. Stenton and S. Lees, Who's Who of British MPs Vol. IV, Harvester Press, 1981.

External links

• Durham Mining Museum