Colin Shepherd

{{For|the author using the pseudonym Colin Shepherd|Josephine Trott}}

Sir Colin Ryley Shepherd (13 January 1938 – 17 January 2024) was a British Conservative Party politician. He was MP for Hereford from October 1974 until his defeat by Liberal Democrat Paul Keetch in 1997. He took a special interest in rural issues and the Commonwealth.{{Cite web|url=https://www.parliament.uk/biographies/commons/sir-colin-shepherd/1244/|title=Sir Colin Shepherd|website=UK Parliament|language=English|access-date=12 July 2019}}

Background

Shepherd was born in Hale, Cheshire in 1938.{{Cite web|url=https://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=%2BQrv1IRnAaq7SteC%2BhNfbg&scan=1|title=Index entry|accessdate=21 February 2024|work=FreeBMD|publisher=ONS}}{{cite news|url =https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2024/02/20/sir-colin-shepherd-conservative-mp-hereford-major-thatcher/|title = Sir Colin Shepherd, Hereford Tory MP who defended local interests from farming to SAS – obituary|date = 20 February 2024|accessdate = 21 February 2024|newspaper = The Daily Telegraph|url-access = subscription}} He was head boy at the prestigious Oundle School and after performing his national service with the Royal Navy, he attended Caius College, Cambridge and McGill University in Montreal, where he served in the Royal Canadian Navy.

Career

Shepherd worked for his family's company in Ross-on-Wye, where he continued to work for at least one day a week through his political career in unison with his two younger brothers

In 1974, Shepherd was elected to parliament in Hereford. He was described by The Daily Telegraph as a "generally loyal" Conservative, who took a strong interest in rural issues. He was vice chairman of the agricultural committee on two occasions.

After his defeat in 1997, he continued to work in business until 2010. He also helped consult government within in Africa and helped to elect his successor MP but one, Jesse Norman.

Personal life

Shepherd was knighted in the 1996 New Year Honours{{cite news | last = Wynn Davies | first = Patricia | title = THE NEW YEAR HONOURS: Tory backers are rewarded | work = The Independent | date = 30 December 2005 | url = https://www.independent.co.uk/news/the-new-year-honours-tory-backers-are-rewarded-1527748.html | accessdate = 29 May 2009}} and lived at Ganarew Manor, Herefordshire.{{cite web |url=http://www.st-michaels-hospice.org.uk/latest-news/events/open-garden-at-the-manor-house-ganarew |title=Open Garden at The Manor House, Ganarew - St Michael's Hospice | Specialist palliative care for life-limiting conditions |publisher=St-michaels-hospice.org.uk |date=9 June 2011 |accessdate=22 March 2012 }}{{dead link|date=August 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} He married Lady Louise Cleveland in 1966, and they had three boys.

He died at home on 17 January 2024, four days after his 86th birthday which he spent celebrating with his close family at his home in Ganarew.{{cite news |last1=Price |first1=Richard |title=Tributes paid to former MP of over 20 years |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cjjx3533elxo |access-date=1 February 2024 |work=BBC News |date=22 January 2024}}