Graeme Finlay
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2016}}
Sir Graeme Bell Finlay, 1st Baronet, ERD ({{birth date|1917|10|29|df=y}} – {{death date and age|1987|01|21|1917|10|29|df=y}}, was a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom.
Finlay was son of James Bell Pettigrew Finlay, of Portskewett House, near Chepstow, Monmouthshire, an engineer, and his wife Margaret Helena, daughter of John Euston Davies.{{Cite web|url=http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/James_Bell_Pettigrew_Finlay|title = James Bell Pettigrew Finlay – Graces Guide}} He was educated at Marlborough, and at University College London, then entered Gray's Inn in 1946, becoming a barrister.Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage, ed. Patrick Montague-Smith, 1980Burke's Peerage 2003 vol. I, p. 1430 During the Second World War, he served in the South Wales Borderers and reached the rank of Major.{{cite book|editor-last=Mosley|editor-first=Charles|title=Debrett's Handbook, Distinguished People in British Life|year=1982|publisher=Debrett's Peerage Limited|page=588|isbn=0-905649-38-9}}
He was elected at the 1951 general election as member of parliament (MP) for the Epping constituency in Essex. He was re-elected in 1955 and 1959, and held the seat until his defeat at the 1964 general election by the Labour candidate Stan Newens.
While in Parliament, Finlay served in government as an Assistant Government Whip from 1957 to 1959,Debrett's Hndbook (1982), p. 587. a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury from 1959 to 1960,Debrett's Handbook (1982), pp. 587–588. and Vice Chamberlain of the Royal Household to Elizabeth II from 1960 until 1964.
On 31 December 1964 he was created a baronet, of Epping in the County of Essex.{{London Gazette |issue=43538 |date=1 January 1965 |page=83}}
After Parliament, Finlay sat as a County Court and Deputy Circuit Judge from 1967 to 1972, then, having settled in Jersey, he was Assistant Juge d'Instruction and Judge of the Petty Debts Court in Jersey from 1972 to 1977. He settled on the island, where he was living at Rozel near St Martin in 1982.
Finlay married June Evangeline, daughter of Colonel Francis Collingwood Drake, in 1953. They had three children: a son and heir to the baronetcy, David, and two daughters, Fiona and Catrina. Lady Finlay died on 19 October 2022.{{cite web |title=June, Lady Finlay 1930-2022 |url=https://peeragenews.blogspot.com/2022/10/june-lady-finlay-1930-2022.html |website=Peerage News |date=25 October 2022 |access-date=25 October 2022}}
{{Infobox COA wide
|escutcheon = Argent on a chevron Azure between in chief two roses Gules barbed and seeded Proper and in base an estoile of eight points Gules within two wings conjoined and erect Azure an ancient coronet Or.
|crest = In front of an oak tree fructed a whippet sejant Proper gorged with an ancient coronet pendent therefrom by the chains a portcullis Azure.
|motto = Be Just{{cite book|title=Debrett's Peerage |date=2000}}}}
References
{{Reflist}}
- {{Rayment|date=February 2012}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-par|uk}}
{{succession box
| title = Member of Parliament for Epping
| before = Nigel Davies
| after = Stan Newens
}}
{{s-reg|uk-bt}}
{{s-new|creation}}
{{s-ttl| title=Baronet
(of Epping) | years=1964–1987}}
{{s-aft| after=David Ronald James Bell Finlay}}
{{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Finlay, Graeme Bell}}
Category:Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies
Category:Ministers in the Macmillan and Douglas-Home governments, 1957–1964
Category:People educated at Marlborough College
Category:South Wales Borderers officers
Category:Baronets in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom
{{England-Conservative-UK-MP-1910s-stub}}