Politician. He was a British politician of the 20th century, serving as a member of Parliament before holding several high-ranking positions in government. Born in Levenshulme, South Manchester, he was educated at the Stretford Grammar School and qualified as a chartered accountant, before moving to London. He made his fortune by buying Victorian houses, converting them into apartments, and letting them. In July of 1939, he joined the London Scottish Regiment as a private, transferring to the Royal Artillery in 1941 as a Second Lieutenant; in the same year, he was promoted to the rank of Captain. In the General Election of 1945, he was elected to Parliament as the Conservative member for Wallasey. From 1951 to 1954, he served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Housing and Local Government, where he was in no small measure responsible for reaching his party's target of building 300,000 houses a year. He was then transferred to the Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance, but went to the back benches in 1955 when Sir Anthony Eden became Prime Minister. In 1957, however, Harold Macmillan made Marples the Postmaster General, where he oversaw the introduction of subscriber trunk dialing, the Atlantic cable, and Premium Bonds. From 1959 to 1964, Marples sat in the Cabinet as the Minister for Transport, where he introduced seat belts, roadside yellow lines, parking meters and, most controversially, the Beeching Plan which reduced by two-thirds the amount of railway lines in Great Britain. He was not a popular minister, and the slogan "Marples Must Go" was often to be seen on bumper stickers during these years. He remained in the House of Commons until the General Election of February of 1974, when he took his seat in the House of Lords as Baron Marples of Wallasey. He then moved to Fleurie in France, where he owned a vineyard, and he died at the Princess Grace Hospital in Monaco.
Politician. He was a British politician of the 20th century, serving as a member of Parliament before holding several high-ranking positions in government. Born in Levenshulme, South Manchester, he was educated at the Stretford Grammar School and qualified as a chartered accountant, before moving to London. He made his fortune by buying Victorian houses, converting them into apartments, and letting them. In July of 1939, he joined the London Scottish Regiment as a private, transferring to the Royal Artillery in 1941 as a Second Lieutenant; in the same year, he was promoted to the rank of Captain. In the General Election of 1945, he was elected to Parliament as the Conservative member for Wallasey. From 1951 to 1954, he served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Housing and Local Government, where he was in no small measure responsible for reaching his party's target of building 300,000 houses a year. He was then transferred to the Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance, but went to the back benches in 1955 when Sir Anthony Eden became Prime Minister. In 1957, however, Harold Macmillan made Marples the Postmaster General, where he oversaw the introduction of subscriber trunk dialing, the Atlantic cable, and Premium Bonds. From 1959 to 1964, Marples sat in the Cabinet as the Minister for Transport, where he introduced seat belts, roadside yellow lines, parking meters and, most controversially, the Beeching Plan which reduced by two-thirds the amount of railway lines in Great Britain. He was not a popular minister, and the slogan "Marples Must Go" was often to be seen on bumper stickers during these years. He remained in the House of Commons until the General Election of February of 1974, when he took his seat in the House of Lords as Baron Marples of Wallasey. He then moved to Fleurie in France, where he owned a vineyard, and he died at the Princess Grace Hospital in Monaco.
Bio by: Iain MacFarlaine
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