Richard Fort

Richard Fort (8 August 1907 – 16 May 1959) was a British industrial chemist and politician. He was elected as a Conservative Party Member of Parliament from 1950 and seemed destined for a long Parliamentary career, but was killed in a car accident in 1959 at the age of 51.

Training

Fort's father was second Master of Winchester College; he was himself sent to Eton College from where he went to New College, Oxford."Who Was Who", A & C Black.] In 1930 he graduated with an honours degree in Chemistry, and went to the Technische Hochschule in Vienna where he studied industrial chemistry."Mr. Richard Fort" (Obituary), "The Times", 18 May 1959, p. 10.]

Industrial chemistry

On his return to England in 1932, Fort was employed by Imperial Chemical Industries as junior works manager in the company's Cheshire alkali factories. He was then promoted and in 1938 became President of ICI (New York) Ltd, but in 1940 he joined the British Purchasing Mission and the British Supply Mission set up by the British government to buy wartime supplies from the United States. He was transferred to the Ministry of Supply in London the next year, working in the small arms ammunition department, where he stayed until the end of the war.

Clitheroe campaigning

At the 1945 general election, Fort was chosen as Conservative Party candidate for Clitheroe, which his identically-named uncle had represented from 1880 to 1885, and his grandfather from 1865 to 1868."The Times House of Commons, 1951", p. 139.] However, Fort lost the election by 2,647 votes."The Times House of Commons 1945", p. 86.] He returned to ICI as a technical consultant,"The Times House of Commons 1950", p. 192.] and was readopted for Clitheroe; he spent the term of the Parliament 'nursing' the constituency."Keen Campagning In The N.W.", "The Times", 17 February 1950, p. 5.]

Local industries

When the 1950 general election came around, Fort won the seat at his second attempt with a majority of 2,455. He made his maiden speech in a debate on the 1950 budget, arguing that rates of taxation were so high that they denied the incentive of giving a man more money when he did more work."Parliament", "The Times", 22 April 1950, p. 2.] In his early Parliamentary career he often spoke in defence of local industries, including the cotton industry,"Parliament", "The Times", 16 December 1950, p. 4.] and dairy farmers."Parliament", "The Times", 19 July 1951, p. 4.] He was one of the authors of "One Nation", a highly influential pamphlet published in autumn 1950.

Freedom for state corporations

Re-elected with a majority increased to 4,425 in the 1951 general election, Fort was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary to Florence Horsbrugh, the Minister of Education, until 1954. He supported the Conservative government's Transport Bill, arguing that the freedom of railways to set their own freight charges would allow road and rail to compete and work out the best way of carrying goods."Parliament", "The Times", 17 February 1953, p. 4.] He welcomed a ministerial inquiry into the costs of the National Health Service and called for greater independence for its regional boards."Parliament", "The Times", 2 April 1953, p. 3.]

Attitude to science

Fort gave support to the establishment of the Atomic Energy Authority but asked why the Government did not intend to allow it to become self-supporting or to borrow money freely."Parliament", "The Times", 2 March 1954, p. 4.] He complained at remarks by fellow Conservative MP John Eden, who had opposed the chemical manipulation of foodstuffs; Fort said that prolonged investigations were undertaken to make sure food additives were safe."Parliament", "The Times", 27 October 1954, p. 4.] In March 1955 he presented a Private Members' Bill to require simultaneous elections of Rural District Councils with Parish councils, and to put the cost of elections to Parish councils on to the Rural District."Parliament", "The Times", 19 March 1955, p. 9.]

His scientific background led to an appointment as a lay member of the Medical Research Council in 1955. In January 1956 Fort succeeded in persuading the Government to withdraw a proposal whereby the General Dental Council would carry out staffing experiments with ancillary staff rather than the Privy Council."Parliament", "The Times", 27 January 1956, p. 3.] He moved an amendment in April 1957 which would allow the Central Electricity Generating Board to issue stock and borrow money with Ministry approval; he argued that they needed to use their capital to the best possible advantage."Parliament", "The Times", 5 April 1957; p. 4.]

alk vaccine

When the Parliamentary Conservative Party set up a sub-committee dealing with atomic energy after the Windscale Fire, Fort was picked to chair it."Conservatives' New Committee", "The Times", 14 November 1957, p. 5.] In 1958 he took up the issue of the Salk vaccine against Poliomyelitis, which he had debated in the Medical Research Council. He defended the MRC decision to allow the vaccine,"Parliament", "The Times", 2 May 1958, p. 4.] and pressed for more vaccine to be made available for use."Parliament", "The Times", 13 May 1958, p. 13.]

In June 1958 he abstained on a three-line whip after a debate on the cotton industry, failing to support Government policy, along with six other MPs representing affected constituencies."Government Accused Of Empty Promises To Cotton Trade", "The Times", 1 July 1958, p. 10.] From 1957 he was chairman of the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee, and became a governor of Imperial College. Fort contributed an essay to "The Responsible Society", a collection of 11 essays witten by members of the 'One Nation' group which was published in March 1959."The State And The Individual: Policy Straws In The Wind", "The Times", 24 March 1959, p. 7.]

Car accident death

On Saturday 16 May 1959, Fort was driving his car on the road from Oxford to Henley near Nuneham Courtnay when it had a head-on collision with a coach. Fort was killed instantly; passengers on the coach reported that he had been slumped at the wheel immediately before the crash."Mr. R. Fort, M.P., Killed In Crash", "The Times", 18 May 1959, p. 6.] An inquest into his death found no signs of illness or disease"Mr. R. Fort: 'No Sign of Heart Attack'", "The Times", 21 May 1959, p. 7.] (he did have a gallstone), and the coroner found that he had lost control of his car. The inquest returned a verdict of accidental death."M.P. 'Lost Control' Before Crash", "The Times", 19 June 1959, p. 8.]

References