b 3 Jun 1903 in Boldre, Hampshire, an Engineer

Sir Robert Perkins; went to Eton and then Trinity College, Cambridge.

Director of Messrs Roy Dempster, Manchester. He had "a wide circle of personal friends (which included Lyndsey Everard MP), and... [was] a keen politician". He was, in fact, in charge of the erection of a large gasholder near Heston Airport in 1933.

Became a Conservative MP (for Stroud 1931-1945) and was instrumental in the setting up of the British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA) in the late 30s.

Parlimentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation during WWII; in October 1944, he married Nigel Norman's widow Patricia, in Westminster Cathedral.

MP for Stroud again from 1950-55. Knighted in 1954.

In 1954, following the accidents to the DH Comet airliner, he handed in a motion to the House of Commons stating "That this House will regret the proposal of BOAC to buy American airliners". He urged them to buy Britannias instead...

Subsequently Charirman of Southern Newspapers, and a director of Southern Television.

d. Dec 1988 in Salisbury, Wilts.