Hugh Seely, 1st Baron Sherwood

Who was Hugh Seely, 1st Baron Sherwood?

Hugh Michael Seely, 1st Baron Sherwood was a British Liberal politician. He was the third baronet of the Seely family, of Sherwood Lodge, Nottinghamshire.

Seely was educated at Eton College and became a Lieutenant in the Grenadier Guards. He was a Member of Parliament for East Norfolk from 1923 to 1924, High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire for 1925 and MP for Berwick-upon-Tweed from 1935 to 1941. He was the Joint Under-Secretary of State for Air during a large part of the Second World War. In 1946 he acquired and was Chairman of the famous gunmaker James Purdey and Sons.

He married Molly Patricia Chetwode, daughter of the first Viscount Camrose, who owned The Daily Telegraph newspaper. He was created Baron Sherwood in 1941; the barony became extinct when he died in 1970 without children. His brother Sir Victor Basil John Seely, 4th Baronet inherited the baronetcy. Victor's son Sir Nigel Edward Seely is the current and 5th Baronet. Lord Sherwood was a member of a family of politicians, industrialists and significant landowners. His great-grandfather Charles Seely, grandfather Sir Charles Seely, 1st Baronet, father Sir Charles Seely, 2nd Baronet, and uncle John Edward Bernard Seely, 1st Baron Mottistone were all Members of Parliament.