Graham Page

Background

Page was born in Hertford to Frank Page, a lieutenant colonel, and Margaret Page (née Farley). He was educated at Magdalen College, Oxford, and the University of London, where he received a bachelor of laws degree, and then became a solicitor. During World War II, he was a flight lieutenant within the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. He was named an MBE in 1944. Page was a Privy Council appeal agent and a company and building society director.

Political career

Page was the unsuccessful Conservative candidate for Islington North in 1950 and 1951. He was elected an MP at a by-election in 1953, for Crosby.

As an MP, he chaired the Select committee on Statutory Instruments from 1964 to 1966. He was appointed a Privy Counsellor in 1972. Page was the Minister of State for Local Government and Development from June to October 1970, and then became the Minister of State for Housing and Local Government in the Department of the Environment from then until the Conservative Government lost the February 1974 general election. He took a particular interest in government administration and played a significant part in the reorganisation of local government and water authorities in the early 1970s.

Page won his last general election victory at the 1979 general election, with majority of over 19,000 votes, and was knighted the following year. He intended to stand down in the following general election, but he died in office before then.

With W. J. Leaper, Page wrote a book called Rent Act 1965 in 1966. He corresponded with Winston Churchill and Enoch Powell. He was a governor of St. Thomas's Hospital, London, and a treasurer of the Pedestrians' Association.

Personal life and death

Page married his wife, Hilda, in 1934, and they had two children.

References

• Times Guide to the House of Commons, 1966, 1979 and 1983 editions

References

1. "Index entry". ONS.
2. (3 October 1981). "Sir Graham Page". [[The Times]].
3. (7 January 1980). "Knights Bachelor". [[The London Gazette]].