Cyril Fullard Entwistle

Major Sir Cyril Fullard Entwistle, MC, QC (23 September 1887 – 9 July 1974) was a Liberal Party politician in the United Kingdom. He later defected to the Conservative Party. He was a member of parliament (MP) from 1918 to 1924 and from 1931 to 1945.

Early life and career He was the son of Joe Entwistle of Bolton, Lancashire and St Anne's on Sea, a cotton manufacturer, and was born 23 September 1887 in Bombay. He was educated at Bolton Grammar School, and graduated LL.B. from Victoria University of Manchester in 1908. He took solicitors' examinations in 1909, and qualified as a solicitor in 1910. and held the seat until he was defeated at the 1924 general election. He was an Asquithian Liberal, opposed to David Lloyd George; he defeated a Coalition Coupon-holding seaman's candidate (Coalition Labour). On the other hand, he has been counted as a coalition supporter.

Entwistle was called to the bar in 1919. He introduced in the House of Commons, as a private member's bill, the Matrimonial Causes Act 1923. Lord Buckmaster, who had failed with a divorce reform bill in 1920, introduced Entwistle's bill in the House of Lords; the Act passed was aimed solely at removing the issue of a double standard.

Entwistle then devoted himself to the law and business. He left the rump Liberals under Lloyd George in early 1926, over land policy, with Alfred Mond, Henry Mond and J. Suenson-Taylor. After joining the Conservatives that year, he unsuccessfully contested Bolton at the 1929 general election. He won the seat as a Tory in 1931, and held it until his defeat in the Labour Party landslide at the 1945 election.

In 1931 Entwistle took silk. He was knighted in 1937, "for political and public services".

Family Entwistle married in 1940 Ethel M. Towlson of Hale, Cheshire.