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George Sinclair

1912 – 2005

English politician, died 2005

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About George Sinclair

Lived 1912 – 2005 (aged 92). George Sinclair was a British diplomat and politician.

Sir George Evelyn Sinclair (6 November 1912 – 21 September 2005) was Conservative MP for Dorking, Surrey, 1964–79.

Education Sinclair was a bright pupil at Abingdon School from 1923 to 1931, and one of a group known as the 'Grundy boys' – named after the then headmaster. His brothers, James Francis Sinclair and Lindsay Sinclair, also attended the school. Sinclair left the school having become Head of School, Captain of Boats, Captain of Cricket, Captain of Rugby and having won the Pembroke Scholarship. In 1969 he returned to the school as a governor. He read Greats at Pembroke College, Oxford.

Career In 1936, Sinclair joined the Colonial Service and was posted to the Gold Coast. He served with the Royal West African Frontier Force during World War II. After the war he returned to the Gold Coast, then served in Togoland. He was deputy governor of Cyprus from 1955 to 1960, during the EOKA troubles. He was appointed OBE in 1950, CMG in 1956 and knighted for his Colonial Service work in 1960. Sinclair was a councillor on Wimbledon Borough Council from 1962.

He became the Conservative Party MP for Dorking. He won his seat with a 14,056 majority.

He was on the governing body of Abingdon School from 1969 to 1988 and was Chairman of the Governors from 1972 to 1980.

Personal life In 1941, Sinclair married his first wife Katharine Jayne Burdekin, the elder daughter of the speculative novelist Katharine Burdekin, and a son and three daughters followed. Sinclair's wife Katharine died in 1971, and he married Mary Sawday in 1972.

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Important facts

Birth century
Education
Pembroke College, Abingdon School
Positions held
Member of the 47th Parliament of the United Kingdom, Member of the 46th Parliament of the United Kingdom, Member of the 45th Parliament of the United Kingdom, Member of the 44th Parliament of the United Kingdom
Awards
Officer of the Order of the British Empire; Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George; Knight Bachelor
Also known as
Sir George Evelyn Sinclair

People in George Sinclair's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped George Sinclair's

Frequently asked questions

Who was George Sinclair?

English politician, died 2005

When was George Sinclair born?

George Sinclair was born on 6 November 1912 in Penzance.

When did George Sinclair die?

George Sinclair died on 21 September 2005 in Ipswich.

What was George Sinclair's occupation?

George Sinclair was a diplomat and politician.

What nationality was George Sinclair?

George Sinclair was British.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: George Sinclair

· Wikidata: Q5544571

· DBpedia: George Sinclair (politician)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). George Sinclair. https://biography.guide/george-sinclair-diplomat/

MLA: "George Sinclair." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/george-sinclair-diplomat/.

Chicago: "George Sinclair." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/george-sinclair-diplomat/.

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