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Portrait of Harold Gurden

Harold Gurden

1903 – 1989

British politician

Politician Council member
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About Harold Gurden

Lived 1903 – 1989 (aged 85). Harold Gurden was a British politician and council member.

Sir Harold Edward Gurden (28 June 1903 – 27 April 1989) was a British Conservative Party politician.

Gurden was educated in Birmingham at Lyttelton School and Birmingham University. He married Lucy Isabella, née Izon, on 16 April 1929. He became a technician in the dairy and food industries, and was founder-president of the Birmingham and District Dairymen's Association (1947–1950) and chairman of the Society of Dairy Technology (Midland Division). He was sometime President of the RSPCA.

Professional life Gurden served as a councillor on Birmingham City Council from 1946 to 1956, representing the ward of Selly Oak.

He was member of parliament for Birmingham Selly Oak from May 1955 to September 1974, before he lost the seat to Labour's Thomas Litterick.

Gurden was a strong proponent of the right to buy and a key figure in the campaign to compel local authorities to sell their council homes. In January 1972, he tabled a Private Members Bill that proposed "to extend to the tenants of dwellings owned by local authorities and other housing bodies the right to acquire the ownership or leasehold of their home".

Gurden was one of the first MPs to join the Conservative Monday Club.

He was knighted in the 1983 Birthday Honours.

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Important facts

Birth century
Education
University of Birmingham
Positions held
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, Member of the 43rd Parliament of the United Kingdom
Awards
Knight Bachelor
Also known as
Sir Harold Edward Gurden

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Harold Gurden's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Harold Gurden?

British politician (1903-1989)

When was Harold Gurden born?

Harold Gurden was born on 28 June 1903 in Birmingham.

When did Harold Gurden die?

Harold Gurden died on 27 April 1989 in Oxford.

What was Harold Gurden's occupation?

Harold Gurden was a politician and council member.

What nationality was Harold Gurden?

Harold Gurden was British.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Harold Gurden

· Wikidata: Q13529920

· DBpedia: Harold Gurden

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Harold Gurden. https://biography.guide/harold-gurden/

MLA: "Harold Gurden." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/harold-gurden/.

Chicago: "Harold Gurden." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/harold-gurden/.

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