John Pretyman Newman

Lieutenant-Colonel Sir John Robert Pretyman Newman (born John Robert Bramston Newman; 22 August 1871 – 12 March 1947) was an Irish-born British Army officer and Conservative politician.

He was the eldest son of John Adam Richard Newman of Newberry Manor, Mallow, County Cork and his wife Matilda née Bramston of Llangefni, Anglesey.

Early life Following education at Charterhouse School and Trinity College, Cambridge, Newman received a commission in the 5th Battalion, Royal Munster Fusiliers. He was appointed a deputy lieutenant and justice of the peace for County Cork. In 1898 he served as the county's high sheriff.

Marriages Newman was married twice. In 1895 he married the Hon. Olivia Anne Plunket, daughter of the 4th Baron Plunkett, who died in 1896. In 1898 he wed Geraldine "Ina" Olivia Pretyman, daughter of Colonel William Pretyman of the King's Royal Rifle Corps, and he assumed the additional surname of Pretyman in place of Bramston. The couple made their home at 79 Eaton Square in the Belgravia district of London.

Political career Member of parliament for Enfield In 1906 he unsuccessfully contested the parliamentary constituency of Walthamstow as a Conservative candidate. A further general election was held in December of the same year, and Newman held the seat with a reduced majority of 936 votes. During the First World War Newman served with the Middlesex Regiment on the Western Front, reaching the rank of major. He was knighted in February 1924 as part of the resignation hours of Stanley Baldwin.

Middle Class Union Newman was on the right wing of Conservative politics. He expressed admiration for fascism in his role as vice-president of the Middle Class Union formed in 1919 as an Anti-Socialist group to maintain public services in the event of strike action.

Later life Newman was the director of a number of companies including Allied Cement and Stream-Line Filters. In 1928, while chairman of Perfecta Meters Limited, he wrote a letter to a shareholder of the company making allegations against the managing director of the company. Newman was found guilty of libel, and damages of 1,500 pounds were awarded against him.

Newman died on 12 March 1947 in Farnham, Surrey, and was cremated in Woking two days later.