Charles Denman, 5th Baron Denman

The Right Honourable

The Lord Denman

CBE, MC, TD
Baron Denman
Tenure1971–2012
Predecessor
The 4th Baron Denman
Successor
Richard Denman, 6th Baron Denman
Other titles2nd Baronet of Staffield (1957–2012)
BornCharles Spencer Denman
7 July 1916
Penrith, Cumberland
Died21 November 2012(2012-11-21) (aged 96)
Highden, West Sussex
Spouse
Sheila Anne Stewart
​
​
(m. 1943; died 1987)​
Issue
3 sons, 1 daughter
FatherSir Richard Denman, 1st Baronet
MotherMay Spencer
Member of the House of Lords
Lord Temporal
as a hereditary peer
20 March 1971 – 11 November 1999
Preceded byThe 4th Baron Denman
Succeeded bySeat abolished [a] 
Personal details
PartyConservative
Military service
Allegiance United Kingdom
Branch/serviceBritish Territorial Army
UnitDuke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
Battles/wars

Charles Spencer Denman, 5th Baron Denman (7 July 1916 – 21 November 2012), was a British businessman. His interest in the Middle East, formed during the Second World War, was the focus for most of his business endeavours.

Early life

Denman was born on 7 July 1916 in Penrith, Cumberland.[1] He was the eldest son of Sir Richard Denman, 1st Baronet, who sat as Liberal Member of Parliament for Carlisle and then as Labour MP for Leeds.[2] He was educated at Shrewsbury School.[1] He left school at 16 with no qualifications.[2]

Following school, he began working as a gardener in Luton Hoo and then in St Mawes, Cornwall. He then set up a market garden at Mylor, Cornwall.[3]

Military service

Denman joined the Territorial Army in 1936 and served during World War II with the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry.[4] He was awarded the Military Cross (MC) on 13 August 1942 'in recognition of gallant and distinguished service in the Middle East'.[5] He attained the rank of Major in 1943 and retired from service in 1945.[6]

Later career

In 1945, Denman unsuccessfully contested in the General Election for the seat of Leeds Central, from which his father had stepped down. A Conservative candidate, he came second in the poll, receiving some 5,000 votes fewer than the eventual winner, Labour's George Porter.[7]

Denman succeeded to his father's baronetcy in 1957 upon his death, and to the Baron Denman title on the death of his first cousin in 1971.[2][6] He sat as a Conservative peer in the House of Lords until 11 November 1999.[8]

Personal life

Denman married Sheila Anne Stewart, daughter of a Scottish colonel, in September 1943, at Cairo Cathedral. Together, they had one daughter and three sons. Lady Sheila died in 1987 and their eldest daughter Gillian died in 1999.[9][10]

He was chair of the Saudi-British Society for many years as well as a trustee of Medical Aid for Palestinians.[11]

Denman died in Highden, West Sussex, aged 96 on 21 November 2012.[4] His titles were succeeded by his eldest son, Richard.[2]

Honours and decorations

He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the New Year Honours of 1976.[12] He was appointed Knight Commander of the Royal Order of Francis I in 2004.[1]

Coat of arms of Charles Denman, 5th Baron Denman
Crest
A raven rising Proper in the beak an annulet Or.
Escutcheon
Argent on a chevron between three lions' heads erased Gules as many ermine spots Or.
Supporters
On either side a lion Gules charged on the body with five ermine spots in cross Or.
Motto
Prudentia Et Constantia [9]

Notes

  1. ↑ Pursuant to the House of Lords Act 1999.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Keleny, Anne (11 December 2012). "Lord Denman: Businessman and philanthropist". The Independent. Retrieved 16 March 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Lord Denman". The Telegraph. 24 January 2013. Archived from the original on 2 October 2025. Retrieved 16 March 2013.
  3. ↑ "Lord Denman". The Times. 19 December 2012. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
  4. 1 2 "It is with Great Sadness that we Announce the Death of The Lord Charles Denman, former Chairman of the Society". The Saudi-British Society. 21 November 2012. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
  5. ↑ "No. 35665". The London Gazette. 13 August 1942. pp. 3543–3544.
  6. 1 2 "Denman, 5 Baron (UK 1834); Sir Charles Spencer Denman". Debrett's People of Today (2010 ed.). Debrett's Limited. 2009. p. 449.
  7. ↑ "1945 General Election - Leeds Central". api.parliament.uk. Archived from the original on 4 June 2026. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
  8. ↑ "Parliamentary career for Lord Denman - MPs and Lords". UK Parliament. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
  9. 1 2 Kidd, Charles; Williamson, David, eds. (2003). "Denman, Baron". Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (144th ed.). Debrett's. pp. P444-445.
  10. ↑ Denaro, Arthur; Smith, Barney (2013). "LORD DENMAN, President RSAA 1984–2012". Asian Affairs. 44 (2): 356–362. doi:10.1080/03068374.2013.795269. ISSN 0306-8374.
  11. ↑ "2013 Winners". Saudi-British Society. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
  12. ↑ "No. 46777". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 January 1976. p. 8.
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