1596 Walter Rea

Constituency : Scarborough  1906-18, Bradford  North  1923-4, Dewsbury  1931-5

Walter  took  over  at  Scarborough  from  Joseph  Compton-Rickett  who  had  successfully  switched  to  Osgoldcross.

Walter  was  the  son  of  the  MP  for  Gloucester, Russell  Rea. He  was  a  British  merchant  banker.

In  December  1914  Walter's  home  in  Scarborough  was  hit  by  a  shell  causing  extensive  damage. He  worked  to  secure  restoration  funds  for  the  town.

Walter  was  a  junior  whip  from  1915  to  1916.

Walter's  seat  was  abolished  in  1918.

Walter  stood  for  Bradford  North  in  1922  and  came  quite  close  to  taking  it. He  gained  the  seat  by  a  slim  majority  in  1923  but  came  third  in  1924.

In  1931   Walter  stood  for  Dewsbury  and  won  without  Conservative  opposition  leading  some  to  mistakenly  label  him  a  Liberal  National. He  was  Comptroller  of  the  Household  in  1931-2  but  resigned  along  with  Samuel  over  Free  Trade.He  became  an  opposition  whip.

In  1935  Walter  came  third  behind  Labour  and  National  Labour.

Walter  was  created  a  baronet  in  1935. In  1937  he  was  upgraded  to  Baron  Rea.

He  died  in  1948  aged  75.