Introduction
Sir William Fergus Montgomery (25 November 1927 – 19 March 2013) was a British Conservative member of Parliament for three separate periods, each time representing a different constituency.
Early life
Born in South Shields, Montgomery was educated at Jarrow Grammar School and Bede College at the University of Durham, and became a teacher in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1950. From 1950 until 1958 he was a councillor serving on Hebburn urban district council. From 1957 to 1958, he was National Chairman of the Young Conservatives, having served as vice-chairman from 1954 to 1957.
Parliamentary career
Having contested the safe Labour seat of Consett in 1955, he was first elected to Parliament for Newcastle upon Tyne East at the 1959 general election with a majority of just 98. He is the only Conservative to have ever represented Newcastle East. He narrowly lost the seat in 1964 to his new Labour opponent. He returned to Parliament in a 1967 by-election for Brierley Hill.
Boundary changes which took effect from the February 1974 general election abolished the Brierley Hill constituency. Having unsuccessfully sought selection for South West Staffordshire Montgomery was selected for the new Dudley West constituency which partially replaced it. However, he was unsuccessful, losing the election to Colin Phipps of the Labour Party.
His absence from Parliament was short-lived. Later in 1974, the former Chancellor of the Exchequer Anthony Barber was made a life peer, and Montgomery was selected to contest Barber's Altrincham and Sale constituency in the general election of October 1974. He won the election, and then held the seat until he retired at the 1997 election.
He served as Parliamentary Private Secretary to Margaret Thatcher, during her tenure as Secretary of State for Education, and then as Leader of the Opposition.
Family
He married Joyce Riddle, a teacher, cricketerand Conservative local councillor; they had no children. Lady Montgomery served as Deputy Lieutenant and High Sheriff of Greater Manchester.