Hugh Linstead

Sir Hugh Nicholas Linstead OBE (3 February 1901 – 27 May 1987) was a British pharmaceutical chemist and barrister who served as Conservative Party Member of Parliament (MP) for Putney for 22 years. Linstead had significant business interests in the pharmaceutical industry. His politics were on the moderate side of the Conservative Party and he was a strong supporter of the National Health Service.

Linstead was educated at the City of London School, and then obtained the Jacob Bell Scholarship to the Pharmaceutical Society's School. He worked as a pharmaceutical chemist, and in 1926 was appointed Secretary of the Pharmaceutical Society. In the late 1920s he also trained in law at Birkbeck College, and he was Called to the Bar in 1929 by the Middle Temple. Linstead married Alice Freke in 1928; the couple had two daughters.

His position in the Pharmaceutical Society brought him membership of the Home Office Poisons Board. Linstead was a strong defender of the integrity of all those involved in pharmacy. He complained in 1936 that the law did not allow any action to be taken against the author of an article attacking the profession as a whole. In 1937, Linstead was awarded the OBE for services to the industry. In 1938 when the Central Pharmaceutical War Committee was set up, Linstead became its Secretary. He was also involved in the Scouting movement, being Commissioner for Training Scout Officers for the Boy Scouts' Association from 1932.

In March 1942 Linstead supported the Guild system in pharmaceutical retailing, arguing that after the end of the war, "state control, cartels, and individual effort will all be needed". The next month he was chosen as Conservative Party candidate for Putney after the death of Marcus Samuel. He faced opposition from Captain Bernard Acworth RN (retd.) who stood as an Independent; due to the electoral truce the Labour Party gave their support to Linstead.

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