The Right Honourable Sir Norman Stronge, Bt MC PC JP |
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Sir Norman Stronge wearing the Speaker's wig.
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Speaker of the Northern Ireland House of Commons |
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In office 1945–1956 |
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In office 1956–1969 |
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Member of the Northern Ireland House of Commons |
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In office 1938–1969 |
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Constituency | Mid Armagh |
Personal details | |
Born |
Charles Norman Lockhart Stronge 23 July 1894 Bryansford, County Down, Ireland |
Died | 21 January 1981 Tynan Abbey, County Armagh, Northern Ireland |
(aged 86)
Political party | Ulster Unionist Party |
Spouse(s) | Gladys Olive Hall (born 23 July 1894; m. 1921–1980; her death); 4 children |
Children |
Sir James Stronge, 9th Baronet Daphne Marian, Mrs Kingan Evelyn Elizabeth Stronge Rosemary Diana Stronge |
Sir Charles Norman Lockhart Stronge, 8th Baronet, MC, PC, JP (23 July 1894 – 21 January 1981), was a senior Ulster Unionist Party politician in Northern Ireland.
Before his involvement in politics he fought in the First World War as a junior officer in the British Army. He fought in the Battle of the Somme in 1916 and was awarded the Military Cross. His positions after the war included Speaker of the House of Commons of Northern Ireland for twenty-three years.
He was shot and killed (aged 86), along with his son, James (aged 48), by the Provisional Irish Republican Army in 1981 at Tynan Abbey, their home, which was burnt to the ground during the attack.
Sir Norman was born in Bryansford, County Down, Ireland, the son of Sir Charles Stronge, 7th Baronet, and Marian Bostock, whose family were from Epsom.
Educated at Eton, during the First World War (1914–18) he joined the British Army and was commissioned as a second lieutenant into the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. He fought on the Western Front with the 10th (Service) Battalion, as lieutenant and later as captain. He was decorated with the Military Cross and the Belgian croix de guerre. He survived the first day of the Battle of the Somme in July 1916 and was the first soldier after the start of the battle to be mentioned in dispatches by General Sir Douglas Haig, commander of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) on the Western Front. In April 1918, he was appointed adjutant of the 15th (Service) Battalion (North Belfast), Royal Irish Rifles. He was wounded in action near Kortrijk, Belgium towards the end of the war on 20 October 1918. He relinquished his commission on 19 August 1919, and was permitted to retain the rank of captain.