Richard Nugent, Baron Nugent of Guildford

George Richard Hodges Nugent, Baron Nugent of Guildford, Bt PC JP FRSA (6 June 1907 – 16 March 1994),^[1] known as Sir Richard Nugent, 1st Baronet between 1960 and 1966, was a British Conservative politician.

Nugent was the son of Colonel George Roubiliac Hodges Nugent and his wife Violet Stella, daughter of Henry Theopphilus Sheppard.^[2] He was educated at the Imperial Service College and went then to the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich.^[1]

In 1926, Nugent was commissioned into the Royal Artillery, leaving it after three years.^[1] He joined the County Council for Surrey in 1944 and became an alderman in 1951, representing the county later as a Justice of the Peace.^[3] Nugent entered the British House of Commons in 1950, sitting as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Guildford until 1966.^[4] He became Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries in 1951, an office he held until 1957.^[1] Subsequently, he served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport until October 1959.^[1] Nugent was created a Baronet, of Dunsfold in the County of Surrey, on 27 January 1960^[5] and was sworn of the Privy Council in 1962.^[3] He received a life peerage with the title Baron Nugent of Guildford, of Dunsfold in the County of Surrey on 31 May 1966.^[6]

In 1944, Nugent became a member of the National Farmers Union's executive council and in 1948 a vice-chairman of the National Federation of Young Farmers' Clubs, occupying both posts until 1951.^[3] He chaired the Thames Conservancy Board for fourteen years from 1960 and was nominated a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in 1962.^[1] Two years later, he became chairman of the Animal Virus Research Institute until 1977.^[3] Nugent became the first chairman of the National Water Council in 1973, resigning after five years.^[3] He was president of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) and in 1981 he succeeded in introducing seat belt legislation through an amendment to the Transport Bill.^[7]

On 29 July 1937, Nugent married Ruth Stafford, daughter of Hugh Granville Stafford.^[2] He and his wife were both awarded honorary doctorates by the University of Surrey in December 1968.^[8] Nugent died at Dunsfold in 1994.^[3]

Coat of arms of Richard Nugent, Baron Nugent of Guildford

Coronet Coronet of a baron Crest A Cockatrice with wings expanded Vert charged with a Rose Argent barbed and seeded proper Escutcheon Ermine two Bars Gules a Canton of the last Supporters Dexter: a Cockatrice wings addorsed Vert beaked combed and wattled Gules; Sinister: a Swan wings addorsed Argent, each gorged with a Collar Or charged with thee Crescents Sable Motto Degrevi (I have resolved)[9]

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Sir Richard Nugent