Robert Harcourt (unionist politician)

Sir Robert John Rolston Harcourt, JP (1902 – 25 August 1969) was a Northern Irish unionist politician.

Robert Harcourt
Lord Mayor of Belfast
In office
1955–1957
Preceded byPercival Brown
Succeeded byCecil McKee
High Sheriff of Belfast
In office
1948–1949
Preceded byJames Henry Norritt
Succeeded byStuart Knox Henry
Member of the Northern Ireland Senate
In office
1955–1957
Member of the Northern Ireland Parliament
for Belfast Woodvale
In office
4 April 1950 – 15 November 1955
Preceded byJohn William Nixon
Succeeded byNeville Martin
Personal details
Born1902
Belfast, Northern Ireland
Died25 August 1969
Political partyUlster Unionist

Background

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Robert Harcourt, known as John, became the director of F. E. Harcourt and Company coal merchants. He was High Sheriff of Belfast in 1949, and later in the year unsuccessfully stood as the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) candidate for South Down. Soon after this, John William Nixon, the independent Unionist MP for Belfast Woodvale, died. Harcourt stood in the ensuing by-election on 4 April 1950 and was elected.[1]

In 1955, Harcourt was elected Lord Mayor of Belfast, a position which carried with it an ex officio position in the Senate of Northern Ireland. He served until 1957, when he was knighted.[1]

Harcourt was an active member of the Orange Order and a Member of the prestigious Belfast lodge, Royal York LOL 145.

References

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Parliament of Northern Ireland
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Belfast Woodvale
1949–1955
Succeeded by
Civic offices
Preceded by High Sheriff of Belfast
1949–1950
Succeeded by
Stuart Knox Henry
Preceded by Lord Mayor of Belfast
1955–1957
Succeeded by