{{Short description|British politician (1858–1937)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}} thumb|right|Lord Glenravel '''Arthur Shirley Benn, 1st Baron Glenravel''', {{postnominals|country=UK|size=100%|KBE}} (20 December 1858 – 13 June 1937), known as '''Sir Arthur Benn, Bt''', between 1926 and 1936, was a British businessman and politician.
==Early life== He was born on 20 December 1858, in Cork, Ireland, the son of Reverend John Watkins Benn. He received his formal education at Clifton College,<ref>"Clifton College Register" Muirhead, J.A.O. p37: Bristol; J.W Arrowsmith for Old Cliftonian Society; April, 1948</ref> then at Inner Temple.
==Business career== He became a managing director, then the British Vice-Consul to Mobile, Alabama.
==Political career== Benn became active in the Conservative Party, and stood in Battersea at the 1906 general election. In 1907, he was elected to London County Council, representing the equivalent seat, a post he held for four years. He stood for Parliament in Battersea again in January 1910. In December, he was instead elected at Plymouth.
In 1915 during the First World War he was a member of the House of Commons' 'Ammunition Committee', established by David Lloyd George as Minister of Munitions.<ref>'The Private Papers of Douglas Haig 1914-1919', edited by Robert Blake (Pub. Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1952), p. 100</ref>
Benn moved to represent Plymouth Drake in 1918, and in the Birthday Honours that year was appointed to the Order of the British Empire as a Knight Commander (KBE).<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=30730 |date=7 June 1918 |page=6686 |supp=y}}</ref> In 1921, he became the President of the Association of British Chambers of Commerce, a position he held until 1923, and also became the Chair of the National Unionist Association. On 19 October 1922, he spoke at the Carlton Club meeting.
In 1926 he was created a baronet, of Plymouth in the County of Devon.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=33191 |date=13 August 1926 |page=5371 }}</ref> From 1927, he was the Director of the International Chamber of Commerce.
Benn lost his seat in 1929, and at the next general election in 1931 was elected for Sheffield Park, but then lost this seat in 1935. In 1936 he was raised to the peerage as '''Baron Glenravel''', of Kensington in the County of London.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=34252 |date=4 February 1936 |page=730 }}</ref>
==Death== He died on 13 June 1937 at the age of 78, without issue, when the baronetcy and barony became extinct. His body was buried at Hanwell Cemetery in Ealing, London.
==Personal life== He married Alys Maria Luling, daughter of Florenz Augustus Luling of New Orleans and later of Mobile, Alabama, on 9 May 1888.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Bruno|first1=Stephanie|title=Luling Mansion Presides Over Neighborhood Near The Track |work=Picayune Times|date=27 November 2004}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Pine|first1=L. G.|title=The New Extinct Peerage 1884-1971: Containing Extinct, Abeyant, Dormant and Suspended Peerages With Genealogies and Arms|date=1972|publisher=Heraldry Today|location=London|isbn=0900455233}}</ref>
==Arms== {{Infobox COA wide |image = centre|150pxcentre|200px |escutcheon = Argent on a chevron indented Gules between three lions rampant Sable a trefoil slipped Or. |crest = On a wreath of the colours a tiger passant Argent gorged with a collar dancettee Gules charged with a trefoil as in the arms. |motto = Courage Sans Peur |notes = Confirmed by Nevile Wilkinson, Ulster King of Arms, 30 June 1908.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000529301/StaffViewMARC#tabnav |page=438 |publisher=National Library of Ireland |accessdate=1 January 2023 |title=Grants and Confirmations of Arms Vol. J|date=1898 }}</ref>}}
==References== {{Reflist}} *Michael Stenton and Stephen Lees, ''Who's Who of British MPs: Volume III, 1919-1945''
== External links == * {{Hansard-contribs | sir-arthur-benn | Arthur Benn }}
{{S-start}} {{s-par|uk}} {{s-bef | before = Charles Mallet<br />Aneurin Williams }} {{s-ttl | title = Member of Parliament for Plymouth | years = December 1910 – 1918 | with = Waldorf Astor }} {{s-non | reason = Constituency divided }}
{{s-new | constituency}} {{s-ttl | title = Member of Parliament for Plymouth Drake | years = 1918–1929 }} {{s-aft | after=James John Hamlyn Moses }} {{succession box | title = Member of Parliament for Sheffield Park | years = 1931–1935 | before = George Lathan | after = George Lathan }} {{s-reg|uk}} {{s-new | creation}} {{s-ttl | title = Baron Glenravel | years = 1936–1937 }} {{s-non | reason = Extinct }} {{s-reg|uk-bt}} {{s-new|Creation}} {{s-ttl|title=Baronet<br />'''(of Bolton Gardens)''' | years=1926–1937}} {{s-non|reason=Extinct}} {{s-end}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Benn, Arthur Shirley}} Glenravel Glenravel Glenravel Category:Politics of Sheffield Category:Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies Glenravel Glenravel Category:UK MPs 1910–1918 Category:UK MPs 1918–1922 Category:UK MPs 1922–1923 Category:UK MPs 1923–1924 Category:UK MPs 1924–1929 Category:UK MPs 1931–1935 Glenravel Category:Members of London County Council 301 Glenravel Category:Businesspeople awarded knighthoods Category:Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for Plymouth Category:Peers created by Edward VIII