Arthur Benn

He was born on 20 December 1858, in Cork, Ireland, the son of Reverend John Watkins Benn.

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.

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.

[2] 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).