Charles Darbishire

He was a member of the Artists Rifles between 1897 and 1899 and the Royal Welch Fusiliers, Territorial Force from 1905 to 1908, attaining the rank of Lieutenant.

He became one of the managing directors of Paterson Simons & Co, which traded between London, the Straits Settlements and the Federated Malay States.

In 1921-22 he was President of the Association of British Malaya, a pressure group formed to represent planting, mining and commercial interests in the Malay states.

The new Unionist candidate, Captain Shaw, seemed more in tune with the times than the old one and Darbishire probably suffered by his refusal to support the call for protectionism in motor tyre production made to him by workers in the industry locally.

In Westbury however, it seemed less convincing to commentators on Liberal election prospects against the poor economic and industrial background in the area.

At the 1924 general election, however Unionist prospects were altogether brighter[5] and in another three-cornered contest, Darbishire lost out to Captain Shaw.