For the rugby league footballer of the 1960s and '70s for St Helens RLFC, Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, England, and Great Britain, see William "Billy" Benyon

Sir William Richard Benyon (born 17 January 1930) is a retired British Conservative Party politician, Berkshire landowner and former High Sheriff. At least in his political persona, he generally preferred the familiar Bill Benyon form of his name.

He was born William Richard Shelley, the son of Vice-Admiral Richard Shelley (grandson of Richard Fellowes Benyon) and his wife, Eve Alice Gascoyne-Cecil, the daughter of the Right Reverend Lord William Gascoyne-Cecil, Bishop of Exeter. His father changed his name to Benyon after inheriting the Englefield estate from his second cousin, Sir Henry Benyon in 1959.

Benyon joined the Conservative Monday Club prior to 1970, when he was elected as Member of Parliament for Buckingham at the 1970 general election, and retained his seat at the next three elections. At the 1983 general election he stood instead in the new Milton Keynes, where he was re-elected until he retired at the 1992 general election. Due to its increased population, the Milton Keynes seat was then divided into two new constituencies: Milton Keynes North East and Milton Keynes South West. This was the only division of a constituency at the 1992 general election.

Benyon never held government office, but served as an Opposition whip from 1974 to 1976. He served as a member of the University of Reading Council from 1967 to 2002, was a member of Berkshire County Council from 1964 to 1974 and High Sheriff of Berkshire in 1995. He lives at Englefield House and is a director of the Englefield Charitable Trust. His son, Richard Benyon, is the Conservative MP for Newbury.

In May 1993 Benyon was awarded an honorary degree by the Open University as Doctor of the University.

Although Conservative, he gained respect from members of all parties, for being an excellent, hard working constituency MP.

References

• Times Guide to the House of Commons, 1987 and 1992 editions

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