George Robert Sykes (18 November 1867 – 23 March 1957) was a New Zealand Member of Parliament for the Masterton electorate in the North Island.
George Robert Sykes (18 November 1867 – 23 March 1957) was a New Zealand Member of Parliament for the Masterton electorate in the North Island.
| Years | Term | Electorate | Party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1911 –1914 | 18th | Masterton | Reform | ||
| 1914 –1919 | 19th | Masterton | Reform | ||
| 1919 –1922 | 20th | Masterton | Independent | ||
| 1922 –1925 | 21st | Masterton | Reform | ||
| 1925 –1928 | 22nd | Masterton | Reform | ||
| 1928 –1931 | 23rd | Masterton | Reform | ||
| 1931 –1935 | 24th | Masterton | Reform | ||
George Sykes represented the Masterton electorate in the New Zealand House of Representatives for 24 years from 1911 to 1935. [1]
Sykes was a member of the Reform Party, but in 1919 successfully stood as an Independent for Masterton, [2] [3] whilst some commentators questioned whether the independent Reform candidates in 1919 were not just trying to attract votes from the 'unwary'. [4] In 1935, he was awarded the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal. [5] He was awarded a Coronation Medal in 1937. [6]
When he left school he was a telegraph messenger and operator, then he became a farmer and breeder of Romney sheep. [7] After his defeat in the 1935 election, he was an organiser for the National Party until he retired in 1942. [8]
Sykes died on 23 March 1957 aged 89y, and was buried in the historic Christ Church in Taitā, Hutt Valley. A memorial to him was erected in the Archer Street Cemetery, Masterton on 31 July 1957. [9]
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