DURING his long life, former Conservative MP for Leominster Sir Clive Bossom had a brush with Tutankhamun, saw active service during the Second World War and later spearheaded a rescue bid to find the Prime Minister’s son when he was lost in the Sahara.

Though Sir Clive, who has died at the age of 99, is remembered in fulsome obituaries in national newspapers, his 15 years’ serving the North Herefordshire constituency is mentioned only briefly.

However, he is remembered as a hard-working MP who took “lots of stick” when the county lost its fight against a merger with Worcestershire under local government reorganisation in 1974.

His father, Sir Alfred Bossom’s friendship with the celebrated archaeologist Howard Carter, led to the young Clive being lowered by rope into the intact tomb of Tutankhamun in 1922.

Sir Alfred was chairman of the Conservatives’ candidates selection committee when a seat was sought by the future Prime Minister, then Margaret Roberts. Her wedding reception was held in the Bossoms’ house in Carlton Gardens, St James’s.

Sir Clive was elected as Leominster MP in 1959 and served until 1974 when Peter Temple-Morris won the seat. After leaving Parliament, Sir Clive was persuaded by Earl Mountbatten to restructure British Grand Prix motor racing, and he went on to become chairman of the RAC.

When Mark Thatcher went missing during the Paris-Dakar rally of 1982, his parents turned to their family friend, Sir Clive for help. His wide network of contacts helped with the search which ended with the Prime Minister’s son being found.

Leominster MP Bill Wiggin said Sir Clive was remembered “with a great deal of affection”.

Clearing out old photographs in the Conservative office at Leominster, he came across one of a young Sir Clive.

“The lady who was helping me sighed and said, ‘Oh! He was such a handsome man!’

Sir John Cotterell remembers Sir Clive’s time as MP for Leominster.

“He was a very good MP, hard-working,” he said, adding: “He was very much London-based.”

Sir John said that Sir Clive found himself caught up in the controversial plans to merge Herefordshire with Worcestershire. “I accompanied him at one or two protest meetings where he found himself in hot water!” he said.

At the time, more than 60,000 people signed a petition to save the county from a merger. The ‘Hands Off Herefordshire’ campaign included protesters leading a Hereford bull to 10 Downing Street where the petition was handed in.

Though many feared the merger was a ‘takeover’ by Worcestershire, Sir Clive and fellow Tory MP for Hereford, David Gibson-Watt were not opposed to the plans.

“They did take a lot of stick for that!” said Sir John. Herefordshire regained its independence with the abolition of the merger in 1998.

Sir Clive Bossom is survived by his wife, Barbara, sister of the 9th Earl of Guildford and their four children.