,
Buffalo, New York At the height of his career in 1926, Bossom returned to
England with his family, determined that his children should be educated there. Entirely detached from his architectural career, he began a new life of public service and was elected as
member of Parliament (MP) for
Maidstone at the
1931 general election. He held the seat until he retired from the
House of Commons at the
1959 general election, having taken time out during
World War II to serve in the
British Home Guard. In 1931, Bossom and Mansfield Forbes bought
Bourn Windmill,
Cambridgeshire. They had the mill repaired, and presented it to the Cambridge Preservation Society in 1932. Later that year, Bossom's wife had died in an aircrash, and he was remarried to another American, Elinor Dittenhofer in 1934, but they were divorced in 1947. In 1951 he held the reception of
Margaret Roberts after her marriage to
Denis Thatcher at his Chelsea home; later she became Britain's first female prime minister (1979–1990). In 1952, he was made an honorary
Doctor of Law by the
University of Pittsburgh. On 4 July 1953, he was created a
baronet, of
Maidstone in the
County of Kent. On 30 January 1960, he was created a
life peer as
Baron Bossom, of Maidstone in the County of
Kent. In 1965, Bossom died in
London, and as his title was a
life peerage, it became extinct upon his death, although his hereditary baronetcy passed to his only surviving child,
Clive (his eldest and youngest sons had died in 1932 and 1959 respectively). Bossom was also president of the
Anglo-Baltic Society.
Winston Churchill joked of him, "Bossom, Bossom, that's an odd name! Neither one thing nor the other", in reference to the words "bosom" and "
bottom". == Architectural designs ==