Charles Beattie - Later Life

Later Life

Although Beattie had resigned his appointments after discovering that they were probably disqualifying, the Mid-Ulster Unionist Association decided on 20 January 1956 not to nominate him or any other candidate in the by-election resulting from Beattie's disqualification. The Charles Beattie Indemnity Act 1956 received Royal Assent on 15 March 1956. At the by-election, the former MP Michael O'Neill stood against Tom Mitchell, while George Forrest came forward as an unofficial Unionist. With the Nationalist vote split, Forrest won by 4,481.

Feeling unwell on Saturday 8 March 1958, Beattie had a violent heart attack on Monday 10 March. He received medical attention and was taken to Tyrone County Hospital where he died, being survived by his wife and children. His funeral on 12 March was said to be one of the largest ever witnessed in County Tyrone and the procession included 150 cars; Beattie is buried in Mountjoy Presbyterian Church in Omagh. His son Robin succeeded him as Treasurer of Dunmullan Unionists.

Beattie's comparative obscurity and disappearance after he was disqualified led to little detail about his life being published. In 1981, Michael Stenton and Stephen Lees wrote in a section headed "Advice to Readers" at the beginning of volume IV of "Who's Who of British Members of Parliament" (covering MPs between 1945 and 1979) that "there remains a small band of MPs who are not included in or whose entries are very brief. What has happened to, for example, Lester Hutchinson, Charles Beattie or Sidney Schofield?"