High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Valentine George Crittall, 1st Baron Braintree (28 June 1884 21 May 1961) was a British politician and businessman who served briefly as a Labour Member of Parliament before later joining the Conservatives. Crittall was the son of Essex businessman Francis Henry Crittall, founder of the Crittall window company, and Ellen Laura Carter. Crittall was elected as Labour Member of Parliament for the Essex constituency of Maldon in the 1923 general election by a majority of only 49 votes over the sitting Conservative MP Lt Col Edward Ruggles-Brise, and served as Parliamentary Private Secretary to Lord Thomson, the Minister of Air. He was defeated by Ruggles-Brise in the 1924 general election, and knighted in 1930.