The contents of the home of a late Tory grandee who helped bring Margaret Thatcher to power are being sold by his family in Dorchester.

More than 100 items owned by the Sir Edward du Cann, including a rare maquette sculpture of the Winston Churchill statue in Parliament Square, are going under the hammer for an estimated £90,000.

Sir Edward was an MP for 31 years and the longest serving chairman of the powerful 1922 Committee. It was his influence that led to Thatcher to become the Conservative leader in 1975.

He died last year aged 93 and numerous possessions for sale were taken from his living quarters at Barrington Court, a grand stately home close to his former Taunton constituency in Somerset.

Among the items being sold are several bronze sculptures of Prime Ministers Winston Churchill, Margaret Thatcher and Clement Atlee.

The 20in tall maquette of Churchill was a prototype made by Ivor Roberts-Jones for the large-scale sculpture that stands in Parliament Square.

Sir Edward met Churchill when he first stood for election in 1951 as the Tory candidate for West Walthamstow - where the Prime Minister Clement Atlee was the sitting MP.

The maquette is unnumbered but bears the foundry stamp and Roberts-Jones' name and is expected to sell for £50,000.

A bronze bust and a maquette of Thatcher, both signed by artist Anthony Dufort, are also up for auction.

The maquette is a copy of one made by Dufort for the 7ft 3in statue of Lady Thatcher which is in the House of Commons.

That original maquette sold at a charity auction for more than £200,000, but this 19in copy - one of an intended limited edition of nine but so far the only one created - has an estimate of £3,000.

The bronze bust is expected to fetch £1,000, while a bronze of Labour Prime Minister Clement Atlee, who defeated Sir Edward in 1951, is expected to sell for £400.

Sir Edward became an MP for Taunton in 1956, he was economic secretary to the Treasury from 1962 and then became Minister for Trade in 1963, before becoming the youngest chairman of the Conservative Party in 1965.

He was even touted to take over as leader after Edward Heath's defeat for a time but instead backed Thatcher.

Despite his part in making her Britain's first female prime minister, Sir Edward was not given a ministerial role, settling instead for chairman of the Treasury select committee.

He played a key role in making the parliament committee structure more important, was knighted in 1985 and left the Commons in 1987.

Sir Edward retired to Cyprus but kept two apartments in England, one in London close to the Palace of Westminster and one at Barrington Court.

This collection of furniture, paintings, pottery, rugs, and sculptures is taken from those apartments and totals 124 lots.

One object is a 17th century oak stool given to him in the 1980s by the 1922 Committee for his service as chairman.

It also includes ceramics that reflect his passion for political history including commemorative pieces to do with the Battle of Trafalgar, the repeal of the Corn Laws and commemorating election results.

His family have given political memorabilia important to his constituency to the museum in Taunton and hope his collection relating to the political career of the Duke of Wellington after the Battle of Waterloo will go to the National Portrait Gallery in London.

Guy Schwinge, of Duke's Auctioneers of Dorchester, Dorset, said: "Sir Edward was a hugely important political and business figure.

"At the height of his career Sir Edward's name was rarely off the front pages and it is a great honour to be selling so many fascinating objects from his collection, which give a clear insight into the man behind the public figure.

"The bronze of Churchill is an iconic piece of sculpture."

The collection will be sold on September 6.