Alexander Frederick Douglas-Home, Baron Home of the Hirsel,[1] KT, PC (2 July 1903 - 9 October 1995) 14th Earl of Home from 1951 to 1963, was a British Conservative politician, and served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom for a year from October 1963 to October 1964 (as Sir Alec Douglas-Home). The Right Honourable (abbreviated as The Rt Hon) is an Honorific prefix that is traditionally applied to certain The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle is an Order of chivalry associated with Scotland. Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council is a body of advisors to the British Sovereign. The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the political leader of the United Kingdom Events 1009 - The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a Christian church in Jerusalem, is completely destroyed by the Fatimid Year 1963 ( MCMLXIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1009 - The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a Christian church in Jerusalem, is completely destroyed by the Fatimid Year 1964 ( MCMLXIV) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the 1964 Gregorian calendar. For the ship see RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Context States headed by Elizabeth II (Maurice Harold Macmillan 1st Earl of Stockton, OM, PC (10 February 1894 &ndash 29 December 1986 was a British Conservative Politician James Harold Wilson Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, FRS, PC (11 March 1916 &ndash 24 May 1995 was one of the most prominent British politicians The Leader of the Opposition (sometimes known as the Leader of the Opposition in the House of Commons) in the United Kingdom is the politician who leads Events 456 - Magister militum Ricimer defeats the Emperor Avitus at Piacenza and becomes master of the western Year 1964 ( MCMLXIV) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the 1964 Gregorian calendar. Events 1540 - Thomas Cromwell is executed at the order of Henry VIII of England on charges of Treason. Year 1965 ( MCMLXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. James Harold Wilson Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, FRS, PC (11 March 1916 &ndash 24 May 1995 was one of the most prominent British politicians James Harold Wilson Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, FRS, PC (11 March 1916 &ndash 24 May 1995 was one of the most prominent British politicians Sir Edward Richard George Heath, KG, MBE (9 July 1916 &ndash 17 July 2005 often known as Ted Heath, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, commonly referred to as the Foreign Secretary, is a member of the United Kingdom Government heading the Events 451 - Battle of Chalons: Flavius Aetius ' defeats Attila the Hun. Year 1970 ( MCMLXX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 51 - Nero, later to become Roman Emperor, is given the title Princeps iuventutis (head of the youth Year 1974 ( MCMLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. Sir Edward Richard George Heath, KG, MBE (9 July 1916 &ndash 17 July 2005 often known as Ted Heath, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Robert Michael Maitland Stewart Baron Stewart of Fulham, CH PC ( 6 November 1906 &ndash 13 March 1990) was a British Leonard James Callaghan Baron Callaghan of Cardiff, KG, PC (27 March 1912 – 26 March 2005 was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1976 to 1979 Events 1214 - Battle of Bouvines: In France, Philip II of France defeats John of England. Year 1960 ( MCMLX) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1009 - The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a Christian church in Jerusalem, is completely destroyed by the Fatimid Year 1963 ( MCMLXIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. (Maurice Harold Macmillan 1st Earl of Stockton, OM, PC (10 February 1894 &ndash 29 December 1986 was a British Conservative Politician John Selwyn Brooke Lloyd Baron Selwyn-Lloyd CH PC (28 July 1904 - 18 May 1978 known for most of his career as Selwyn Lloyd, was a British Conservative Richard Austen Butler Baron Butler of Saffron Walden, KG CH DL PC (9 December 1902&ndash8 The Lord President of the Council is the fourth of the Great Officers of State of the United Kingdom, ranking beneath the Lord High Treasurer and above Events 1066 - Norman Conquest: Battle of Hastings - In England on Senlac Hill seven miles from Hastings, the forces The year 1959 ( MCMLIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1214 - Battle of Bouvines: In France, Philip II of France defeats John of England. Year 1960 ( MCMLX) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Quintin McGarel Hogg Baron Hailsham of St Marylebone, KG, CH, PC, QC ( 9 October 1907 &ndash 12 October Quintin McGarel Hogg Baron Hailsham of St Marylebone, KG, CH, PC, QC ( 9 October 1907 &ndash 12 October Events 1461 - Wars of the Roses: Battle of Towton - Edward of York defeats Queen Margaret to become King Year 1957 ( MCMLVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar) Events 1176 - The Battle of Myriokephalon is fought 1462 - The Battle of Świecino (or Battle of Żarnowiec Year 1957 ( MCMLVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar) Robert Arthur James Gascoyne-Cecil 5th Marquess of Salisbury, KG PC ( August 27, 1893 &ndash February 23, 1972) was a Quintin McGarel Hogg Baron Hailsham of St Marylebone, KG, CH, PC, QC ( 9 October 1907 &ndash 12 October Leader of the House of Lords is a function in the British government that is always held in combination with a formal Cabinet position most often Lord President Events 1461 - Wars of the Roses: Battle of Towton - Edward of York defeats Queen Margaret to become King Year 1957 ( MCMLVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar) Events 1214 - Battle of Bouvines: In France, Philip II of France defeats John of England. Year 1960 ( MCMLX) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. (Maurice Harold Macmillan 1st Earl of Stockton, OM, PC (10 February 1894 &ndash 29 December 1986 was a British Conservative Politician Robert Arthur James Gascoyne-Cecil 5th Marquess of Salisbury, KG PC ( August 27, 1893 &ndash February 23, 1972) was a Quintin McGarel Hogg Baron Hailsham of St Marylebone, KG, CH, PC, QC ( 9 October 1907 &ndash 12 October Events 310 - Pope Miltiades is elected 626 - In fear of assassination Li Shimin ambushes and kills his rival Year 1903 ( MCMIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar or a Common year starting Mayfair is an area of central London, England, within the City of Westminster. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Events 869 - The Fourth Council of Constantinople is convened to decide about what to do about Patriarch Photius of Constantinople Year 1995 ( MCMXCV) was a Common year starting on Sunday. Events of 1995 Coldstream is a Burgh in the Scottish Borders. It lies on the north bank of the River Tweed in Berwickshire, while Northumberland Berwickshire or the County of Berwick is a Registration county, a Committee area of the Scottish Borders Council, and a lieutenancy The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. The Unionist Party, referred to as the Scottish Unionist Party outside of Scotland itself was the main centre right political party in Scotland between 1912 Elizabeth Hester Douglas-Home Baroness Home of the Hirsel ( nee Alington 6 November, 1909 &ndash 3 September, 1990) was the wife A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a Parliament. The Scottish Episcopal Church (Eaglais Easbaigeach na h-Alba is a Christian denomination in Scotland and a member of the Anglican Communion, although it The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle is an Order of chivalry associated with Scotland. Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council is a body of advisors to the British Sovereign. Events 310 - Pope Miltiades is elected 626 - In fear of assassination Li Shimin ambushes and kills his rival Year 1903 ( MCMIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar or a Common year starting Events 768 - Carloman I and Charlemagne are crowned Kings of The Franks. Year 1995 ( MCMXCV) was a Common year starting on Sunday. Events of 1995 The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. A politician (from Greek " Polis " is an individual who is involved in influencing public decision making through the influence of Politics or a person The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the political leader of the United Kingdom He held a series of records: he was the last member of the House of Lords to be appointed Prime Minister; the only Prime Minister to renounce his peerage to leave the House of Lords and contest a by-election to enter the House of Commons; and the last Prime Minister to be chosen personally by the British monarch. The House of Lords is the second house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and is also commonly referred to as "the Lords" The Peerage is a system of Titles of Nobility in the United Kingdom, part of the British honours system. A by-election or bye-election (called special election in the United States) is an Election held to fill a political office that has become vacant The House of Commons' is the Lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords He was also the only Prime Minister to have played first class cricket and the first British Prime Minister to have been born in the 20th century. First-class cricket refers to the class of Cricket matches of three or more days scheduled duration between two sides of eleven players and officially adjudged first-class by
Early life
Douglas-Home was born in Mayfair, London, England, the eldest of seven children born to Charles, Lord Dunglass, (the eldest son of the 12th Earl of Home) and Lady Lilian Lambton, daughter of Frederick Lambton, 4th Earl of Durham. Mayfair is an area of central London, England, within the City of Westminster. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Charles Cospatrick Archibald Douglas-Home 13th Earl of Home KT (29 December 1873 &ndash 11 July 1951 was the father of British Prime Minister, Alec Douglas-Home Charles Alexander Douglas-Home 12th Earl of Home KT ( April 11 1834 &ndash April 30 1918) was a Scottish peer. Frederick William Lambton 4th Earl of Durham ( June 19 1855 &ndash January 31 1929) was a British peer and the son of George His mother was the great-great-granddaughter of the reforming Prime Minister Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey. Charles Grey 2nd Earl Grey, KG, PC (13 March 1764 &ndash 17 July 1845 known as Viscount Howick between 1806 and 1807 was a British After his father's succession to the Earldom in 1918 he held the courtesy title Lord Dunglass. A courtesy title is a form of address in systems of Nobility used by children former wives and other close relatives of a peer. One of his brothers was the dramatist William Douglas-Home. A playwright, also known as a dramatist, is a person who writes dramatic literature or Drama. William Douglas-Home ( 3 June 1912 &ndash 28 September 1992) was a tank officer in World War II who was imprisoned for refusing to obey orders
Home was educated at Eton College and Christ Church, Oxford, where he graduated with a Third Class Honours MA in Modern History in 1925. Eton College, or just Eton, is a world-famous British Independent school for boys founded in 1440 by King Henry VI. Not to be confused with Christchurch, a city in New Zealand. Christ Church (Ædes Christi the temple or house of Christ and thus sometimes known as The British undergraduate degree classification system is a grading scheme for Undergraduate degrees ( Bachelor's degrees and some Master's degrees Year 1925 ( MCMXXV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. At Eton, his classmates included Cyril Connolly, who later described him as "a votary of the esoteric Eton religion, the kind of graceful, tolerant, sleepy boy who is showered with all the laurels, who is liked by the masters and admired by the boys without any apparent exertion on his part". Cyril Vernon Connolly ( 10 September 1903 - 26 November 1974) was an English intellectual literary critic and writer Connolly famously concluded, "in the eighteenth century he would have become Prime Minister before he was 30: as it was he appeared honourably ineligible for the struggle of life". [2] Other classmates included George Orwell. Eric Arthur Blair (25 June 1903 – 21 January 1950 who used the Pseudonym George Orwell, was an English writer In 1936 he married Elizabeth Alington, the daughter of Cyril Alington, who had been Douglas-Home's headmaster at Eton. Year 1936 ( MCMXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Elizabeth Hester Douglas-Home Baroness Home of the Hirsel ( nee Alington 6 November, 1909 &ndash 3 September, 1990) was the wife Cyril Argentine Alington (1872&ndash1955 was an English educationalist scholar cleric and prolific author
Cricket career
Home was a talented cricketer at school, club and county level, and is the only British prime minister to have played first-class cricket. Cricket is a bat-and-ball team Sport that originated in England and is now played in more than 100 countries First-class cricket refers to the class of Cricket matches of three or more days scheduled duration between two sides of eleven players and officially adjudged first-class by Amongst others he represented the MCC, Middlesex CCC and Oxford University Cricket Club at first-class level, playing under the name "Lord Dunglass", his title at the time. Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC is a private members' club founded in 1787 Middlesex County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic Cricket structure representing the historic county Oxford University Cricket Club (now subsumed into the Oxford Universities Centre of Cricketing Excellence but retaining its independence is a First-class cricket team representing Between 1924 and 1927, Dunglass played 10 first-class matches, scoring 147 runs at an average of 16. Year 1924 ( MCMXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1927 ( MCMXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. 33 and with a best score of 37 not out. As a right-arm fast-medium bowler he took 12 wickets at an average of 30. 25 with a best of 3 for 43. Three of his first-class games were internationals against Argentina on the MCC 'representative' tour of South America in 1926-27. The Argentina national cricket team is the team that represents the country of Argentina in international Cricket matches
After Douglas-Home had retired as prime minister, he became president of the MCC in 1966. Between 1977 and 1989 he was Governor of I Zingari, the well-known nomadic cricket team. I Zingari (from dialectalized Italian "i zingari" meaning "the Gypsies " -- corresponding to standard Italian "gli zingari" His cricket career served him well later in life when, at a particularly rowdy election hustings, he had an egg thrown at him and was able to catch it without its breaking.
Member of Parliament
Home became the Scottish Unionist Party Member of Parliament (MP) for Lanark in 1931. The Unionist Party, referred to as the Scottish Unionist Party outside of Scotland itself was the main centre right political party in Scotland between 1912 A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a Parliament. Lanark was a County constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom ( Westminster) from 1918 to 1983 Year 1931 ( MCMXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1931 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. His high birth gave him a head start in Parliament, and he served as Parliamentary Private Secretary (1937-9) to Neville Chamberlain, witnessing at first hand the latter's attempts to stave off World War II through negotiation with Adolf Hitler. A Parliamentary Private Secretary ( PPS) is a role given to a United Kingdom Member of Parliament (MP by a senior minister in government or shadow Arthur Neville Chamberlain (18 March 1869 &ndash 9 November 1940 was a British Conservative Politician and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Hi and welcome to Wikipedia! Please understand that this article is frequently vandalized and vandalism is reverted immediately Douglas-Home fell gravely ill with spinal tuberculosis in 1938, which kept him immobile on his back for two years and prevented him from fighting in World War II. Tuberculosis (abbreviated as TB for tubercle bacillus or T u' b' erculosis Bacillus --> is a common
Home lost his parliamentary seat in the Conservatives' landslide defeat in the 1945 general election, but regained it in 1950. Results |} Total votes cast 24073025 All parties shown Conservative total includes Ulster Unionists Reason for Labour victory However he was automatically disqualified from the Commons in 1951 when he inherited his father's seat in the House of Lords, becoming the 14th Earl of Home.
Lord Home, as he then was, served not only as Commonwealth Secretary from 1955 during the time of the Suez Crisis but, from 1957, also as Leader of the House of Lords and Lord President of the Council (the latter twice; briefly in 1957 and subsequently from 1959). The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, (أزمة السويس - العدوان الثلاثي Crise du canal de Suez מבצע קדש Kadesh Leader of the House of Lords is a function in the British government that is always held in combination with a formal Cabinet position most often Lord President The Lord President of the Council is the fourth of the Great Officers of State of the United Kingdom, ranking beneath the Lord High Treasurer and above Home traded all three for the Foreign Office in 1960. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, commonly referred to as the Foreign Secretary, is a member of the United Kingdom Government heading the In 1962, he was created a knight of the Order of the Thistle — the highest Scottish honour and in the personal gift of the Monarch — which entitled him to be styled "Sir" after later renouncing his earldom. The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle is an Order of chivalry associated with Scotland.
Appointment as Prime Minister
In 1963, Conservative Prime Minister Harold Macmillan suddenly resigned following prostate trouble from which he feared he would not recover, though ultimately he did make a full recovery and survived another 23 years to live to the age of 92. (Maurice Harold Macmillan 1st Earl of Stockton, OM, PC (10 February 1894 &ndash 29 December 1986 was a British Conservative Politician The prostate (from Greek προστάτης - prostates, literally "one who stands before" "protector" "guardian" is a At the time, the Conservative Party had no formal procedure for selecting a leader, merely a series of confused precedents and the Queen was expected to choose a new Prime Minister on the basis of advice given by the party's elder statesmen. For the ship see RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Context States headed by Elizabeth II A statesman or stateswoman or statesperson is usually a Politician or other notable figure of State who has had a long and respected career in Though Rab Butler, nominally the "Deputy Prime Minister" (officially no such constitutional office then existed, with the title on its rare usages being an honorary one), was the favourite among Conservative MPs, Home was preferred by the elder statesmen, some of whom indicated that they would refuse to serve in cabinet under Butler or the other potential candidate, Quintin Hogg. Richard Austen Butler Baron Butler of Saffron Walden, KG CH DL PC (9 December 1902&ndash8 Quintin McGarel Hogg Baron Hailsham of St Marylebone, KG, CH, PC, QC ( 9 October 1907 &ndash 12 October Macmillan's resignation took place at the time of the 1963 Conservative Party Conference, which rapidly became something akin to an American political convention as various candidates and their supporters jostled publicly for the position. Following a series of consultations to determine who could command support from across the party and prove the best compromise candidate, Macmillan advised Queen Elizabeth II. Though it was argued that he had no right to advise the Queen as to whom to invite to kiss hands as Prime Minister, and the Queen was under no obligation to accept his advice, the Queen duly invited the Earl of Home to become Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury. The First Lord of the Treasury is the head of the commission exercising the ancient office of Lord High Treasurer in the United Kingdom, usually but not
Home, the first UK Prime Minister born in the 20th century, believed it would not be practical to serve as PM from the Lords (it was widely believed that Lord Curzon had not been invited to become prime minister in 1923 because of his seat in the Lords). The twentieth century of the Common Era began on George Nathaniel Curzon 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston, KG, GCSI, GCIE, PC ( 11 January 1859 &ndash 20 March Using the Peerage Act 1963, which had only been passed earlier in the same year after Tony Benn's campaign to renounce his peerage, Home disclaimed his Earldom and other peerages on 23 October 1963. The Peerage Act 1963 (1963 c 48 is a significant act in the history of the British Peerage. Anthony "Tony" Neil Wedgwood Benn (born 3 April 1925 formerly 2nd Viscount Stansgate, is a British Socialist Politician. Events 4004 BC - Creation of the world begins according to the calculations of Archbishop James Ussher 42 BC - Year 1963 ( MCMLXIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. For the next two weeks he belonged to neither House of Parliament - an extremely uncommon (although not unique) occurrence for a sitting Prime Minister. As "Sir Alec Douglas-Home", he contested a by-election in the safe seat of Kinross & West Perthshire. The Kinross and West Perthshire by-election of 7 November, 1963 was a By-election to the House of Commons. Kinross and Western (or West) Perthshire was a County constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom Home duly won on 8 November 1963, entering the history books as the last peer to become Prime Minister and the only Prime Minister to resign from the Lords to enter the Commons. Events 1519 - Hernán Cortés enters Tenochtitlán and Aztec ruler Moctezuma welcomes him with great a Celebration Year 1963 ( MCMLXIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
Defeat and opposition
Linked as it was to the damaged former government's Profumo Affair of 1963, Douglas-Home's tenure as prime minister lasted only one year. The Profumo Affair was a political scandal from 1963 in the United Kingdom that is named after the then Secretary of State for War, John Profumo The October 1964 general election was won by the Labour Party under the new leadership of Harold Wilson. Campaign The pre-election campaign was prolonged as Douglas-Home delayed calling a general election in order to try to give himself the maximum time to improve the The Labour Party is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Founded at the start of the 20th century it has been since the 1920s the principal party of the James Harold Wilson Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, FRS, PC (11 March 1916 &ndash 24 May 1995 was one of the most prominent British politicians However, the margin of victory proved narrow and the election thus provided a much sterner test for Wilson than expected. Indeed it was in this campaign that Home made his most famous remark. Wilson kept gibing Home that he was not a man of the people, as he was the 14th Earl of Home. Home responded, "as far as the 14th Earl is concerned I suppose that Mr. Wilson, when you come to think of it, is the 14th Mr. Wilson".
Home remained leader of the party until his resignation in July of the following year. At this time, Home himself revised the rules of the Conservative Party to allow the party leader to be henceforth selected by a series of ballots of all Conservative MPs. The resulting leadership election was won by Edward Heath, who defeated Reginald Maudling and Enoch Powell. Sir Edward Richard George Heath, KG, MBE (9 July 1916 &ndash 17 July 2005 often known as Ted Heath, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Reginald Maudling (7 March 1917 - 14 February 1979 was a British Politician known for his intellectual brilliance political pragmatism and easygoing nature Brigadier John Enoch Powell, MBE ( June 16 1912 &ndash February 8 1998) was a British Politician, Over the following six years, Home was notably loyal to Heath, comparing those who questioned his position with impatient gardeners who would keep digging up a tree to gauge its progress by examining its roots.
Return to Government
In 1970, Heath became prime minister, Home returned to the post of Foreign Secretary which was deemed to suit him well. As of 2008, Home is the last former Prime Minister to take a Ministry in someone else's cabinet. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common
Retirement
In 1973 Home intimated his intention to retire from Parliament and government at the next general election, but was overtaken by the calling of a snap general election in February 1974. Results |} Total votes 31321982 All parties are shown The seats won by the Ulster Unionists are compared with those won by Unionist MPs in the 1970 election Following the defeat of the Heath government by that of Harold Wilson in 1974, Home retired from front-line politics, standing down from the Commons at the October 1974 election. James Harold Wilson Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, FRS, PC (11 March 1916 &ndash 24 May 1995 was one of the most prominent British politicians Year 1974 ( MCMLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. Results |} Total number of votes 29189104 All parties shown Votes summary Seats summary
In the 1979 Devolution referendum, Home made a high profile statement arguing that an incoming Conservative Government would introduce a better Scottish Assembly. Devolution is the statutory granting of powers from the central government of a State to government at subnational level A referendum (plural referendums or referenda) ballot question, or plebiscite (from Latin plebiscita The Scottish Assembly was a proposed Legislature for Scotland that would have devolved a set list of powers from the Parliament of the United In the event, Margaret Thatcher's government did not do so.
Personal life
Home was restored to the House of Lords when he accepted a life peerage, becoming known as Baron Home of the Hirsel, of Coldstream in Berwickshire (The Hirsel being his family seat in Berwickshire), and continued to appear in the House of Lords into his nineties. In the United Kingdom, life peers are created members of the Peerage whose titles may not be inherited (those whose titles are inheritable are known as Hereditary Berwickshire or the County of Berwick is a Registration county, a Committee area of the Scottish Borders Council, and a lieutenancy To date, Home ranks as the third-longest-lived British Prime Minister, behind James Callaghan and Harold Macmillan. This is a list of UK Prime Ministers by longevity. Where the person in question is still living the longevity is calculated up to. Leonard James Callaghan Baron Callaghan of Cardiff, KG, PC (27 March 1912 – 26 March 2005 was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1976 to 1979 (Maurice Harold Macmillan 1st Earl of Stockton, OM, PC (10 February 1894 &ndash 29 December 1986 was a British Conservative Politician His autobiography, The Way The Wind Blows, was published in 1976. He was also the author of Peaceful Change (1964) and Border Reflections (1979). His correspondence with his grandson Matthew Darby was published as Letters to a Grandson in 1983. Matthew George Darby, (born 27 August 1967) is a British publisher and landscape designer Year 1983 ( MCMLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar)
Death
On his death at The Hirsel in 1995, aged 92, Home was succeeded as Earl of Home by his only son, David Douglas-Home. The title Earl of Home (pronounced "Hume" was created in 1605 in the Peerage of Scotland for Alexander Home of that Ilk who was already the 6th Lord Home David Alexander Cospatrick Douglas-Home 15th Earl of Home, CVO, CBE (born 20 November 1943) is a Scottish peer, the only He also had three daughters, Lady Caroline Douglas-Home DL, Lady Meriel Darby (who married Adrian Darby OBE, of Kemerton Court) and Lady Diana Wolfe Murray. Adrian Marten George Darby, OBE (born 25 September 1937) is a British Conservationist and academic Kemerton Court is the principal Manor house of the village of Kemerton, near Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire.
Titles from birth to death
- The Hon. Alec Douglas-Home (1903 – 1918)
- Lord Dunglass (1918 – 1931)
- Lord Dunglass, MP (1931 – 1945)
- Lord Dunglass (1945 – 1950)
- Lord Dunglass, MP (1950 – 1951)
- The Hon. Lord Dunglass, MP (1951)
- The Rt. Hon. The Earl of Home, PC (1951 – 1962)
- The Rt. Hon. The Earl of Home, KT, PC (1962 – 1963)
- The Rt. Hon. Sir Alec Douglas-Home, KT (1963)
- The Rt. Hon. Sir Alec Douglas-Home, KT, MP (1963 – 1974)
- The Rt. Hon. The Lord Home of the Hirsel, KT, PC (1974 – 1995)
Nicknames
Home was constantly referred to as 'Baillie Vass' by the satirical magazine Private Eye. Private Eye is a fortnightly British satirical Magazine, edited by Ian Hislop. This running joke began in 1964 when a provincial newspaper, the Aberdeen Evening Express accidentally used a picture of Home over a caption referring to a baillie called Vass. A baillie (alternative spelling bailie, from Old French) was a local civic officer in Scottish Burghs approximately equivalent to the post of Private Eye then affected to believe that Home was an impostor whom the newspaper had unmasked, and the magazine maintained this amusing conceit until Home's death.
Sir Alec Douglas-Home's Government, October 1963 – October 1964
- Further information: Conservative Government 1957-1964
- Sir Alec Douglas-Home: Prime Minister
- Lord Dilhorne: Lord Chancellor
- Quintin Hogg: Lord President of the Council
- Selwyn Lloyd: Lord Privy Seal
- Reginald Maudling: Chancellor of the Exchequer
- Rab Butler: Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
- Henry Brooke: Secretary of State for the Home Department
- Sir Keith Joseph: Minister of Housing and Local Government
- Peter Thorneycroft: Secretary of State for Defence
- Julian Amery: Minister of Civil Aviation
- Ernest Marples: Minister of Transport
- Frederick Erroll: Minister of Power
- Edward Heath: Secretary of State for Industry, Trade, and Regional Development and President of the Board of Trade
- Duncan Sandys: Secretary of State for the Colonies and Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations
- Sir Edward Boyle: Secretary of State for Education
- Anthony Barber: Secretary of State for Health
- John Boyd-Carpenter: Chief Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster-General
- Joseph Godber: Minister of Labour and National Service
- Geoffrey Rippon: Minister of Public Works
- Christopher Soames: Minister of Agriculture
- Michael Noble: Secretary of State for Scotland
- Lord Blakenham: Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
- Bill Deedes: Minister without Portfolio
- Lord Carrington: Minister without Portfolio, Leader of the House of Lords
Changes
- April 1964: Quintin Hogg becomes Secretary of State for Education and Science. Reginald Edward Manningham-Buller 1st Viscount Dilhorne KC PC ( August 1, 1905 - September 7, 1980) was as the 1st The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor is a senior and important functionary in the Government of the United Kingdom. Quintin McGarel Hogg Baron Hailsham of St Marylebone, KG, CH, PC, QC ( 9 October 1907 &ndash 12 October The Lord President of the Council is the fourth of the Great Officers of State of the United Kingdom, ranking beneath the Lord High Treasurer and above John Selwyn Brooke Lloyd Baron Selwyn-Lloyd CH PC (28 July 1904 - 18 May 1978 known for most of his career as Selwyn Lloyd, was a British Conservative The Lord Privy Seal or Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal is the fifth of the Great Officers of State in the United Kingdom ranking beneath the Reginald Maudling (7 March 1917 - 14 February 1979 was a British Politician known for his intellectual brilliance political pragmatism and easygoing nature The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all Economic and Financial Richard Austen Butler Baron Butler of Saffron Walden, KG CH DL PC (9 December 1902&ndash8 The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, commonly referred to as the Foreign Secretary, is a member of the United Kingdom Government heading the Henry Brooke Baron Brooke of Cumnor CH ( 9 April 1903 &ndash 29 March 1984) was a British Conservative Party politician The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the United Kingdom Home Office Keith Sinjohn Joseph Baron Joseph, CH, PC ( 17 January 1918 &ndash 10 December 1994) was a British Barrister George Edward Peter Thorneycroft Baron Thorneycroft CH PC (26 July 1909 &ndash 4 June 1994 was a British Conservative Party Politician The Secretary of State for Defence is the senior United Kingdom government minister in charge of the Ministry of Defence. Harold Julian Amery Baron Amery of Lustleigh PC ( 27 March 1919 – 3 September 1996) was a prominent British politician (Alfred Ernest Marples Baron Marples (9 December 1907 &ndash 6 July 1978 was a British Conservative Politician, who served as Postmaster General The Secretary of State for Transport is the member of the cabinet responsible for the British Department for Transport. Frederick James Erroll 1st Baron Erroll of Hale TD PC ( 27 May 1914 &ndash 14 September 2000) was a British Conservative Sir Edward Richard George Heath, KG, MBE (9 July 1916 &ndash 17 July 2005 often known as Ted Heath, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom The Secretary of State for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (formerly the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry before the June 28, 2007 The Secretary of State for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (formerly the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry before the June 28, 2007 Edwin Duncan Sandys Baron Duncan-Sandys CH PC ( 24 January 1908 &ndash 26 November 1987) was a British Politician The Secretary of State for the Colonies or Colonial Secretary was the British Cabinet official in charge of managing the various British Colonies. The Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations was a British Cabinet office existing between 1947 and 1966, responsible for dealing with British relationship with Edward Charles Gurney Boyle Baron Boyle of Handsworth CH PC ( 31 August 1923 &ndash 28 September 1981) was a The Secretary of State for Education and Skills was the chief minister of the Department for Education and Skills in the United Kingdom government Anthony Perrinott Lysberg Barber Baron Barber, PC (4 July 1920 &ndash 16 December 2005 was a British Conservative politician who served as a member Secretary of State for Health is a UK cabinet position responsible for the Department of Health. John Archibald Boyd-Carpenter Baron Boyd-Carpenter PC ( 2 June 1908 &ndash 11 July 1998) was a British Conservative politician The Chief Secretary to the Treasury is the second most senior ministerial position in HM Treasury, after the Chancellor of the Exchequer. HM Paymaster General is a ministerial position in the United Kingdom. Joseph Bradshaw Godber Baron Godber of Willington PC ( 17 March 1914 &ndash 25 August 1980) was a British Conservative (Aubrey Geoffrey Frederick Rippon Baron Rippon of Hexham, PC, ( 28 May 1924 - 28 January 1997) was a British Conservative Arthur Christopher John Soames Baron Soames, GCMG, GCVO, CH, CBE, PC ( October 12, 1920 &ndash September Michael Antony Cristobal Noble Baron Glenkinglas PC ( 19 March 1913 - 15 May 1984) was a Scottish Tory politician The Secretary of State for Scotland ( Scottish Gaelic: Rùnaire Stàite na h-Alba) is the principal minister of Her Majesty's Government in the John Hugh Hare 1st Viscount Blakenham, OBE, PC, ( January 22 1911 &ndash March 7 1982) was a British peer and The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster is in modern times a Sinecure office in the Government of the United Kingdom. William Francis Deedes Baron Deedes, KBE, MC, PC, DL (1 June 1913 &ndash 17 August 2007 was a British journalist and politician A Minister without Portfolio is either a Government minister with no specific responsibilities or a minister that does not head a particular ministry. Peter Alexander Rupert Carington 6th Baron Carrington and Baron Carington of Upton Leader of the House of Lords is a function in the British government that is always held in combination with a formal Cabinet position most often Lord President Year 1964 ( MCMLXIV) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the 1964 Gregorian calendar. Quintin McGarel Hogg Baron Hailsham of St Marylebone, KG, CH, PC, QC ( 9 October 1907 &ndash 12 October Sir Edward Boyle leaves the Cabinet.
Notes
References
- Dickie, J. (1964). The Uncommon Commoner: A Study of Sir Alec Douglas-Home, Pall Mall.
- Douglas-Home, Alec, Sir. (1964). Peaceful Change.
- Dutton, D. (2006). Alec Douglas-Home (20 British Prime Ministers of the 20th Century), Haus Publishing.
- Home of the Hirsel, Lord. (1976). The Way the Wind Blows: An Autobiography, London: Collins.
- Home of the Hirsel, Lord. (1979). Border Reflections, London: Collins
- Home of the Hirsel, Lord. (1983). Letters to a Grandson, London: HarperCollins.
- Hughes, E. (1964). Sir Alec Douglas-Home, Housman
- Thorpe, D. R. (1996). Alec Douglas-Home, Sinclair-Stevenson
- Young, K. (1971). Sir Alec Douglas-Home, Fairleigh Dickinson
External links
- CricketArchive page on Lord Dunglass (Alec Douglas-Home)
- Cricinfo page on Lord Dunglass (Alec Douglas-Home)
- More about Sir Alec Douglas-Home on the Downing Street website.
- Prime Ministers in the Post-War world: Alec Douglas-Home, lecture by D R Thorpe at Gresham College, 24 May 2007 (available for download as an audio or video file)
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by George Henry Hall |
Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs 1945 with The Lord Lovat |
Succeeded by Hector McNeil |
| Preceded by Margaret Herbison as Under-Secretary of State for Scotland |
Minister of State for Scotland 1951 – 1955 |
Succeeded by Tom Galbraith |
| Preceded by The Viscount Swinton |
Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations 1955 – 1960 |
Succeeded by Duncan Sandys |
| Preceded by The Marquess of Salisbury |
Lord President of the Council 1957 |
Succeeded by The Viscount Hailsham |
| Leader of the House of Lords 1957 – 1960 |
||
| Preceded by The Viscount Hailsham |
Lord President of the Council 1959 – 1960 |
|
| Preceded by Selwyn Lloyd |
Foreign Secretary 1960 – 1963 |
Succeeded by Rab Butler |
| Preceded by Harold Macmillan |
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom 20 October 1963 – 16 October 1964 |
Succeeded by Harold Wilson |
| Preceded by Harold Wilson |
Leader of the Opposition 1964 – 1965 |
Succeeded by Edward Heath |
| Preceded by Christopher Soames |
Shadow Foreign Secretary 1966 – 1970 |
Succeeded by Denis Healey |
| Preceded by Michael Stewart |
Foreign Secretary 1970 – 1974 |
Succeeded by James Callaghan |
| Preceded by James Callaghan |
Shadow Foreign Secretary 1974 |
Succeeded by Geoffrey Rippon |
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
| Preceded by Thomas Scott Dickson |
Member of Parliament for Lanark 1931 – 1945 |
Succeeded by Thomas Steele |
| Preceded by Thomas Steele |
Member of Parliament for Lanark 1950 – 1951 |
Succeeded by Patrick Maitland |
| Preceded by Gilmour Leburn |
Member of Parliament for Kinross and Western Perthshire 1963 – 1974 |
Succeeded by Nicholas Fairbairn |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by Harold Macmillan |
Leader of the British Conservative Party 1963 – 1965 |
Succeeded by Edward Heath |
| Peerage of Scotland | ||
| Preceded by Charles Douglas-Home |
Earl of Home 1951 – 1963¹ |
Succeeded by David Douglas-Home |
| Notes and references | ||
| 1. George Henry Hall 1st Viscount Hall PC ( 31 December 1881 &ndash 8 November 1965) was a British Politician. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs is a junior position in the British government since 1782 subordinate to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Brigadier Simon Christopher Joseph Fraser 15th Lord Lovat DSO, MC, TD ( 9 July 1911 - 16 March 1995) was Hector McNeil ( 10 March 1907 &ndash 11 October 1955) was a Scottish Labour politician Margaret McCrorie Herbison ( 12 March 1907 &ndash 29 December 1996) was a Scottish Labour politician The (Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland is a junior Ministerial post (of Parliamentary Under Secretary of State rank in the United Kingdom government The (Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland is a junior Ministerial post (of Parliamentary Under Secretary of State rank in the United Kingdom government Thomas Dunlop Galbraith 1st Baron Strathclyde PC ( 20 March 1891 &ndash 12 July 1985) was a Scottish Unionist Party Philip Cunliffe-Lister 1st Earl of Swinton, GBE, CH, MC, PC (1884 &ndash 1972 known as Philip Lloyd-Greame until 1924 and as The Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations was a British Cabinet office existing between 1947 and 1966, responsible for dealing with British relationship with Edwin Duncan Sandys Baron Duncan-Sandys CH PC ( 24 January 1908 &ndash 26 November 1987) was a British Politician Robert Arthur James Gascoyne-Cecil 5th Marquess of Salisbury, KG PC ( August 27, 1893 &ndash February 23, 1972) was a The Lord President of the Council is the fourth of the Great Officers of State of the United Kingdom, ranking beneath the Lord High Treasurer and above Quintin McGarel Hogg Baron Hailsham of St Marylebone, KG, CH, PC, QC ( 9 October 1907 &ndash 12 October Leader of the House of Lords is a function in the British government that is always held in combination with a formal Cabinet position most often Lord President Quintin McGarel Hogg Baron Hailsham of St Marylebone, KG, CH, PC, QC ( 9 October 1907 &ndash 12 October The Lord President of the Council is the fourth of the Great Officers of State of the United Kingdom, ranking beneath the Lord High Treasurer and above John Selwyn Brooke Lloyd Baron Selwyn-Lloyd CH PC (28 July 1904 - 18 May 1978 known for most of his career as Selwyn Lloyd, was a British Conservative The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, commonly referred to as the Foreign Secretary, is a member of the United Kingdom Government heading the Richard Austen Butler Baron Butler of Saffron Walden, KG CH DL PC (9 December 1902&ndash8 (Maurice Harold Macmillan 1st Earl of Stockton, OM, PC (10 February 1894 &ndash 29 December 1986 was a British Conservative Politician The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the political leader of the United Kingdom James Harold Wilson Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, FRS, PC (11 March 1916 &ndash 24 May 1995 was one of the most prominent British politicians James Harold Wilson Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, FRS, PC (11 March 1916 &ndash 24 May 1995 was one of the most prominent British politicians The Leader of the Opposition (sometimes known as the Leader of the Opposition in the House of Commons) in the United Kingdom is the politician who leads Sir Edward Richard George Heath, KG, MBE (9 July 1916 &ndash 17 July 2005 often known as Ted Heath, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Arthur Christopher John Soames Baron Soames, GCMG, GCVO, CH, CBE, PC ( October 12, 1920 &ndash September In British politics, the shadow foreign secretary is a position within the opposition 's shadow cabinet that deals mainly with issues surrounding the Denis Winston Healey Baron Healey, CH, MBE, PC (born 30 August 1917 is a British Life peer and Labour politician Robert Michael Maitland Stewart Baron Stewart of Fulham, CH PC ( 6 November 1906 &ndash 13 March 1990) was a British The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, commonly referred to as the Foreign Secretary, is a member of the United Kingdom Government heading the Leonard James Callaghan Baron Callaghan of Cardiff, KG, PC (27 March 1912 – 26 March 2005 was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1976 to 1979 Leonard James Callaghan Baron Callaghan of Cardiff, KG, PC (27 March 1912 – 26 March 2005 was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1976 to 1979 In British politics, the shadow foreign secretary is a position within the opposition 's shadow cabinet that deals mainly with issues surrounding the (Aubrey Geoffrey Frederick Rippon Baron Rippon of Hexham, PC, ( 28 May 1924 - 28 January 1997) was a British Conservative The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a Parliament. Lanark was a County constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom ( Westminster) from 1918 to 1983 The UK general election on Tuesday 27 October 1931 was the last in the United Kingdom not held on a Thursday Results |} Total votes cast 24073025 All parties shown Conservative total includes Ulster Unionists Reason for Labour victory Tom Steele ( 15 November 1905 &ndash 28 May 1979) was a Scottish Labour politician Tom Steele ( 15 November 1905 &ndash 28 May 1979) was a Scottish Labour politician A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a Parliament. Lanark was a County constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom ( Westminster) from 1918 to 1983 Results |} Total votes cast 28771124 All parties shown Conservative total includes Ulster Unionists Votes summary Seats summary Results |} Total votes cast 28596594 All parties shown Conservative result includes the Ulster Unionists Votes summary Headline Patrick Francis Maitland 17th Earl of Lauderdale (born March 17, 1911) is a British Conservative politician (William Gilmour Leburn ( 30 July, 1913 &ndash 15 August, 1963) was a British company director and politician A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a Parliament. Kinross and Western (or West) Perthshire was a County constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom The Kinross and West Perthshire by-election of 7 November, 1963 was a By-election to the House of Commons. Results |} Total number of votes 29189104 All parties shown Votes summary Seats summary Sir Nicholas Hardwick Fairbairn, QC ( December 24, 1933 &ndash February 19, 1995) was a British Politician. (Maurice Harold Macmillan 1st Earl of Stockton, OM, PC (10 February 1894 &ndash 29 December 1986 was a British Conservative Politician Leaders of the UK Conservative Party since 1834 Background Until 1922 there was no formal "Leader of the Conservative Party" Sir Edward Richard George Heath, KG, MBE (9 July 1916 &ndash 17 July 2005 often known as Ted Heath, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom The Peerage of Scotland is the division of the British Peerage for those peers created in the Kingdom of Scotland before 1707. Charles Cospatrick Archibald Douglas-Home 13th Earl of Home KT (29 December 1873 &ndash 11 July 1951 was the father of British Prime Minister, Alec Douglas-Home The title Earl of Home (pronounced "Hume" was created in 1605 in the Peerage of Scotland for Alexander Home of that Ilk who was already the 6th Lord Home David Alexander Cospatrick Douglas-Home 15th Earl of Home, CVO, CBE (born 20 November 1943) is a Scottish peer, the only Home disclaimed his peerage in 1963 in order to be eligible for election in the Commons. | ||
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