John Hare, 1st Viscount Blakenham

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For other persons named John Hare, see John Hare (disambiguation).

John Hugh Hare, 1st Viscount Blakenham OBE PC (January 22, 1911–March 7, 1982) was a British peer and statesman, a younger son of Richard Hare, 4th Earl of Listowel.

Hare was educated at Eton College and married Hon. Beryl Nancy Pearson, daughter of Weetman Pearson, 2nd Viscount Cowdray, on 31 January 1934. They had three children:

• Hon. Mary Anne Hare (b. 9 April 1936)
• Michael John Hare, 2nd Viscount Blakenham (b. 25 January 1938)
• Hon. Joanna Freda Hare (b. 27 July 1942), married 1967 to Stephen Breyer

He was an Alderman of London County Council between 1937 and 1952, fought in the Second World War in Italy and was awarded the Legion of Honour.

Hare was Conservative Member of Parliament for Woodbridge between 1945 and 1950, then for Sudbury and Woodbridge between 1950 and 1963. He was vice-chairman of the Conservative Party between 1952 and 1955 and chairman between 1963 and 1965.

Hare served in the Cabinet of Anthony Eden as Minister of State of Colonial Affairs between 1955 and 1956 and Secretary of State for War from 1956 to 1958, under Eden and his successor, Harold Macmillan. He held the office of Minister of Agriculture from 1958 to 1960 and Minister of Labour between 1960 and 1963, both under Macmillan.

He was created 1st Viscount Blakenham, of Little Blakenham, Co. Suffolk on 8 November 1963 and held the office of Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Deputy Leader of the House of Lords between 1963 and 1964.

Hare received the Victoria Medal of Honour from the Royal Humane Society in 1974.^[1]

[edit] Notes

1. ^ Mosley, Charles (ed.) (2003) "John Hugh Hare, 1st Viscount Blakenham" Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage 107th edition, 3 volumes, Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A., volume 1, page 391.

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Walter Ross-Taylor	Member of Parliament for Woodbridge 1945–1950	Succeeded by constituency abolished
Preceded by new constituency	Member of Parliament for Sudbury and Woodbridge 1950–1963	Succeeded by Keith Stainton
Political offices
Preceded by Anthony Head	Secretary of State for War 1956–1958	Succeeded by Christopher Soames
Preceded by Derick Heathcoat Amory	Minister of Agriculture 1958–1960	Succeeded by Christopher Soames
Preceded by Edward Heath	Minister of Labour 1960–1963	Succeeded by Joseph Godber
Preceded by Iain Macleod	Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 1963–1964	Succeeded by Douglas Houghton
Preceded by Iain Macleod	Chairman of the Conservative Party 1963–1965	Succeeded by Edward du Cann
Peerage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by New creation	Viscount Blakenham 1963–1982	Succeeded by Michael Hare