Gerald Isaacs, 2nd Marquess of Reading

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Gerald Rufus Isaacs, 2nd Marquess of Reading GCMG CBE MC TD PC QC (10 December 1889-19 September 1960), known as Viscount Erleigh from 1917 to 1935, was a British barrister and Conservative politician.

Reading was the son of Rufus Isaacs, 1st Marquess of Reading, and Alice Edith Cohen, and succeeded his father as second Marquess of Reading in 1935. When the Conservatives came to power in 1951 under Winston Churchill, he was appointed Joint Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, a post he held until 1953, when he was promoted to Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and admitted to the Privy Council. He retained this position also when Sir Anthony Eden became Prime Minister in 1955. However, Reading was not included in the administration formed by Harold Macmillan in January 1957 and never returned to ministerial office. Apart from his political career he was also a Bencher and Treasurer of the Middle Temple and an Honorary Colonel in the Inns of Court Regiment from 1947 to 1959.

Lord Reading married the Hon. Eva Violet, daughter of Alfred Moritz Mond, 1st Baron Melchett, in 1914. He died in September 1960, aged 70, and was succeeded in his titles by his son Michael. Lady Reading died in 1973.

Political offices
Preceded by The Lord Henderson Ernest Davies	Joint Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs with Anthony Nutting 1951–1953	Succeeded by Anthony Nutting Douglas Dodds-Parker
Preceded by Selwyn Lloyd	Joint Minister of State for Foreign Affairs with Selwyn Lloyd 1953–1954 Anthony Nutting 1954–1956 Allan Noble 1956–1957 1953–1957	Succeeded by Allan Noble David Ormsby-Gore
Peerage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Rufus Isaacs	Marquess of Reading 1935–1960	Succeeded by Michael Alfred Rufus Isaacs

[edit] References

• Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990.
• Leigh Rayment's Peerage Page