Derick Heathcoat-Amory, 1st Viscount Amory

The Right Honourable
The Viscount Amory
KG GCMG TD PC DL
Chancellor of the Exchequer
In office
6 January 1958  27 July 1960
Prime Minister Harold Macmillan
Preceded by Peter Thorneycroft
Succeeded by Selwyn Lloyd
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
In office
28 July 1954  6 January 1958
Prime Minister Winston Churchill
Anthony Eden
Harold Macmillan
Preceded by Thomas Dugdale
Succeeded by John Hare
Minister of State for Trade
In office
3 September 1953  28 July 1954
Prime Minister Winston Churchill
Preceded by Office Created
Succeeded by Derek Walker-Smith
Minister of Pensions
In office
5 November 1951  3 September 1953
Prime Minister Winston Churchill
Preceded by George Isaacs
Succeeded by Osbert Peake
Member of Parliament
for Tiverton
In office
5 July 1945  1 September 1960
Preceded by Gilbert Acland-Troyte
Succeeded by Robin Maxwell-Hyslop
Personal details
Born (1899-12-26)26 December 1899
Mayfair, London
Died 20 January 1981(1981-01-20) (aged 81)
Devon, UK
Political party Conservative
Alma mater Christ Church, Oxford
Military career
Allegiance  United Kingdom
Service/branch  British Army
Years of service 1920–1948
Rank Lieutenant-Colonel
Battles/wars Second World War

Derick Heathcoat-Amory, 1st Viscount Amory, KG, GCMG, TD, PC, DL (/ˈmərɪ/ AY-mər-ee;[1] 26 December 1899 – 20 January 1981) was a British Conservative politician and member of the House of Lords.

He served as Chancellor of the Exchequer between 1958 and 1960, and later as Chancellor of the University of Exeter from 1972 until his death in 1981.

Background and education

Born in London, the son of Sir Ian Heathcoat-Amory, 2nd Baronet (see Heathcoat-Amory baronets) and Alexandra Georgina (OBE; who d. 1942), eldest daughter of Vice-Admiral Henry Seymour CB (brother of Francis, 5th Marquess of Hertford GCB).

He was educated at Eton College and Christ Church, Oxford, receiving an MA degree.[2]

His great-nephews include the Rt Hon David Heathcoat-Amory and Sir Ian Heathcoat-Amory, 6th and present baronet.[3] A great-aunt was the sculptress, Princess Victor of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, Countess von Gleichen.

Career

Heathcoat-Amory was elected a Devon County Councillor in 1932 and worked in textile manufacturing and banking. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the 11th (Devonshire) Brigade of the Royal Artillery (Territorial Army) on 31 July 1920, promoted to lieutenant in the 96th (Royal Devonshire Yeomanry) Field Brigade on 31 July 1922 and promoted to captain on 1 September 1926.[4][5][6] He was promoted to major on 1 October 1935.[7] During the Second World War, he was wounded and captured during Operation Market-Garden. He retired on 1 September 1948 with the honorary rank of Lieutenant-Colonel.[3][8]

He was elected Member of Parliament for Tiverton in 1945 (a constituency previously held by his grandfather Sir John Heathcoat-Amory, 1st Baronet).[9] When the Conservatives came to power under Winston Churchill in 1951 he was appointed Minister of Pensions. In September 1953 he was appointed Minister of State for Trade. He joined Churchill's Cabinet in July 1954 succeeding Sir Thomas Dugdale as Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries (continuing his responsibilities as Minister of State for Trade). In October 1954 these ministries merged under Heathcoat-Amory's leadership. The Hon. Gwilym Lloyd George later Viscount Tenby had previously been charged with Food ministerial affairs. He remained in this post until being appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer in 1958, by Harold Macmillan, an office he held until 1960.

A highlight of Amory's chancellorship was the raising of Bank Rate to 6% in June 1960, in an effort to cool the economy after the election the previous autumn.[10]

He stood down from the House of Commons in 1960 and was raised to the peerage as Viscount Amory, of Tiverton in the County of Devon, on 1 September of that year.[11]

Viscount Amory was sworn of the Privy Council in 1953, appointed GCMG in 1961 and KG in 1968.[12] He also received the degree of Hon. LLD (Exon) in 1959, before serving as Chancellor of Exeter University from 1972 to 1981.

Personal life

Heathcoat-Amory was an accomplished sailor, who famously had his yacht brought up the Thames to take him away after making Budget speeches when Chancellor of the Exchequer. The Civil Service Sailing Association[13] continues to award annually The Heathcoat Amory Trophy (donated by Viscount Amory) for outstanding sailing achievements by its members.

In 1972, Lord Amory succeeded his brother in the family baronetcy; he died unmarried in January 1981, aged 81.

The viscountcy became extinct upon his death and his younger brother succeeded him as Sir William Heathcoat-Amory, 5th Baronet, DSO.

National honours

See also

References

  1. G.M. Miller, BBC Pronouncing Dictionary of British Names (Oxford UP, 1971), p. 5.
  2. thepeerage.com Derick Heathcoat-Amory, 1st and last Viscount Amory
  3. 1 2 www.burkespeerage.com
  4. "No. 32023". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 August 1920. p. 8561.
  5. "No. 32750". The London Gazette. 26 September 1922. p. 6843.
  6. "No. 33228". The London Gazette. 10 December 1926. p. 8103.
  7. "No. 34207". The London Gazette. 11 October 1935. p. 6378.
  8. "No. 39151". The London Gazette (Supplement). 16 February 1951. p. 910.
  9. leighrayment.com House of Commons: Tipperary South to Tyrone West
  10. Dell 1997, p256
  11. "No. 42133". The London Gazette. 2 September 1960. p. 6019.
  12. "No. 44571". The London Gazette. 23 April 1968. p. 4645.
  13. www.cs-sailing.org

Further reading

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Gilbert Acland-Troyte
Member of Parliament for Tiverton
1945–1960
Succeeded by
Robin Maxwell-Hyslop
Political offices
Preceded by
George Isaacs
Minister of Pensions
1951–1953
Succeeded by
Osbert Peake
New office Minister of State for Trade
1953–1957
Succeeded by
Derek Walker-Smith
Preceded by
Sir Thomas Dugdale, Bt
Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries
1954
Succeeded by
merged
as Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
Preceded by
merged
as Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
1954–1958
Succeeded by
Hon. John Hare
Preceded by
Hon. Gwilym Lloyd George
as Minister of Food
Preceded by
Peter Thorneycroft
Chancellor of the Exchequer
1958–1960
Succeeded by
Selwyn Lloyd
Academic offices
Preceded by
Mary, Duchess of Devonshire
Chancellor of the University of Exeter
1972–1981
Succeeded by
Sir Rex Richards
Peerage of the United Kingdom
New creation Viscount Amory
1960–1981
Extinct
Baronetage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Sir John Heathcoat-Amory
Baronet
(of Knightshayes Court) 
1972–1981
Succeeded by
Sir William Heathcoat-Amory
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