Derick Heathcoat Amory
Encyclopedia
Derick Heathcoat-Amory, 1st Viscount Amory (icon ; KG
, GCMG, TD
, PC, DL
; 26 December 1899 – 20 January 1981) was a British Conservative
politician. He served as Chancellor of the Exchequer
from 1958 to 1960 and as Chancellor
of the University of Exeter
from 1972 to 1981.
, the son of Sir Ian Heathcoat-Amory, 2nd Baronet (see Heathcoat-Amory Baronets
) and Alexandra Georgina (d. 1942), daughter of Vice-Admiral Henry Seymour
. He was an uncle of David Heathcoat-Amory
. He was educated at Eton College
and at Christ Church, Oxford
.
lor in 1932 and worked in textile manufacturing and banking. After service in the Territorial Army Royal Artillery
(including being wounded and captured during Operation Market-Garden), in which he reached the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel, he was elected Member of Parliament
for Tiverton
in 1945 (a constituency previously represented by his grandfather Sir John Heathcoat-Amory, 1st Baronet
). When the Conservatives came to power under Winston Churchill
in 1951 he was appointed Minister of Pensions
. In September 1953 he was made Minister of State for Trade
. He entered the cabinet under Churchill in July 1954 succeeding Sir Thomas Dugdale as Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries (while continuing as Minister of State for Trade). In October 1954 the Ministry merged with the Ministry of Food still in command of Heathcoat-Amory. Gwilym Lloyd George
had previously been in charge of Food. He remained in the post until he became Chancellor of the Exchequer
in 1958, under Harold Macmillan
, an office he retained until 1960.
He retired 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. Lord Amory had been sworn of the Privy Council in 1953 and was appointed a Knight of the Garter
in 1968. He was awarded the honorary degree
of Hon. LLD (Exon
) from the University of Exeter
in 1959 and served as Chancellor of the university from 1972 to 1981.
in 1972. He died unmarried in January 1981, aged 81. The viscountcy became extinct on his death while the baronetcy passed to his younger brother.
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
, GCMG, TD
Territorial Decoration
The Territorial Decoration was a medal of the United Kingdom awarded for long service in the Territorial Force and its successor, the Territorial Army...
, PC, DL
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
; 26 December 1899 – 20 January 1981) was a British Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician. He served as Chancellor of the Exchequer
Chancellor of the Exchequer
The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all economic and financial matters. Often simply called the Chancellor, the office-holder controls HM Treasury and plays a role akin to the posts of Minister of Finance or Secretary of the...
from 1958 to 1960 and as Chancellor
Chancellor (education)
A chancellor or vice-chancellor is the chief executive of a university. Other titles are sometimes used, such as president or rector....
of the University of Exeter
University of Exeter
The University of Exeter is a public university in South West England. It belongs to the 1994 Group, an association of 19 of the United Kingdom's smaller research-intensive universities....
from 1972 to 1981.
Background and education
Heathcoat-Amory was born at St George's, Hanover Square, LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, the son of Sir Ian Heathcoat-Amory, 2nd Baronet (see Heathcoat-Amory Baronets
Heathcoat-Amory Baronets
The Heathcoat-Amory Baronetcy, of Knightshayes Court in Tiverton in the County of Devon, is a title in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 21 March 1874 for the businessman and Liberal politician John Heathcoat-Amory. Born John Amory, he was the maternal grandson of John...
) and Alexandra Georgina (d. 1942), daughter of Vice-Admiral Henry Seymour
Henry Seymour (Royal Navy officer)
Vice-Admiral Henry Seymour CB was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Third Naval Lord.-Career:...
. He was an uncle of David Heathcoat-Amory
David Heathcoat-Amory
David Philip Heathcoat-Amory is a British politician, accountant and farmer. He was the Conservative Member of Parliament for Wells from 1983 until he lost his seat in the 2010 general election.-Education and professional life:...
. He was educated at Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and at Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
.
Political career
Heathcoat-Amory became a Devon County CouncilDevon County Council
Devon County Council is the county council administering the English county of Devon. Based in the city of Exeter, the council covers the non-metropolitan county area of Devon...
lor in 1932 and worked in textile manufacturing and banking. After service in the Territorial Army Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
(including being wounded and captured during Operation Market-Garden), in which he reached the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel, he was elected Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Tiverton
Tiverton (UK Parliament constituency)
Tiverton was a constituency located in east Devon, formerly represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Enfranchised as a parliamentary borough in 1615 and first represented in 1621, it elected two Members of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
in 1945 (a constituency previously represented by his grandfather Sir John Heathcoat-Amory, 1st Baronet
Sir John Heathcoat-Amory, 1st Baronet
Sir John Heathcoat Heathcoat-Amory, 1st Baronet , was a British businessman and Liberal politician.Born John Amory, he was the maternal grandson of John Heathcoat, Member of Parliament for Tiverton, and assumed the additional surname of Heathcoat by Royal license. He was a partner of J...
). When the Conservatives came to power under Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
in 1951 he was appointed Minister of Pensions
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions is a post in the British Cabinet, responsible for the Department for Work and Pensions. It was created on 8 June 2001 by the merger of the Employment part of the Department for Education and Employment and the Department of Social Security.The Ministry...
. In September 1953 he was made Minister of State for Trade
Minister of State for Trade
The Minister of State for Trade is an executive position in the Government of the United Kingdom, in both the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills...
. He entered the cabinet under Churchill in July 1954 succeeding Sir Thomas Dugdale as Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries (while continuing as Minister of State for Trade). In October 1954 the Ministry merged with the Ministry of Food still in command of Heathcoat-Amory. Gwilym Lloyd George
Gwilym Lloyd George, 1st Viscount Tenby
Major Gwilym Lloyd George, 1st Viscount Tenby PC TD was a British politician and cabinet minister. A younger son of Prime Minister David Lloyd George, he served as Home Secretary from 1954 to 1957....
had previously been in charge of Food. He remained in the post until he became Chancellor of the Exchequer
Chancellor of the Exchequer
The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all economic and financial matters. Often simply called the Chancellor, the office-holder controls HM Treasury and plays a role akin to the posts of Minister of Finance or Secretary of the...
in 1958, under Harold Macmillan
Harold Macmillan
Maurice Harold Macmillan, 1st Earl of Stockton, OM, PC was Conservative Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 10 January 1957 to 18 October 1963....
, an office he retained until 1960.
He retired from the House of Commons
British House of Commons
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 . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
in 1960 and was raised to the peerage as Viscount Amory, of Tiverton in the County of Devon, on 1 September of that year. Lord Amory had been sworn of the Privy Council in 1953 and was appointed a Knight of the Garter
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
in 1968. He was awarded the honorary degree
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
of Hon. LLD (Exon
Exoniensis
Exoniensis is the post-nominal suffix given to honorary and academic degrees from the University of Exeter. The term is the anglicisation of the Latin for "of Exeter"...
) from the University of Exeter
University of Exeter
The University of Exeter is a public university in South West England. It belongs to the 1994 Group, an association of 19 of the United Kingdom's smaller research-intensive universities....
in 1959 and served as Chancellor of the university from 1972 to 1981.
Personal life
Lord Amory succeeded his brother to the Heathcoat-Amory BaronetcyHeathcoat-Amory Baronets
The Heathcoat-Amory Baronetcy, of Knightshayes Court in Tiverton in the County of Devon, is a title in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 21 March 1874 for the businessman and Liberal politician John Heathcoat-Amory. Born John Amory, he was the maternal grandson of John...
in 1972. He died unmarried in January 1981, aged 81. The viscountcy became extinct on his death while the baronetcy passed to his younger brother.