J. C. C. Davidson, 1st Viscount Davidson
Encyclopedia
John Colin Campbell Davidson, 1st Viscount Davidson GCVO
CH
, CB
, PC
(23 February 1889 – 11 December 1970), known before his elevation to the peerage as J. C. C. Davidson, was a British civil servant and Conservative Party
politician, best known for his close alliance with Stanley Baldwin
. Initially a civil servant, Davidson was private secretary to Andrew Bonar Law
between 1915 and 1920. After entering parliament in 1920, he served under Baldwin as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
between 1923 and 1924 and as Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Admiralty between 1924 and 1926. From 1926 to 1930 he was Chairman of the Conservative Party. He was once again Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster between 1931 and 1937, firstly under Ramsay MacDonald
and from 1935 onwards under Baldwin. On Baldwin's retirement in 1937, Davidson left the House of Commons
and was ennobled as Viscount Davidson
. Despite being only 48, he never took any further active part in politics. His wife Frances, Viscountess Davidson
, succeeded him as MP for Hemel Hempstead
. Lord Davidson died in London
in 1970.
, the younger child and only son of Sir James Mackenzie Davidson, a physician, by Georgina Barbara Watt Henderson, daughter of Reverend William Henderson, of Aberdeen. His grandfather John Davidson had accumulated a large fortune in Argentina
, of which Davidson inherited a half. He was educated at Fretherne House preparatory school, Westminster
and Pembroke College, Cambridge
, and was called to the Bar
, Middle Temple
, in 1913.
, the Secretary of State for the Colonies
. He continued in this post when Lewis Harcourt succeeded Crewe as Colonial secretary at the end of 1910. Davidson was anxious to serve in the First World War, but Harcourt considered him so valuable that he managed to convince him to stay at the Colonial Office. In 1915 Andrew Bonar Law
replaced Harcourt as head of the Colonial Office, and was urged to retain Davidson as private secretary. They became close friends and Law came to rely as heavily on Davidson as Harcourt had done.
In December 1916 Bonar Law was appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer
and Leader of the House of Commons
and insisted on taking Davidson with him as private secretary. Davidson managed to persuade Bonar Law to employ Stanley Baldwin
as his Parliamentary Private Secretary
, a move that would have far-reaching consequences for Davidson himself and for the nation's history. Baldwin had up until then been an obscure back-bench MP, but his appointment as PPS to Bonar Law was his first move on the ladder of promotion. Davidson and Baldwin developed a close friendship which lasted until Baldwin's death in 1947. In 1918 he was responsible for the final draft of the "coupon
" endorsing parliamentary candidates in the general election
as representatives of the coalition government. In 1919 he was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath
(CB).
in 1920 by-election and became Parliamentary Private Secretary
to Bonar Law, then Lord Privy Seal and Leader of the House of Commons. The latter resigned on the grounds of ill health in May 1921, when Davidson became PPS to Stanley Baldwin, who by then had become President of the Board of Trade. The following year he urged Bonar Law to return and accept the leadership of the Conservative Party if the party voted against continuing the coalition government headed by David Lloyd George
. Despite the wishes of the party leadership, a majority of MP's voted against continuing the coalition at the Carlton Club meeting in October 1922
. Austen Chamberlain
resigned as party leader and was succeeded by Andrew Bonar Law
. Shortly afterwards Bonar Law was asked to form a government and once again appointed Davidson as his Parliamentary Private Secretary and unofficial unpaid private secretary.
Bonar Law resigned in May 1923 after his health collapsed. Davidson was made a Companion of Honour the same month. Stanley Baldwin was chosen to succeeded Bonar Law as Prime Minister over the claims of Lord Curzon
. In his biography of Davidson in the Dictionary of National Biography
, Robert Blake
writes that Davidson's role in the appointment of Baldwin remains a puzzle. Lord Stamfordham
, George V's
private secretary, sounded out Davidson about Bonar Law's wishes for his successor. Bonar Law, by then gravely ill, asked not to be involved. However, it was apparent that he favoured Baldwin although he could not overlook the claims of party grandee, Curzon. In 1954 a memorandum was found in the Royal archives, which had obviously been dictated by Davidson and which clearly argued for the claims of Baldwin over Curzon. The note had been handed over to Stamfordham by Sir Ronald Waterhouse, another of Bonar Law's secretaries, at the same time as his official resignation as prime minister. Stamfordham had noted on the memorandum that it "'practically expressed the views of Mr. Bonar Law.'" According to Blake, there was nothing in the memorandum to substantiate this claim. Davidson subsequently said that he had dictated the note after being asked by Stamfordham about the opinion of back-bench MP's. However, Blake argues that "In any case, the result [Baldwin as Bonar Law's successor] was affected only marginally. The King's decision was firmly based on his own good sense and the powerful arguments of Balfour
against the choice of a peer
as prime minister."
After the appointment of Baldwin as prime minister, Davidson entered the government as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
, and effectively continued as the prime minister's private secretary. However, he lost his seat in parliament at the general election of December 1923
, but regained it already in the general election in October the following year
. Baldwin once again formed an administration after the brief first-ever 1924 Labour government
, and made Davidson Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Admiralty. In this post he was forced to deal with cuts in naval expenditure proposed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer
, Winston Churchill
, especially regarding the construction of new cruisers. He served as deputy chief civil commissioner during the general strike of 1926
, with responsibility for publicity. He also managed the short-lived British Gazette
during the strike and arranged for the broadcasting of official bulletins.
In 1926 Davidson left the government to take up the post of Chairman of the Conservative Party
, which he remained until 1930. He was primarily charged with raising cash for the party and cleaning up the honours system, which had fallen into disrepute following informal cash-for-honours system instigated by Lloyd George in 1918. He was also the driving force behind the establishment of Ashridge
in memory of Bonar Law. In 1928 he was sworn of the Privy Council
. According to Blake, Davidson "...left a lasting imprint on the organization of the party and many of the changes attributed to his successor, Neville Chamberlain
, were in fact his." However, he came under criticism after the defeat at the 1929 general election
and resigned in 1930.
In November 1931 Davidson was once again appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in the National Government headed by Ramsay MacDonald
. He was chairman of the Indian States inquiry committee and travelled to India
in 1932 and was made a member of the joint select committee whose proposals resulted in the Government of India Act 1935
. He declined the governorship of Bombay. He remained Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when Baldwin became Prime Minister for the third time in 1935, although he was never a member of the cabinet. The latter year he was also made a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order
(GCVO). He stepped from the government and the House of Commons
after Neville Chamberlain
became Prime Minister in May 1937. The following June he was elevated to the peerage as Viscount Davidson, of Little Gaddesden in the County of Hertford. He was succeeded as MP by his wife, Frances, Viscountess Davidson
(see below).
in 1942. Blake writes of Davidson: "A man of much charm and geniality, bespectacled and ruddy complexioned, Davidson could be very tough. He was essentially one who operated behind the scenes rather than on the front of the stage. A streak of Scottish puritanism put him emphatically on the side of the 'respectable'. He had no sympathy with the buccaneers - Lloyd George
, Churchill
, Birkenhead
, Beaverbrook
. He was deeply devoted to Baldwin who owed a great debt to his advice, companionship, and support."
, daughter of Sir Willoughby Dickinson
, later Lord Dickinson, in 1919. They had two sons and two daughters. Lady Davidson remained MP for Hemel Hempstead until 1959, and was created a life peer as Baroness Northchurch in 1963. Lord and Lady Davidson thereby became one of the few couples who both held titles in their own right. Lord Davidson died in London
in December 1970, aged 81, and was succeeded by his eldest son, Andrew, who also became a Conservative government minister. The Viscountess Davidson died in November 1985, aged 91.
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
CH
Order of the Companions of Honour
The Order of the Companions of Honour is an order of the Commonwealth realms. It was founded by King George V in June 1917, as a reward for outstanding achievements in the arts, literature, music, science, politics, industry or religion....
, CB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, PC
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
(23 February 1889 – 11 December 1970), known before his elevation to the peerage as J. C. C. Davidson, was a British civil servant and Conservative Party
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, best known for his close alliance with Stanley Baldwin
Stanley Baldwin
Stanley Baldwin, 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley, KG, PC was a British Conservative politician, who dominated the government in his country between the two world wars...
. Initially a civil servant, Davidson was private secretary to Andrew Bonar Law
Andrew Bonar Law
Andrew Bonar Law was a British Conservative Party statesman and Prime Minister. Born in the colony of New Brunswick, he is the only British Prime Minister to have been born outside the British Isles...
between 1915 and 1920. After entering parliament in 1920, he served under Baldwin as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster is, in modern times, a ministerial office in the government of the United Kingdom that includes as part of its duties, the administration of the estates and rents of the Duchy of Lancaster...
between 1923 and 1924 and as Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Admiralty between 1924 and 1926. From 1926 to 1930 he was Chairman of the Conservative Party. He was once again Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster between 1931 and 1937, firstly under Ramsay MacDonald
Ramsay MacDonald
James Ramsay MacDonald, PC, FRS was a British politician who was the first ever Labour Prime Minister, leading a minority government for two terms....
and from 1935 onwards under Baldwin. On Baldwin's retirement in 1937, Davidson left 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...
and was ennobled as Viscount Davidson
Viscount Davidson
Viscount Davidson, of Little Gaddesden in the County of Hertford, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1937 for the Conservative politician and former Member of Parliament for Hemel Hempstead, Sir J. C. C. Davidson. the title is held by his eldest son, the second...
. Despite being only 48, he never took any further active part in politics. His wife Frances, Viscountess Davidson
Frances Davidson, Viscountess Davidson
Frances Joan Davidson, Viscountess Davidson DBE , styled Lady Davidson between 1935 and 1937 and as Viscountess Davidson between 1937 and 1985, was a British Conservative Party politician....
, succeeded him as MP for Hemel Hempstead
Hemel Hempstead (UK Parliament constituency)
Hemel Hempstead is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...
. Lord Davidson died in London
London
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...
in 1970.
Background and education
Davidson was born at AberdeenAberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
, the younger child and only son of Sir James Mackenzie Davidson, a physician, by Georgina Barbara Watt Henderson, daughter of Reverend William Henderson, of Aberdeen. His grandfather John Davidson had accumulated a large fortune in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, of which Davidson inherited a half. He was educated at Fretherne House preparatory school, Westminster
Westminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
and Pembroke College, Cambridge
Pembroke College, Cambridge
Pembroke College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college has over seven hundred students and fellows, and is the third oldest college of the university. Physically, it is one of the university's larger colleges, with buildings from almost every century since its...
, and was called to the Bar
Call to the bar
The Call to the Bar is a legal term of art in most common law jurisdictions where persons must be qualified to be allowed to argue in court on behalf of another party, and are then said to have been "called to the bar" or to have received a "call to the bar"...
, Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
, in 1913.
Civil service career, 1910-1920
After leaving Cambridge in 1910, Davidson joined the Colonial Office, where he became private secretary to Lord CreweRobert Crewe-Milnes, 1st Marquess of Crewe
Robert Offley Ashburton Crewe-Milnes, 1st Marquess of Crewe KG, PC , known as The Lord Houghton from 1885 to 1895 and as The Earl of Crewe from 1895 to 1911, was a British statesman and writer....
, the Secretary of State for the Colonies
Secretary of State for the Colonies
The Secretary of State for the Colonies or Colonial Secretary was the British Cabinet minister in charge of managing the United Kingdom's various colonial dependencies....
. He continued in this post when Lewis Harcourt succeeded Crewe as Colonial secretary at the end of 1910. Davidson was anxious to serve in the First World War, but Harcourt considered him so valuable that he managed to convince him to stay at the Colonial Office. In 1915 Andrew Bonar Law
Andrew Bonar Law
Andrew Bonar Law was a British Conservative Party statesman and Prime Minister. Born in the colony of New Brunswick, he is the only British Prime Minister to have been born outside the British Isles...
replaced Harcourt as head of the Colonial Office, and was urged to retain Davidson as private secretary. They became close friends and Law came to rely as heavily on Davidson as Harcourt had done.
In December 1916 Bonar Law was appointed 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...
and Leader of the House of Commons
Leader of the House of Commons
The Leader of the House of Commons is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom who is responsible for arranging government business in the House of Commons...
and insisted on taking Davidson with him as private secretary. Davidson managed to persuade Bonar Law to employ Stanley Baldwin
Stanley Baldwin
Stanley Baldwin, 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley, KG, PC was a British Conservative politician, who dominated the government in his country between the two world wars...
as his Parliamentary Private Secretary
Parliamentary Private Secretary
A Parliamentary Private Secretary is a role given to a United Kingdom Member of Parliament by a senior minister in government or shadow minister to act as their contact for the House of Commons; this role is junior to that of Parliamentary Under-Secretary, which is a ministerial post, salaried by...
, a move that would have far-reaching consequences for Davidson himself and for the nation's history. Baldwin had up until then been an obscure back-bench MP, but his appointment as PPS to Bonar Law was his first move on the ladder of promotion. Davidson and Baldwin developed a close friendship which lasted until Baldwin's death in 1947. In 1918 he was responsible for the final draft of the "coupon
Coalition Coupon
The ‘Coalition Coupon’, often referred to as ‘the coupon’, refers to the letter sent to parliamentary candidates at the United Kingdom general election, 1918 endorsing them as official representatives of the Coalition Government. The 1918 election took place in the heady atmosphere of victory in...
" endorsing parliamentary candidates in the general election
United Kingdom general election, 1918
The United Kingdom general election of 1918 was the first to be held after the Representation of the People Act 1918, which meant it was the first United Kingdom general election in which nearly all adult men and some women could vote. Polling was held on 14 December 1918, although the count did...
as representatives of the coalition government. In 1919 he was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(CB).
Political career, 1920-1937
Davidson entered parliament unopposed for Hemel HempsteadHemel Hempstead (UK Parliament constituency)
Hemel Hempstead is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...
in 1920 by-election and became Parliamentary Private Secretary
Parliamentary Private Secretary
A Parliamentary Private Secretary is a role given to a United Kingdom Member of Parliament by a senior minister in government or shadow minister to act as their contact for the House of Commons; this role is junior to that of Parliamentary Under-Secretary, which is a ministerial post, salaried by...
to Bonar Law, then Lord Privy Seal and Leader of the House of Commons. The latter resigned on the grounds of ill health in May 1921, when Davidson became PPS to Stanley Baldwin, who by then had become President of the Board of Trade. The following year he urged Bonar Law to return and accept the leadership of the Conservative Party if the party voted against continuing the coalition government headed by David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
. Despite the wishes of the party leadership, a majority of MP's voted against continuing the coalition at the Carlton Club meeting in October 1922
Carlton Club meeting, 19 October 1922
The Carlton Club meeting on 19 October 1922 was a formal meeting of Members of Parliament who belonged to the Conservative Party, called to discuss whether the party should remain in government in coalition with a section of the Liberal Party under the leadership of Liberal Prime Minister David...
. Austen Chamberlain
Austen Chamberlain
Sir Joseph Austen Chamberlain, KG was a British statesman, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize and half-brother of Neville Chamberlain.- Early life and career :...
resigned as party leader and was succeeded by Andrew Bonar Law
Andrew Bonar Law
Andrew Bonar Law was a British Conservative Party statesman and Prime Minister. Born in the colony of New Brunswick, he is the only British Prime Minister to have been born outside the British Isles...
. Shortly afterwards Bonar Law was asked to form a government and once again appointed Davidson as his Parliamentary Private Secretary and unofficial unpaid private secretary.
Bonar Law resigned in May 1923 after his health collapsed. Davidson was made a Companion of Honour the same month. Stanley Baldwin was chosen to succeeded Bonar Law as Prime Minister over the claims of Lord Curzon
George Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston
George Nathaniel Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston, KG, GCSI, GCIE, PC , known as The Lord Curzon of Kedleston between 1898 and 1911 and as The Earl Curzon of Kedleston between 1911 and 1921, was a British Conservative statesman who was Viceroy of India and Foreign Secretary...
. In his biography of Davidson in the Dictionary of National Biography
Dictionary of National Biography
The Dictionary of National Biography is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published from 1885...
, Robert Blake
Robert Blake, Baron Blake
Robert Norman William Blake, Baron Blake was an English historian. He is best known for his 1966 biography of Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield, and for The Conservative Party from Peel to Churchill, which grew out of his 1968 Ford lectures...
writes that Davidson's role in the appointment of Baldwin remains a puzzle. Lord Stamfordham
Arthur Bigge, 1st Baron Stamfordham
Arthur John Bigge, 1st Baron Stamfordham, GCB, GCVO, GCIE, KCSI, KCMG , ISO, PC , was a British soldier and courtier. He was Private Secretary to Queen Victoria during the last few years of her reign, and to King George V during most of his reign...
, George V's
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
private secretary, sounded out Davidson about Bonar Law's wishes for his successor. Bonar Law, by then gravely ill, asked not to be involved. However, it was apparent that he favoured Baldwin although he could not overlook the claims of party grandee, Curzon. In 1954 a memorandum was found in the Royal archives, which had obviously been dictated by Davidson and which clearly argued for the claims of Baldwin over Curzon. The note had been handed over to Stamfordham by Sir Ronald Waterhouse, another of Bonar Law's secretaries, at the same time as his official resignation as prime minister. Stamfordham had noted on the memorandum that it "'practically expressed the views of Mr. Bonar Law.'" According to Blake, there was nothing in the memorandum to substantiate this claim. Davidson subsequently said that he had dictated the note after being asked by Stamfordham about the opinion of back-bench MP's. However, Blake argues that "In any case, the result [Baldwin as Bonar Law's successor] was affected only marginally. The King's decision was firmly based on his own good sense and the powerful arguments of Balfour
Arthur Balfour
Arthur James Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour, KG, OM, PC, DL was a British Conservative politician and statesman...
against the choice of a peer
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
as prime minister."
After the appointment of Baldwin as prime minister, Davidson entered the government as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster is, in modern times, a ministerial office in the government of the United Kingdom that includes as part of its duties, the administration of the estates and rents of the Duchy of Lancaster...
, and effectively continued as the prime minister's private secretary. However, he lost his seat in parliament at the general election of December 1923
United Kingdom general election, 1923
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
, but regained it already in the general election in October the following year
United Kingdom general election, 1924
- Seats summary :- References :* F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* - External links :* * *...
. Baldwin once again formed an administration after the brief first-ever 1924 Labour government
Labour Government 1924
See also First Labour Government Members of the Cabinet are in bold face.Source: D. Butler and G. Butler, Twentieth Century British Political Facts 1900-2000...
, and made Davidson Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Admiralty. In this post he was forced to deal with cuts in naval expenditure proposed by the 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...
, 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...
, especially regarding the construction of new cruisers. He served as deputy chief civil commissioner during the general strike of 1926
1926 United Kingdom general strike
The 1926 general strike in the United Kingdom was a general strike that lasted nine days, from 4 May 1926 to 13 May 1926. It was called by the general council of the Trades Union Congress in an unsuccessful attempt to force the British government to act to prevent wage reduction and worsening...
, with responsibility for publicity. He also managed the short-lived British Gazette
British Gazette
The British Gazette was a short-lived British newspaper published by the Government during the General Strike of 1926.One of the first groups of workers called out by the Trades Union Congress when the general strike began on 3 May were the printers, and consequently most newspapers appeared only...
during the strike and arranged for the broadcasting of official bulletins.
In 1926 Davidson left the government to take up the post of Chairman of the Conservative Party
Chairman of the Conservative Party
In the United Kingdom, the Chairman of the Conservative Party is responsible for running the party machine, overseeing Conservative Central Office. When the Conservatives are in power, the Chairman is usually a member of the Cabinet being given a sinecure position such as Minister without Portfolio...
, which he remained until 1930. He was primarily charged with raising cash for the party and cleaning up the honours system, which had fallen into disrepute following informal cash-for-honours system instigated by Lloyd George in 1918. He was also the driving force behind the establishment of Ashridge
Ashridge Business School
Ashridge Business School is an independent, non-profit making organisation, near Berkhamsted in Hertfordshire, England. Its activities include open and tailored executive education programmes, MBA, MSc and Diploma qualifications, organisation consulting, applied research and online learning....
in memory of Bonar Law. In 1928 he was sworn of the Privy Council
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
. According to Blake, Davidson "...left a lasting imprint on the organization of the party and many of the changes attributed to his successor, Neville Chamberlain
Neville Chamberlain
Arthur Neville Chamberlain FRS was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from May 1937 to May 1940. Chamberlain is best known for his appeasement foreign policy, and in particular for his signing of the Munich Agreement in 1938, conceding the...
, were in fact his." However, he came under criticism after the defeat at the 1929 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1929
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
and resigned in 1930.
In November 1931 Davidson was once again appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in the National Government headed by Ramsay MacDonald
Ramsay MacDonald
James Ramsay MacDonald, PC, FRS was a British politician who was the first ever Labour Prime Minister, leading a minority government for two terms....
. He was chairman of the Indian States inquiry committee and travelled to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
in 1932 and was made a member of the joint select committee whose proposals resulted in the Government of India Act 1935
Government of India Act 1935
The Government of India Act 1935 was originally passed in August 1935 , and is said to have been the longest Act of Parliament ever enacted by that time. Because of its length, the Act was retroactively split by the Government of India Act 1935 into two separate Acts:# The Government of India...
. He declined the governorship of Bombay. He remained Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when Baldwin became Prime Minister for the third time in 1935, although he was never a member of the cabinet. The latter year he was also made a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
(GCVO). He stepped from the government and 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...
after Neville Chamberlain
Neville Chamberlain
Arthur Neville Chamberlain FRS was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from May 1937 to May 1940. Chamberlain is best known for his appeasement foreign policy, and in particular for his signing of the Munich Agreement in 1938, conceding the...
became Prime Minister in May 1937. The following June he was elevated to the peerage as Viscount Davidson, of Little Gaddesden in the County of Hertford. He was succeeded as MP by his wife, Frances, Viscountess Davidson
Frances Davidson, Viscountess Davidson
Frances Joan Davidson, Viscountess Davidson DBE , styled Lady Davidson between 1935 and 1937 and as Viscountess Davidson between 1937 and 1985, was a British Conservative Party politician....
(see below).
Later career, 1937-1970
Despite being only 48 at the time of his elevation to the peerage, Davidson took no further active part in political life. He remained involved with Ashridge and his business affairs. During the Second World War he was with the Ministry of Information between 1940 and 1941 and made an official tour of South AmericaSouth America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
in 1942. Blake writes of Davidson: "A man of much charm and geniality, bespectacled and ruddy complexioned, Davidson could be very tough. He was essentially one who operated behind the scenes rather than on the front of the stage. A streak of Scottish puritanism put him emphatically on the side of the 'respectable'. He had no sympathy with the buccaneers - Lloyd George
David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
, 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...
, Birkenhead
F. E. Smith, 1st Earl of Birkenhead
Frederick Edwin Smith, 1st Earl of Birkenhead GCSI, PC, KC , best known to history as F. E. Smith , was a British Conservative statesman and lawyer of the early 20th century. He was a skilled orator, noted for his staunch opposition to Irish nationalism, his wit, pugnacious views, and hard living...
, Beaverbrook
Max Aitken, 1st Baron Beaverbrook
William Maxwell "Max" Aitken, 1st Baron Beaverbrook, Bt, PC, was a Canadian-British business tycoon, politician, and writer.-Early career in Canada:...
. He was deeply devoted to Baldwin who owed a great debt to his advice, companionship, and support."
Family
Lord Davidson married Frances Joan "Mimi" DickinsonFrances Davidson, Viscountess Davidson
Frances Joan Davidson, Viscountess Davidson DBE , styled Lady Davidson between 1935 and 1937 and as Viscountess Davidson between 1937 and 1985, was a British Conservative Party politician....
, daughter of Sir Willoughby Dickinson
Willoughby Dickinson, 1st Baron Dickinson
Willoughby Hyett Dickinson, 1st Baron Dickinson KBE, PC , was a British Liberal Party politician.Dickinson was the son of Sebastian Stewart Dickinson, Member of Parliament for Stroud. He was educated at Eton College and Trinity College, Cambridge. He was Member of Parliament for St...
, later Lord Dickinson, in 1919. They had two sons and two daughters. Lady Davidson remained MP for Hemel Hempstead until 1959, and was created a life peer as Baroness Northchurch in 1963. Lord and Lady Davidson thereby became one of the few couples who both held titles in their own right. Lord Davidson died in London
London
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...
in December 1970, aged 81, and was succeeded by his eldest son, Andrew, who also became a Conservative government minister. The Viscountess Davidson died in November 1985, aged 91.