James Peck (civil servant)
Encyclopedia
Sir James Wallace Peck CB
(3 May 1875–3 February 1964) was a British
civil servant and local government officer.
Peck was educated at the Royal Technical College, Glasgow, the University of Glasgow
and Christ Church, Oxford
. He lectured in mathematical physics
at Glasgow University for four years before becoming an Inspector of Schools in Scotland
in 1903. In 1905 he was appointed Principal Assistant to Sir Robert Blair, director of the London County Council
Education Service, and in 1910 returned to Scotland as Clerk to the Edinburgh
School Board. In 1912 he became Chief Inspector of National Health Insurance
in Scotland.
On the outbreak of the First World War in 1914 he was commissioned into the Royal Field Artillery
and served until 1918, reaching the rank of Captain. In 1918 he was appointed Senior Assistant Secretary of the Ministry of Food, a post which he held until the Ministry's disbandment in 1921, when he be became Chief Inspector of the Scottish Board of Health.
From 1924 to 1926 he served as Assistant Secretary of the National Health Insurance Commission and was responsible for organising emergency arrangements for Scotland during the 1926 General Strike
. In 1930 he returned to the Scottish Education Department as Second Secretary and became Permanent Secretary
in 1936. In 1938 he was seconded to the Food (Defence Plans) Department, preparing for food control on the inevitable outbreak of the Second World War. When the war came, he was appointed Chief Divisional Food Controller for Scotland and held the post until his retirement in 1946.
Peck was appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in the 1920 New Year War Honours and was knighted
in 1938.
In 1911 he married the novelist Winifred Peck
, who died in November 1962.
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...
(3 May 1875–3 February 1964) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
civil servant and local government officer.
Peck was educated at the Royal Technical College, Glasgow, the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
and 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...
. He lectured in mathematical physics
Mathematical physics
Mathematical physics refers to development of mathematical methods for application to problems in physics. The Journal of Mathematical Physics defines this area as: "the application of mathematics to problems in physics and the development of mathematical methods suitable for such applications and...
at Glasgow University for four years before becoming an Inspector of Schools in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
in 1903. In 1905 he was appointed Principal Assistant to Sir Robert Blair, director of the London County Council
London County Council
London County Council was the principal local government body for the County of London, throughout its 1889–1965 existence, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today known as Inner London and was replaced by the Greater London Council...
Education Service, and in 1910 returned to Scotland as Clerk to the Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
School Board. In 1912 he became Chief Inspector of National Health Insurance
National Insurance
National Insurance in the United Kingdom was initially a contributory system of insurance against illness and unemployment, and later also provided retirement pensions and other benefits...
in Scotland.
On the outbreak of the First World War in 1914 he was commissioned into the Royal Field Artillery
Royal Field Artillery
The Royal Field Artillery of the British Army provided artillery support for the British Army. It came into being when the Royal Artillery was divided on 1 July 1899, it was reamalgamated back into the Royal Artillery in 1924....
and served until 1918, reaching the rank of Captain. In 1918 he was appointed Senior Assistant Secretary of the Ministry of Food, a post which he held until the Ministry's disbandment in 1921, when he be became Chief Inspector of the Scottish Board of Health.
From 1924 to 1926 he served as Assistant Secretary of the National Health Insurance Commission and was responsible for organising emergency arrangements for Scotland during the 1926 General Strike
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...
. In 1930 he returned to the Scottish Education Department as Second Secretary and became Permanent Secretary
Permanent Secretary
The Permanent secretary, in most departments officially titled the permanent under-secretary of state , is the most senior civil servant of a British Government ministry, charged with running the department on a day-to-day basis...
in 1936. In 1938 he was seconded to the Food (Defence Plans) Department, preparing for food control on the inevitable outbreak of the Second World War. When the war came, he was appointed Chief Divisional Food Controller for Scotland and held the post until his retirement in 1946.
Peck was appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in the 1920 New Year War Honours and was knighted
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
in 1938.
In 1911 he married the novelist Winifred Peck
Winifred Peck
Lady Winifred Peck was an author of literary fiction and biographies. A member of a remarkable family, her father was Edmund Arbuthnott Knox, the fourth Bishop of Manchester, and her siblings were E. V. Knox, editor of Punch magazine, Ronald Knox, theologian and writer, Dilly Knox, cryptographer,...
, who died in November 1962.