John Brooke, 2nd Viscount Brookeborough
Encyclopedia
John Warden Brooke, 2nd Viscount Brookeborough, Bt
, PC (NI)
(9 November 1922 – 5 March 1987) was a Northern Irish politician, the son of Prime Minister of Northern Ireland
, the 1st Viscount Brookeborough
.
, Viceroy of India 1947.
In 1934, his father claimed in the Northern Ireland House of Commons that there had been a plot to kidnap Brooke by Nationalists during Sir Basil's time as Commandant of the Ulster Special Constabulary
, a report which led him to dismiss every Catholic worker in his employ, for which he was accused of sectarianism.
for 1955.
He succeeded his father as the Ulster Unionist
Stormont
MP
for Lisnaskea
in a by-election on 22 March 1968. He retained that seat until the abolition of the Parliament of Northern Ireland
in 1973.
Brookeborough was a member of a dissident group of Ulster Unionist backbench MPs who campaigned for the removal of Terence O'Neill
as Prime Minister
. When O'Neill finally resigned in April 1969 his successor, James Chichester-Clark
, brought some of this dissident group into his government. Brooke was made Parliamentary Secretary at the Ministry of Commerce (1969–1970), and then Parliamentary Secretary at the Department of the Prime Minister
(1970–1972). Under Brian Faulkner's premiership, he was government Chief Whip
(1971–1972) and also served in the Cabinet from 1971 as Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance
.
In the Northern Ireland Assembly (1973–74) he represented North Down
. When the Unionist Party of Northern Ireland
was founded by pro Sunningdale Agreement
members of the Ulster Unionists Brooke joined in 1974 and was again elected for North Down to the Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention
(1975–76). He also represented the views of the Unionist Party of Northern Ireland
(UPNI) in the House of Lords
.
At 5.13pm delivered the final speech from the dispatch box at Stormont prior to its suspension by Edward Heath
's Conservative government on 28 March 1972. In it he quoted from a poem by Rudyard Kipling
entitled "Ulster", written in 1914, about the time his father's involvement in the political affairs of the province might be said to have begun. It ended:
Brookeborough married Rosemary Chichester, daughter of Lt.-Col. Arthur O'Neill Cubitt Chichester MC
, of Galgorm Castle, (d. 30 January 2007) in 1949 and they had five children, Alan, Christopher, Juliana, Melinda and Susanna.
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
, PC (NI)
Privy Council of Northern Ireland
The Privy Council of Northern Ireland was a formal body of advisors to the sovereign and was a vehicle for the monarch's prerogative powers in Northern Ireland. It was modelled on the Privy Council of the United Kingdom....
(9 November 1922 – 5 March 1987) was a Northern Irish politician, the son of Prime Minister of Northern Ireland
Prime Minister of Northern Ireland
The Prime Minister of Northern Ireland was the de facto head of the Government of Northern Ireland. No such office was provided for in the Government of Ireland Act 1920. However the Lord Lieutenant, as with Governors-General in other Westminster Systems such as in Canada, chose to appoint someone...
, the 1st Viscount Brookeborough
Basil Brooke, 1st Viscount Brookeborough
Basil Stanlake Brooke, 1st Viscount Brookeborough, Bt, KG, CBE, MC, PC, HML was an Ulster Unionist politician who became the third Prime Minister of Northern Ireland in 1943 and held office until 1963....
.
Early life
Lord Brookeborough was educated at Eton College. During the second world war he served in the British Army in North Africa, Italy and Germany. He was on the personal staff of Field Marshal the Viscount Alexander of Tunis. He was an Aide-de-Camp to Field-Marshal Earl WavellEarl Wavell
Earl Wavell was a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1947 for Field Marshal Archibald Wavell, 1st Viscount Wavell, Viceroy of India from 1943 to 1947...
, Viceroy of India 1947.
In 1934, his father claimed in the Northern Ireland House of Commons that there had been a plot to kidnap Brooke by Nationalists during Sir Basil's time as Commandant of the Ulster Special Constabulary
Ulster Special Constabulary
The Ulster Special Constabulary was a reserve police force in Northern Ireland. It was set up in October 1920, shortly before the founding of Northern Ireland. It was an armed corps, organised partially on military lines and called out in times of emergency, such as war or insurgency...
, a report which led him to dismiss every Catholic worker in his employ, for which he was accused of sectarianism.
Political career
He was elected to Fermanagh County Council in 1947, until 1973, and was Chairman of the council from 1961 to 1973. He was appointed High Sheriff of FermanaghHigh Sheriff of Fermanagh
The High Sheriff of Fermanagh is the Sovereign's judicial representative in County Fermanagh. Initially an office for lifetime, assigned by the Sovereign, the High Sheriff became annually appointed from the Provisions of Oxford in 1258...
for 1955.
He succeeded his father as the Ulster Unionist
Ulster Unionist Party
The Ulster Unionist Party – sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or, in a historic sense, simply the Unionist Party – is the more moderate of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland...
Stormont
Parliament of Northern Ireland
The Parliament of Northern Ireland was the home rule legislature of Northern Ireland, created under the Government of Ireland Act 1920, which sat from 7 June 1921 to 30 March 1972, when it was suspended...
MP
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 Lisnaskea
Lisnaskea
Lisnaskea is the second-biggest settlement in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 2,739 people in the 2001 Census. The town is built around the long main street, which bends at almost 90 degrees along its course.- History :...
in a by-election on 22 March 1968. He retained that seat until the abolition of the Parliament of Northern Ireland
Parliament of Northern Ireland
The Parliament of Northern Ireland was the home rule legislature of Northern Ireland, created under the Government of Ireland Act 1920, which sat from 7 June 1921 to 30 March 1972, when it was suspended...
in 1973.
Brookeborough was a member of a dissident group of Ulster Unionist backbench MPs who campaigned for the removal of Terence O'Neill
Terence O'Neill
Terence Marne O'Neill, Baron O'Neill of the Maine, PC was the fourth Prime Minister of Northern Ireland and leader of the Ulster Unionist Party...
as Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
. When O'Neill finally resigned in April 1969 his successor, James Chichester-Clark
James Chichester-Clark
James Dawson Chichester-Clark, Baron Moyola, PC, DL was the penultimate Prime Minister of Northern Ireland and eighth leader of the Ulster Unionist Party between 1969 and March 1971. He was Member of the Northern Ireland Parliament for South Londonderry for 12 years beginning at the by-election...
, brought some of this dissident group into his government. Brooke was made Parliamentary Secretary at the Ministry of Commerce (1969–1970), and then Parliamentary Secretary at the Department of the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Northern Ireland
The Prime Minister of Northern Ireland was the de facto head of the Government of Northern Ireland. No such office was provided for in the Government of Ireland Act 1920. However the Lord Lieutenant, as with Governors-General in other Westminster Systems such as in Canada, chose to appoint someone...
(1970–1972). Under Brian Faulkner's premiership, he was government Chief Whip
Chief Whip
The Chief Whip is a political office in some legislatures assigned to an elected member whose task is to administer the whipping system that ensures that members of the party attend and vote as the party leadership desires.-The Whips Office:...
(1971–1972) and also served in the Cabinet from 1971 as Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance
Minister of Finance (Northern Ireland)
The Minister of Finance was a member of the Executive Committee of the Privy Council of Northern Ireland in the Parliament of Northern Ireland which governed Northern Ireland from 1921 to 1972...
.
In the Northern Ireland Assembly (1973–74) he represented North Down
North Down (UK Parliament constituency)
North Down is a Parliamentary Constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons. The current MP is Sylvia Hermon, elected as an Independent in the 2010 General Election. -Boundaries:The county constituency was first created in 1885 from the northern part of Down...
. When the Unionist Party of Northern Ireland
Unionist Party of Northern Ireland
The Unionist Party of Northern Ireland was a political party founded by Brian Faulkner in September 1974.-Formation:The party emerged following splits in the Ulster Unionist Party in 1973 and 1974 over the British government's white paper Northern Ireland Constitutional Proposals, the Northern...
was founded by pro Sunningdale Agreement
Sunningdale Agreement
The Sunningdale Agreement was an attempt to establish a power-sharing Northern Ireland Executive and a cross-border Council of Ireland. The Agreement was signed at the Civil Service College in Sunningdale Park located in Sunningdale, Berkshire, on 9 December 1973.Unionist opposition, violence and...
members of the Ulster Unionists Brooke joined in 1974 and was again elected for North Down to the Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention
Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention
The Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention was an elected body set up in 1975 by the UK Labour government of Harold Wilson as an attempt to deal with constitutional issues surrounding the status of Northern Ireland....
(1975–76). He also represented the views of the Unionist Party of Northern Ireland
Unionist Party of Northern Ireland
The Unionist Party of Northern Ireland was a political party founded by Brian Faulkner in September 1974.-Formation:The party emerged following splits in the Ulster Unionist Party in 1973 and 1974 over the British government's white paper Northern Ireland Constitutional Proposals, the Northern...
(UPNI) in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
.
At 5.13pm delivered the final speech from the dispatch box at Stormont prior to its suspension by Edward Heath
Edward Heath
Sir Edward Richard George "Ted" Heath, KG, MBE, PC was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and as Leader of the Conservative Party ....
's Conservative government on 28 March 1972. In it he quoted from a poem by Rudyard Kipling
Rudyard Kipling
Joseph Rudyard Kipling was an English poet, short-story writer, and novelist chiefly remembered for his celebration of British imperialism, tales and poems of British soldiers in India, and his tales for children. Kipling received the 1907 Nobel Prize for Literature...
entitled "Ulster", written in 1914, about the time his father's involvement in the political affairs of the province might be said to have begun. It ended:
"Before an empire's eyes the traitor claims his price.
What need of further lies? We are the sacrifice."
Brookeborough married Rosemary Chichester, daughter of Lt.-Col. Arthur O'Neill Cubitt Chichester MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
, of Galgorm Castle, (d. 30 January 2007) in 1949 and they had five children, Alan, Christopher, Juliana, Melinda and Susanna.