Patrick Buchan-Hepburn, 1st Baron Hailes
Encyclopedia
Patrick George Thomas Buchan-Hepburn, 1st Baron Hailes, GBE
, CH
(2 April 1901 – 5 November 1974), was a British
Conservative
politician and the only Governor-General
of the short-lived West Indies Federation
, from 3 January 1958, to 31 May 1962, when the country was disbanded.
), and his wife Edith Agnes (née Karslake), and was educated at Harrow
and Trinity College, Cambridge
.
and a London County Council
lor before being elected at a by-election in February 1931 as the Member of Parliament
(MP) for the East Toxteth division of Liverpool
. (He had stood unsuccessfully in Wolverhampton East
at the 1929 general election
.) In 1939 he was appointed a Parliamentary Whip
for the Conservative Party
and a Lord of the Treasury
. During World War II
he served in the military, but returned to politics in 1945, serving as Deputy Whip to 1948 and then as Chief Whip
. His East Toxteth constituency was abolished in boundary changes for the 1950 general election
, when he was elected for the newly-created Beckenham
constituency in Kent. He was Government Chief Whip and Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury
from 1951 to 1955. In 1957 he raised to the peerage as Baron Hailes, of Prestonkirk in the County of East Lothian.
With the formation of the West Indies Federation in response to complaints against British colonialism
in the Caribbean
, Lord Hailes was appointed the country's first Governor-General and relocated to Port of Spain
on the island of Trinidad
. Four years later, the new state was dissolved and he returned to England
, where he served as Chairman of the Historic Buildings Council
(a predecessor body of English Heritage
, formally known as the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England).
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, 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....
(2 April 1901 – 5 November 1974), 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...
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 and the only Governor-General
Governor-General
A Governor-General, is a vice-regal person of a monarch in an independent realm or a major colonial circonscription. Depending on the political arrangement of the territory, a Governor General can be a governor of high rank, or a principal governor ranking above "ordinary" governors.- Current uses...
of the short-lived West Indies Federation
West Indies Federation
The West Indies Federation, also known as the Federation of the West Indies, was a short-lived Caribbean federation that existed from January 3, 1958, to May 31, 1962. It consisted of several Caribbean colonies of the United Kingdom...
, from 3 January 1958, to 31 May 1962, when the country was disbanded.
Background and education
Buchan-Hepburn was the youngest son of Sir Archibald Buchan-Hepburn, 4th Baronet (see Buchan-Hepburn BaronetsBuchan-Hepburn Baronets
The Buchan-Hepburn Baronetcy, of Smeaton-Hepburn in the County of Haddington, is a title in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 6 May 1815 for George Buchan-Hepburn. He was a Judge of the Admiralty Court from 1790 to 1791 and a Baron of the Exchequer for Scotland from 1791 to 1814...
), and his wife Edith Agnes (née Karslake), and was educated at Harrow
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
and Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
.
Career
Buchan-Hepburn was a personal secretary to Winston ChurchillWinston 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...
and a 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...
lor before being elected at a by-election in February 1931 as the 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,...
(MP) for the East Toxteth division of Liverpool
Liverpool East Toxteth (UK Parliament constituency)
Liverpool East Toxteth was a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Members of Parliament :...
. (He had stood unsuccessfully in Wolverhampton East
Wolverhampton East (UK Parliament constituency)
Wolverhampton East was a parliamentary constituency in the town of Wolverhampton in Staffordshire, England. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.-History:...
at the 1929 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1929
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
.) In 1939 he was appointed a Parliamentary Whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
for the 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...
and a Lord of the Treasury
Lord of the Treasury
In the United Kingdom, there are at least six Lords of the Treasury who serve concurrently. Traditionally, this board consists of the First Lord of the Treasury, the Second Lord of the Treasury, and four or more junior lords .Strictly they are commissioners for exercising the office of Lord...
. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he served in the military, but returned to politics in 1945, serving as Deputy Whip to 1948 and then as 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:...
. His East Toxteth constituency was abolished in boundary changes for the 1950 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1950
The 1950 United Kingdom general election was the first general election ever after a full term of a Labour government. Despite polling over one and a half million votes more than the Conservatives, the election, held on 23 February 1950 resulted in Labour receiving a slim majority of just five...
, when he was elected for the newly-created Beckenham
Beckenham (UK Parliament constituency)
Beckenham is a parliamentary 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.-Constituency profile:...
constituency in Kent. He was Government Chief Whip and Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury
Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury
The Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury is a junior ministerial position in the British Government. The holder is usually the Government Chief Whip in the House of Commons. However, the office is no longer attached to the Treasury...
from 1951 to 1955. In 1957 he raised to the peerage as Baron Hailes, of Prestonkirk in the County of East Lothian.
With the formation of the West Indies Federation in response to complaints against British colonialism
Colonialism
Colonialism is the establishment, maintenance, acquisition and expansion of colonies in one territory by people from another territory. It is a process whereby the metropole claims sovereignty over the colony and the social structure, government, and economics of the colony are changed by...
in the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
, Lord Hailes was appointed the country's first Governor-General and relocated to Port of Spain
Port of Spain
Port of Spain, also written as Port-of-Spain, is the capital of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and the country's third-largest municipality, after San Fernando and Chaguanas. The city has a municipal population of 49,031 , a metropolitan population of 128,026 and a transient daily population...
on the island of Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
. Four years later, the new state was dissolved and he returned to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, where he served as Chairman of the Historic Buildings Council
Historic Buildings Council
Three separate Historic Buildings Councils were created by the Historic Buildings and Ancient Monuments Act 1953, one for each of England, Scotland and Wales...
(a predecessor body of English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
, formally known as the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England).