Roundell Palmer, 3rd Earl of Selborne
Encyclopedia
Roundell Cecil Palmer, 3rd Earl of Selborne, CH
, PC
(15 April 1887 – 3 September 1971) was a British Conservative
politician, known as Viscount Wolmer from 1895 to 1941.
Born in the City of Westminster
, Lord Wolmer was the eldest son of the 2nd Earl of Selborne
and his wife, the former Lady Beatrix Cecil, a daughter of the 3rd Marquess of Salisbury. He was educated at Winchester College
and graduated from University College, Oxford
in 1909. On 9 June 1910, he married the Hon. Grace Ridley (the third daughter of the 1st Viscount Ridley) and they had six surviving children:
A few months later, at the December 1910 general election Lord Wolmer entered Parliament as Member of Parliament (MP) for the Newton division of Lancashire
. He was Parliamentary Private Secretary
to his uncle, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Lord Robert Cecil
in 1916 and Assistant Director of the War Trade Department from 1916 to 1918. At the 1918 general election
, he did not stand in Newton (which was won by the Labour Party
politician, Robert Young
), but was elected to the newly formed constituency of Aldershot that year. From 1922 to 1924, he was Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade
and Assistant Postmaster-General
from 1924 to 1929.
In 1940, Lord Wolmer left the Commons when he was called up the House of Lords
in his father's barony of Selborne and was Director of Cement at the Ministry of Works from 1940 to 1942. In 1942, he inherited his father's earldom and his last political post was as Minister of Economic Warfare
from 1942 to 1945. This put him in charge of the Special Operations Executive, which ran undercover operations of sabotage in Occupied Europe. He was made a member of the Order of the Companions of Honour
after the war and in 1948 was Master of the Worshipful Company of Mercers
, then chairman of the National Provincial Bank
from 1951 to 1953 and deputy chairman of Boots from 1951 to 1964.
Lord Selborne's wife died in 1959 and on 3 March 1966, he married Valerie Bevan née de Thomkahaza, a daughter of a Hungarian
politician. His eldest son had also died on active service in 1942 and upon his own death in 1971 in Alton, Hampshire
aged 84, was succeeded in his titles by his grandson, John
.
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....
, 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...
(15 April 1887 – 3 September 1971) 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, known as Viscount Wolmer from 1895 to 1941.
Born in the City of Westminster
City of Westminster
The City of Westminster is a London borough occupying much of the central area of London, England, including most of the West End. It is located to the west of and adjoining the ancient City of London, directly to the east of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and its southern boundary...
, Lord Wolmer was the eldest son of the 2nd Earl of Selborne
William Palmer, 2nd Earl of Selborne
William Waldegrave Palmer, 2nd Earl of Selborne KG, GCMG, PC , styled Viscount Wolmer between 1882 and 1895, was a British politician and colonial administrator.-Background and education:...
and his wife, the former Lady Beatrix Cecil, a daughter of the 3rd Marquess of Salisbury. He was educated at Winchester College
Winchester College
Winchester College is an independent school for boys in the British public school tradition, situated in Winchester, Hampshire, the former capital of England. It has existed in its present location for over 600 years and claims the longest unbroken history of any school in England...
and graduated from University College, Oxford
University College, Oxford
.University College , is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2009 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £110m...
in 1909. On 9 June 1910, he married the Hon. Grace Ridley (the third daughter of the 1st Viscount Ridley) and they had six surviving children:
- Anne Beatrice Mary (1911–2002), married the Revd John Brewis.
- William Matthew, briefly Viscount Wolmer (1912–42)
- Laura Mary (1915–99), married Cyril Eastaugh, Bishop of PeterboroughBishop of PeterboroughThe Bishop of Peterborough is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Peterborough in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers the counties of Northamptonshire, Rutland and the Soke of Peterborough in Cambridgeshire...
. - Robert Jocelyn (1919–91), married the 11th Baroness Lucas.
- Mary Sophia (1920–2001), Hon. Anthony Strachey, a son of the 3rd Baron O'HaganMaurice Towneley-O'Hagan, 3rd Baron O'HaganMaurice Herbert Towneley Towneley-O'Hagan, 3rd Baron O'Hagan , was a British Liberal and later Conservative politician....
. - Edward Roundell (1926–74), married Joanna Bacon (a daughter of Sir Edmund Bacon, BtEdmund Castell BaconLieutenant-Colonel Sir Edmund Castell Bacon, 13th and 14th Baronet KG KBE was a British landowner and businessman...
).
A few months later, at the December 1910 general election Lord Wolmer entered Parliament as Member of Parliament (MP) for the Newton division of Lancashire
Newton (UK Parliament constituency)
Newton was a parliamentary borough in the county of Lancashire, in England. It was represented by two Members of Parliament in the House of Commons of the Parliament of England from 1559 to 1706 then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
. He was 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 his uncle, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Lord Robert Cecil
Robert Cecil, 1st Viscount Cecil of Chelwood
Edgar Algernon Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 1st Viscount Cecil of Chelwood CH, PC, QC , known as Lord Robert Cecil from 1868 to 1923, was a lawyer, politician and diplomat in the United Kingdom...
in 1916 and Assistant Director of the War Trade Department from 1916 to 1918. At the 1918 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...
, he did not stand in Newton (which was won by the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
politician, Robert Young
Robert Young (Lancashire politician)
Sir Robert Young was a trades unionist and Labour Party politician in the United Kingdom.Young was born in Glasgow, and attended Mossbank Industrial School in the city before taking up a career in engineering. He subsequently became one of the first students enrolled at Ruskin College, Oxford...
), but was elected to the newly formed constituency of Aldershot that year. From 1922 to 1924, he was Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade
Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade
The Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade in the United Kingdom was a member of Parliament assigned to assist the Board of Trade and its President with administration and liaison with Parliament. It replaced the Vice-President of the Board of Trade....
and Assistant Postmaster-General
Assistant Postmaster-General
The Assistant Postmaster General is a defunct junior ministerial position in the United Kingdom Government.The title of Postmaster General was abolished under the Post Office Act 1969...
from 1924 to 1929.
In 1940, Lord Wolmer left the Commons when he was called up the House of Lords
Writ of acceleration
A writ in acceleration, commonly called a writ of acceleration, was a type of writ of summons to the British House of Lords that enabled the eldest son and heir apparent of a peer with multiple peerage titles to attend the British House of Lords or Irish House of Lords, using one of his father's...
in his father's barony of Selborne and was Director of Cement at the Ministry of Works from 1940 to 1942. In 1942, he inherited his father's earldom and his last political post was as Minister of Economic Warfare
Minister of Economic Warfare
The Minister of Economic Warfare was a British government position which existed during the Second World War. The minister was in charge of the Special Operations Executive.-Ministers of Economic Warfare 1939-1945:...
from 1942 to 1945. This put him in charge of the Special Operations Executive, which ran undercover operations of sabotage in Occupied Europe. He was made a member of the Order of the Companions of Honour
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....
after the war and in 1948 was Master of the Worshipful Company of Mercers
Worshipful Company of Mercers
The Worshipful Company of Mercers is the premier Livery Company of the City of London and ranks first in order of precedence. It is the first of the so-called "Great Twelve City Livery Companies". It was incorporated under a Royal Charter in 1394...
, then chairman of the National Provincial Bank
National Provincial Bank
National Provincial Bank was a British retail bank which operated in England and Wales from 1833 until its merger into the National Westminster Bank in 1970; it remains a registered company but is dormant...
from 1951 to 1953 and deputy chairman of Boots from 1951 to 1964.
Lord Selborne's wife died in 1959 and on 3 March 1966, he married Valerie Bevan née de Thomkahaza, a daughter of a Hungarian
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
politician. His eldest son had also died on active service in 1942 and upon his own death in 1971 in Alton, Hampshire
Alton, Hampshire
Alton is a historic market town and civil parish in the East Hampshire district of the English county of Hampshire. It had a population of 16,584 at the 1991 census and is administered by East Hampshire district council. It is located on the source of the River Wey and is the highest town in...
aged 84, was succeeded in his titles by his grandson, John
John Palmer, 4th Earl of Selborne
John Roundell Palmer, 4th Earl of Selborne, GBE, FRS, FIBiol is a British peer and businessman. He is one of the hereditary peers elected to remain in the House of Lords after the passing of the House of Lords Act 1999....
.