Sir James Henderson-Stewart, 1st Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir James Henderson-Stewart, 1st Baronet, (originally James Henderson Stewart, 6 December 1897 – 3 September 1961) was a British
bank
er, Army
officer and politician. He was a National Liberal
Member of Parliament
(MP) for East Fife from 1933 until his death, and was the sessional chairman of the Parliamentary Party in 1945. He played an important role in negotiating the unity of the National Liberals with the Conservatives
, but was unable to persuade the Liberal Party
to join as well.
, Perthshire
, the son of Matthew Stewart. He attended Morrison's Academy
in the town, interrupting his education to join the Royal Artillery
and serve in the First World War
. Promoted to Acting Captain in February 1918, he was wounded in action. He left the Army in 1919, placed as a Captain on the Reserve of Officers, and went to the University of Edinburgh
where he obtained a Bachelor of Commerce
degree in 1922 and a Master of Arts
degree in Economics in 1923. He was in the Territorial Army from 1921 to 1925.
Stewart was Liberal Party
candidate for Leicester East
, but finished in third place with only 27% of the vote. In the 1924 general election
he fought Derby
as the sole Liberal candidate, opposing J. H. Thomas
who was a senior Labour Minister. His task was reckoned "a difficult one" and he again finished bottom of the poll.
During the 1920s Henderson-Stewart worked at the British Overseas Bank in London. His political activity occurred through the Land and Nation League, a Liberal body which had been set up to promote the land policy which was being promoted by David Lloyd George
. By 1929 he was Secretary of the League, and he was selected as the Liberal candidate for Dundee
. Like Derby this was a two-member constituency but unlike Derby the Conservatives nominated only one candidate, and it was recognised that Liberal and Conservative voters (each of whom had two votes) would use their second vote for the other party's candidate. Henderson-Stewart finished as runner-up, some 13,712 votes from winning a seat but having put in a creditable performance.
candidate for East Fife, where the death of the sitting Member of Parliament Sir James Duncan Millar
had precipitated a by-election. He obtained the support of the Unionists, although he faced opposition not only from the Labour Party
and the Scottish National Party
but also the Agricultural Party
(whose candidate proclaimed himself a Conservative) and an unofficial Liberal who supported free trade. Lord Snowden
, the former Labour Chancellor, sent a message of support to the unofficial Liberal, which Henderson-Stewart described as "little more than an ill-natured outburst",
which he considered a false economy. He often spoke on economic questions. On foreign affairs, he spoke in 1934 in favour of the United Kingdom staying out of any conflict between France and Germany; that July he stated that the innermost chamber of world peace lay in Anglo-American friendship.
markets, and on his return wrote a pamphlet entitled "Stop the Export of Butchery Horses" which called for a legal ban on the export trade. In July 1938, Henderson-Stewart was vice-chairman of the Empire Development Conference which was held at the Empire Exhibition
in Glasgow
.
In December 1938, Henderson-Stewart called for a determined and comprehensive approach to rearmament, and regretted that the Government had proclaimed its approach as limited. In March 1939 he was a co-signatory of a Parliamentary motion put forward by Anthony Eden
and Winston Churchill
which called for a National government "on the widest possible basis" to enable Britain to put forward its maximum military effort; the motion was not welcomed by the Chamberlain government.
in the armed services worked smoothly; in November 1939, he criticised the operation of the scheme in calling up agricultural workers when the government was calling for farmers to plough more land. In the Norway Debate
of May 1940, Henderson Stewart voted against Chamberlain. After Churchill took over as Prime Minister, Henderson-Stewart enlisted again in the Royal Artillery in which he served from September 1940 to June 1941.
Henderson-Stewart was made the Scottish Whip
for the Liberal Nationals in December 1942. In the spring of 1944 he went with a Parliamentary delegation to the West Indies to look at conditions there; on his return he said he had found "a blazing loyalty" to the Empire. In October 1944 he voted against the Government on the issue of compensation for landowners for adverse planning decisions.
, Henderson-Stewart sought a reunification, without success. When Parliament reassembled after the election, Henderson-Stewart was chosen as the Chairman of the Liberal National Parliamentary Party for the session. This made him unofficial party leader; however he served only for one year. In September 1947 he wrote to The Times
suggesting that the Liberal Party should consider merging with the Conservatives, arguing that Liberalism "stands four square in opposition to Socialism" and should work together with Churchill. Shortly after, Henderson-Stewart's group formally joined with the Conservatives.
At the 1950 general election
, the Liberal Party nominated David Alexander Freeman a 22 year old student at St Andrews University as a candidate against Henderson-Stewart, the first time they put a candidate up against him, and the controversy between them was described as "bitter". Henderson-Stewart increased his majority while the Liberal lost his deposit
. In the new Parliament he kept up his campaign for the local fishing industry, calling for immediate action to prevent a crisis. He wanted controls on fish imports.
at the Scottish Office
in February 1952. Among his responsibilities were the fishing industry. In August of that year he was invited to speak to the European Youth Conference in Midlothian
, at which he declared that "the mother country of a great Commonwealth and Empire" could not surrender vital elements of sovereignty. In December 1952, Henderson-Stewart was accused of lying by the Labour MP John Rankin
, angry that the Government Chief Whip had closed the debate after Henderson-Stewart had spoken.
As the Minister responsible for the Scottish Education Department, Henderson-Stewart tried to encourage Scottish parents to keep their children in school long enough to sit the Leaving Certificate. He also dealt with the early stages of the dispute between the United Kingdom and Iceland
over fishing rights, when an agreement was made by which the Icelandic government agreed not to try to extend its four mile limit. He was also involved in a proposal for a River Forth
tunnel
, which he described as a brilliant idea but unsuited to the physical conditions.
became Prime Minister, although he was made a Baronet
simultaneously. He took the title of Baronet Henderson-Stewart of Callumshill in the County of Perth; the Court of the Lord Lyon
granted a warrant allowing him to change his surname to Henderson-Stewart.
of the Transport and General Workers' Union
as "just another demagogue playing for power" when Cousins declared his opposition to wage restraint. He became chairman of the Appeal Committee for St Leonards and St Katherine's Schools in St Andrews
. He was also elected Chairman of the Scottish Unionist Members Committee in November 1960. Henderson-Stewart died suddenly in Dundee
in September 1961.
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...
bank
Bank
A bank is a financial institution that serves as a financial intermediary. The term "bank" may refer to one of several related types of entities:...
er, Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
officer and politician. He was a National Liberal
National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)
The National Liberal Party, known until 1948 as the Liberal National Party, was a liberal political party in the United Kingdom from 1931 to 1968...
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 East Fife from 1933 until his death, and was the sessional chairman of the Parliamentary Party in 1945. He played an important role in negotiating the unity of the National Liberals with the Conservatives
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...
, but was unable to persuade the Liberal Party
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
to join as well.
Early life
Henderson-Stewart was born at CrieffCrieff
Crieff is a market town in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. It lies on the A85 road between Perth and Crianlarich and also lies on the A822 between Greenloaning and Aberfeldy. The A822 joins onto the A823 which leads to Dunfermline....
, Perthshire
Perthshire
Perthshire, officially the County of Perth , is a registration county in central Scotland. It extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the north, Rannoch Moor and Ben Lui in the west, and Aberfoyle in the south...
, the son of Matthew Stewart. He attended Morrison's Academy
Morrison's Academy
Morrison's Academy is an independent co-educational school in Crieff, Scotland, which provides nursery, primary and secondary school facilities. All who attend are day pupils and it draws many pupils from surrounding Perth and Kinross and Stirling....
in the town, interrupting his education to join the Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
and serve in the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Promoted to Acting Captain in February 1918, he was wounded in action. He left the Army in 1919, placed as a Captain on the Reserve of Officers, and went to the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
where he obtained a Bachelor of Commerce
Bachelor of Commerce
A Bachelor of Commerce is an undergraduate degree in commerce and related subjects. The degree is also known as the Bachelor of Commerce and Administration, or BCA...
degree in 1922 and a Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree in Economics in 1923. He was in the Territorial Army from 1921 to 1925.
Liberal Party candidacies
At the 1923 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 1923
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
Stewart was Liberal Party
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
candidate for Leicester East
Leicester East (UK Parliament constituency)
- Elections in the 2000s :In 2005 this seat bucked the national trend as there was a swing to Labour whereas the national swing was 2.5% to the Conservatives.- Elections in the 1990s :- Elections in the 1970s :...
, but finished in third place with only 27% of the vote. In the 1924 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1924
- Seats summary :- References :* F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* - External links :* * *...
he fought Derby
Derby (UK Parliament constituency)
Derby is a former United Kingdom Parliamentary constituency. It was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1950. It was represented by two Members of...
as the sole Liberal candidate, opposing J. H. Thomas
James Henry Thomas
James Henry "Jimmy" Thomas was a British trade unionist and Labour politician. He was involved in a political scandal involving budget leaks.-Early career and Trade Union activities:...
who was a senior Labour Minister. His task was reckoned "a difficult one" and he again finished bottom of the poll.
During the 1920s Henderson-Stewart worked at the British Overseas Bank in London. His political activity occurred through the Land and Nation League, a Liberal body which had been set up to promote the land policy which was being promoted 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...
. By 1929 he was Secretary of the League, and he was selected as the Liberal candidate for Dundee
Dundee (UK Parliament constituency)
Dundee was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1832 to 1950, when it was split into Dundee East and Dundee West....
. Like Derby this was a two-member constituency but unlike Derby the Conservatives nominated only one candidate, and it was recognised that Liberal and Conservative voters (each of whom had two votes) would use their second vote for the other party's candidate. Henderson-Stewart finished as runner-up, some 13,712 votes from winning a seat but having put in a creditable performance.
East Fife election
In January 1933, Henderson-Stewart was adopted as Liberal NationalNational Liberal Party (UK, 1931)
The National Liberal Party, known until 1948 as the Liberal National Party, was a liberal political party in the United Kingdom from 1931 to 1968...
candidate for East Fife, where the death of the sitting Member of Parliament Sir James Duncan Millar
James Duncan Millar
James Duncan Millar was a Scottish barrister and Liberal, later National Liberal politician.-Family and education:...
had precipitated a by-election. He obtained the support of the Unionists, although he faced opposition not only from 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...
and the Scottish National Party
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
but also the Agricultural Party
Agricultural Party
The Agricultural Party was a minor political party in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1931 the Norfolk Farmers' Party but changed its name one week after its formation...
(whose candidate proclaimed himself a Conservative) and an unofficial Liberal who supported free trade. Lord Snowden
Philip Snowden, 1st Viscount Snowden
Philip Snowden, 1st Viscount Snowden PC was a British politician and the first Labour Chancellor of the Exchequer, a position he held in 1924 and again between 1929 and 1931.-Early life: 1864–1906:...
, the former Labour Chancellor, sent a message of support to the unofficial Liberal, which Henderson-Stewart described as "little more than an ill-natured outburst",
Member of Parliament
Henderson-Stewart won with a comfortable majority of 9,135, and in his victory speech attacked the "wrecking tactics" of the Agricultural and unofficial Liberal candidates. He gained a reputation for diligent constituency work, among the farmers and fishermen of Fife, and soon after his election opposed a reduction in the grant to the Forestry CommissionForestry Commission
The Forestry Commission is a non-ministerial government department responsible for forestry in Great Britain. Its mission is to protect and expand Britain's forests and woodlands and increase their value to society and the environment....
which he considered a false economy. He often spoke on economic questions. On foreign affairs, he spoke in 1934 in favour of the United Kingdom staying out of any conflict between France and Germany; that July he stated that the innermost chamber of world peace lay in Anglo-American friendship.
Foreign affairs
In the summer of 1935, Henderson-Stewart went on a tour of European horseHorse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
markets, and on his return wrote a pamphlet entitled "Stop the Export of Butchery Horses" which called for a legal ban on the export trade. In July 1938, Henderson-Stewart was vice-chairman of the Empire Development Conference which was held at the Empire Exhibition
Empire Exhibition, Scotland 1938
Empire Exhibition, Scotland 1938 was an international exposition held at Bellahouston Park in Glasgow, from May to December 1938....
in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
.
In December 1938, Henderson-Stewart called for a determined and comprehensive approach to rearmament, and regretted that the Government had proclaimed its approach as limited. In March 1939 he was a co-signatory of a Parliamentary motion put forward by Anthony Eden
Anthony Eden
Robert Anthony Eden, 1st Earl of Avon, KG, MC, PC was a British Conservative politician, who was Prime Minister from 1955 to 1957...
and 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...
which called for a National government "on the widest possible basis" to enable Britain to put forward its maximum military effort; the motion was not welcomed by the Chamberlain government.
Second World War
Before the outbreak of war, Henderson-Stewart sought to ensure that the system of National ServiceNational service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
in the armed services worked smoothly; in November 1939, he criticised the operation of the scheme in calling up agricultural workers when the government was calling for farmers to plough more land. In the Norway Debate
Norway Debate
The Norway Debate, sometimes called the Narvik Debate, was a famous debate in the British House of Commons that took place in May 1940. It led to the formation of a widely-based National Government led by Winston Churchill which was to govern Britain until the end of World War II in Europe...
of May 1940, Henderson Stewart voted against Chamberlain. After Churchill took over as Prime Minister, Henderson-Stewart enlisted again in the Royal Artillery in which he served from September 1940 to June 1941.
Henderson-Stewart was made the Scottish 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 Liberal Nationals in December 1942. In the spring of 1944 he went with a Parliamentary delegation to the West Indies to look at conditions there; on his return he said he had found "a blazing loyalty" to the Empire. In October 1944 he voted against the Government on the issue of compensation for landowners for adverse planning decisions.
Liberal unity
With the Liberal candidates again divided between the Liberal Nationals and Opposition Liberals in the 1945 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 1945
The United Kingdom general election of 1945 was a general election held on 5 July 1945, with polls in some constituencies delayed until 12 July and in Nelson and Colne until 19 July, due to local wakes weeks. The results were counted and declared on 26 July, due in part to the time it took to...
, Henderson-Stewart sought a reunification, without success. When Parliament reassembled after the election, Henderson-Stewart was chosen as the Chairman of the Liberal National Parliamentary Party for the session. This made him unofficial party leader; however he served only for one year. In September 1947 he wrote to The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
suggesting that the Liberal Party should consider merging with the Conservatives, arguing that Liberalism "stands four square in opposition to Socialism" and should work together with Churchill. Shortly after, Henderson-Stewart's group formally joined with the Conservatives.
At 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...
, the Liberal Party nominated David Alexander Freeman a 22 year old student at St Andrews University as a candidate against Henderson-Stewart, the first time they put a candidate up against him, and the controversy between them was described as "bitter". Henderson-Stewart increased his majority while the Liberal lost his deposit
Deposit (politics)
A deposit is a sum of money that a candidate must pay in return for the right to stand for election to certain political offices, particularly seats in legislatures.-United Kingdom:...
. In the new Parliament he kept up his campaign for the local fishing industry, calling for immediate action to prevent a crisis. He wanted controls on fish imports.
Ministerial office
The Conservatives' return to power in 1951 led to Henderson-Stewart's appointment as Joint Parliamentary Under-Secretary of StateUnder-Secretary of State for Scotland
The Under-Secretary of State for Scotland is a junior ministerial post in the United Kingdom government, supporting the Secretary of State for Scotland...
at the Scottish Office
Scottish Office
The Scottish Office was a department of the United Kingdom Government from 1885 until 1999, exercising a wide range of government functions in relation to Scotland under the control of the Secretary of State for Scotland...
in February 1952. Among his responsibilities were the fishing industry. In August of that year he was invited to speak to the European Youth Conference in Midlothian
Midlothian
Midlothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy area. It borders the Scottish Borders, East Lothian and the City of Edinburgh council areas....
, at which he declared that "the mother country of a great Commonwealth and Empire" could not surrender vital elements of sovereignty. In December 1952, Henderson-Stewart was accused of lying by the Labour MP John Rankin
John Rankin (politician)
John Rankin was a Scottish Labour Co-operative politician.Rankin was educated at Allan Glen's School, Glasgow and the University of Glasgow. He became a school teacher, propagandist and lecturer....
, angry that the Government Chief Whip had closed the debate after Henderson-Stewart had spoken.
As the Minister responsible for the Scottish Education Department, Henderson-Stewart tried to encourage Scottish parents to keep their children in school long enough to sit the Leaving Certificate. He also dealt with the early stages of the dispute between the United Kingdom and Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
over fishing rights, when an agreement was made by which the Icelandic government agreed not to try to extend its four mile limit. He was also involved in a proposal for a River Forth
River Forth
The River Forth , long, is the major river draining the eastern part of the central belt of Scotland.The Forth rises in Loch Ard in the Trossachs, a mountainous area some west of Stirling...
tunnel
Tunnel
A tunnel is an underground passageway, completely enclosed except for openings for egress, commonly at each end.A tunnel may be for foot or vehicular road traffic, for rail traffic, or for a canal. Some tunnels are aqueducts to supply water for consumption or for hydroelectric stations or are sewers...
, which he described as a brilliant idea but unsuited to the physical conditions.
Baronetcy
Henderson-Stewart left the Government when Harold MacmillanHarold Macmillan
Maurice Harold Macmillan, 1st Earl of Stockton, OM, PC was Conservative Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 10 January 1957 to 18 October 1963....
became Prime Minister, although he was made a Baronet
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
simultaneously. He took the title of Baronet Henderson-Stewart of Callumshill in the County of Perth; the Court of the Lord Lyon
Court of the Lord Lyon
The Court of the Lord Lyon, also known as the Lyon Court, is a standing court of law which regulates heraldry in Scotland. Like the College of Arms in England it maintains the register of grants of arms, known as the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland, as well as records of...
granted a warrant allowing him to change his surname to Henderson-Stewart.
University appeal
In September 1957 Henderson-Stewart denounced Frank CousinsFrank Cousins
Frank Cousins PC was a British trade union leader and Labour politician.He was born in Bulwell, Nottinghamshire, and became a full-time official in the road transport section of the Transport and General Workers' Union in July 1938...
of the Transport and General Workers' Union
Transport and General Workers' Union
The Transport and General Workers' Union, also known as the TGWU and the T&G, was one of the largest general trade unions in the United Kingdom and Ireland - where it was known as the Amalgamated Transport and General Workers' Union - with 900,000 members...
as "just another demagogue playing for power" when Cousins declared his opposition to wage restraint. He became chairman of the Appeal Committee for St Leonards and St Katherine's Schools in St Andrews
St Andrews
St Andrews is a university town and former royal burgh on the east coast of Fife in Scotland. The town is named after Saint Andrew the Apostle.St Andrews has a population of 16,680, making this the fifth largest settlement in Fife....
. He was also elected Chairman of the Scottish Unionist Members Committee in November 1960. Henderson-Stewart died suddenly in Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
in September 1961.
Sources
- "Sir J. Henderson-Stewart" (Obituary), The Times, 4 September 1961.
- "Who Was Who", A & C Black
- M. Stenton and S. Lees, "Who's Who of British MPs" Vol. IV (Harvester Press, 1981)