Frederick Marquis, 1st Earl of Woolton
Encyclopedia
Frederick James Marquis, 1st Earl of Woolton CH
, PC (23 August 1883 – 14 December 1964) was an English businessman and politician.
and the University of Manchester
(where he was a Research Fellow), Woolton was an active member of the Unitarian Church
.
In the 1930s he built up the department store
Lewis's
(founded in Liverpool, 1856; not to be confused with the John Lewis
department stores), of which he became Managing Director. He was knighted
in 1935 and was awarded a peerage in 1939 for his contribution to British industry. Despite his wishes, he was informed that it was not possible to be Baron Marquis (because "Marquess
", or "Marquis", is another grade of the nobility of the United Kingdom) and so he took the title Baron Woolton. He subsequently served on a number of government committees (including the Cadman committee). He refused to affiliate himself with any political party. Geoffrey Dawson
described him as "a cheerful cove".
In April 1940 he was appointed as Minister of Food
by Neville Chamberlain
, one of a number of ministerial appointments from outside politics. Woolton retained this position when Winston Churchill
became Prime Minister the following month and was faced with the task of overseeing rationing due to wartime shortages. He took the view that it was insufficient to impose restrictions but that a programme of advertising to support it was undertaken. There were many new recipes made out of the restricted supplies, including the "Woolton pie
" named after the minister which consisted of carrots, parsnips, potatoes and turnips in oatmeal, with a pastry or potato crust and served with brown gravy. It was Woolton's business skills that managed to make the Ministry of Food's difficult job a success and he engendered a strong personal popularity despite the shortages.
He joined the Privy Council in 1940 and became a Companion of Honour
in 1942. In 1943 Woolton entered the War Cabinet
as Minister of Reconstruction
, taking charge of the difficult task of planning for post-war Britain and in this role he appeared on the cover of Time
on the issue of 26 March 1945.
In May 1945 he was included in Churchill's "Caretaker" government as Lord President of the Council
, but in July the government fell when Churchill lost the 1945 general election
. The very next day Woolton joined the Conservative Party
and was soon appointed Party Chairman, with the job of improving the party's organisation in the country and revitalising it for future elections. Under Woolton many sweeping reforms were carried out and when the Conservatives returned to government in 1951, Woolton served in the Cabinet for the next four years. In the 1953 Coronation honours he became Viscount Woolton and he became Earl of Woolton in the 1955 new year's honours list.
He died in 1964 at his home, Walberton House, in Arundel
. His titles passed to his son, Roger
. He is buried at St Mary's Church, Walberton
.
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 (23 August 1883 – 14 December 1964) was an English businessman and politician.
Biography
Lord Woolton was born in Salford, Greater Manchester, in 1883 to Thomas Robert Marquis (d. 1944) and his wife, Margaret Ormerod). Educated at Manchester Grammar SchoolManchester Grammar School
The Manchester Grammar School is the largest independent day school for boys in the UK . It is based in Manchester, England...
and the University of Manchester
Victoria University of Manchester
The Victoria University of Manchester was a university in Manchester, England. On 1 October 2004 it merged with the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology to form a new entity, "The University of Manchester".-1851 - 1951:The University was founded in 1851 as Owens College,...
(where he was a Research Fellow), Woolton was an active member of the Unitarian Church
General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches
The General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches is the umbrella organisation for Unitarian, Free Christian and other liberal religious congregations in the United Kingdom. It was formed in 1928, with denominational roots going back to the Great Ejection of 1662...
.
In the 1930s he built up the department store
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
Lewis's
Lewis's
Lewis's was a large department store in Liverpool city centre. It was formerly the flagship of a chain of department stores under the Lewis's name, that operated from 1856 to 1991, when the company went into administration. Several stores in the chain were bought by the company Owen Owen and...
(founded in Liverpool, 1856; not to be confused with the John Lewis
John Lewis Partnership
The John Lewis Partnership is an employee-owned UK partnership which operates John Lewis department stores, Waitrose supermarkets and a number of other services...
department stores), of which he became Managing Director. He 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 1935 and was awarded a peerage in 1939 for his contribution to British industry. Despite his wishes, he was informed that it was not possible to be Baron Marquis (because "Marquess
Marquess
A marquess or marquis is a nobleman of hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The term is also used to translate equivalent oriental styles, as in imperial China, Japan, and Vietnam...
", or "Marquis", is another grade of the nobility of the United Kingdom) and so he took the title Baron Woolton. He subsequently served on a number of government committees (including the Cadman committee). He refused to affiliate himself with any political party. Geoffrey Dawson
Geoffrey Dawson
George Geoffrey Dawson was editor of The Times from 1912 to 1919 and again from 1923 until 1941. His original last name was Robinson, but he changed it in 1917.-Early life:...
described him as "a cheerful cove".
In April 1940 he was appointed as Minister of Food
Minister of Food
The Minister of Food Control and the Minister of Food were British government ministerial posts separated from that of the Minister of Agriculture. A major task of the latter office was to oversee rationing in the United Kingdom arising out of World War II...
by Neville Chamberlain
Neville Chamberlain
Arthur Neville Chamberlain FRS was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from May 1937 to May 1940. Chamberlain is best known for his appeasement foreign policy, and in particular for his signing of the Munich Agreement in 1938, conceding the...
, one of a number of ministerial appointments from outside politics. Woolton retained this position when 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...
became Prime Minister the following month and was faced with the task of overseeing rationing due to wartime shortages. He took the view that it was insufficient to impose restrictions but that a programme of advertising to support it was undertaken. There were many new recipes made out of the restricted supplies, including the "Woolton pie
Woolton pie
Woolton pie, at first known as Lord Woolton pie, was an adaptable dish of vegetables, created at the Savoy Hotel in London by its then Maitre Chef de Cuisine, Francis Latry...
" named after the minister which consisted of carrots, parsnips, potatoes and turnips in oatmeal, with a pastry or potato crust and served with brown gravy. It was Woolton's business skills that managed to make the Ministry of Food's difficult job a success and he engendered a strong personal popularity despite the shortages.
He joined the Privy Council in 1940 and became a Companion 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....
in 1942. In 1943 Woolton entered the War Cabinet
War Cabinet
A War Cabinet is a committee formed by a government in a time of war. It is usually a subset of the full executive cabinet of ministers. It is also quite common for a War Cabinet to have senior military officers and opposition politicians as members....
as Minister of Reconstruction
Minister of Reconstruction
The Minister of Reconstruction was a British government post that briefly existed during the latter stages of the Second World War, charged with planning for the post-war period...
, taking charge of the difficult task of planning for post-war Britain and in this role he appeared on the cover of Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
on the issue of 26 March 1945.
In May 1945 he was included in Churchill's "Caretaker" government as Lord President of the Council
Lord President of the Council
The Lord President of the Council is the fourth of the Great Officers of State of the United Kingdom, ranking beneath the Lord High Treasurer and above the Lord Privy Seal. The Lord President usually attends each meeting of the Privy Council, presenting business for the monarch's approval...
, but in July the government fell when Churchill lost the 1945 general election
United 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...
. The very next day Woolton joined 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 was soon appointed Party Chairman, with the job of improving the party's organisation in the country and revitalising it for future elections. Under Woolton many sweeping reforms were carried out and when the Conservatives returned to government in 1951, Woolton served in the Cabinet for the next four years. In the 1953 Coronation honours he became Viscount Woolton and he became Earl of Woolton in the 1955 new year's honours list.
He died in 1964 at his home, Walberton House, in Arundel
Arundel
Arundel is a market town and civil parish in the South Downs of West Sussex in the south of England. It lies south southwest of London, west of Brighton, and east of the county town of Chichester. Other nearby towns include Worthing east southeast, Littlehampton to the south and Bognor Regis to...
. His titles passed to his son, Roger
Roger Marquis, 2nd Earl of Woolton
Roger David Marquis, 2nd Earl of Woolton , was the son of the 1st Earl of Woolton. His first wife was The Hon. Lucia Edith Lawson, the daughter of Edward Lawson, 4th Baron Burnham. They were divorced in 1953, having had no issue together...
. He is buried at St Mary's Church, Walberton
St Mary's Church, Walberton
St Mary's Church is an Anglican church in the village of Walberton in the district of Arun, one of seven local government districts in the English county of West Sussex...
.