Gerald Isaacs, 2nd Marquess of Reading
Encyclopedia
Gerald Rufus Isaacs, 2nd Marquess of Reading GCMG
, CBE
, MC
, TD
, PC
, QC
(10 December 1889-19 September 1960), styled Viscount Erleigh from 1917 to 1935, was a British
barrister and Conservative
politician.
, and Alice Edith Cohen
. He was educated at Rugby School
and Balliol College, Oxford
. He served in the First World War, winning the MC and reaching the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
came to power in 1951 under Winston Churchill
, he was appointed Joint Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, a post he held until 1953, when he was promoted to Minister of State for Foreign Affairs
and admitted to the Privy Council
. He retained this position also when Sir Anthony Eden became Prime Minister in 1955. However, Reading was not included in the administration formed by Harold Macmillan
in January 1957 and never returned to ministerial office. Apart from his political career he was also a Bencher
and Treasurer of the Middle Temple
and an Honorary Colonel in the Inns of Court Regiment
from 1947 to 1959.
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
, CBE
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...
, 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....
, TD
Territorial Decoration
The Territorial Decoration was a medal of the United Kingdom awarded for long service in the Territorial Force and its successor, the Territorial Army...
, 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...
, QC
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
(10 December 1889-19 September 1960), styled Viscount Erleigh from 1917 to 1935, 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...
barrister and 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.
Background and education
Reading was the son of Rufus Isaacs, 1st Marquess of ReadingRufus Isaacs, 1st Marquess of Reading
Rufus Isaacs, 1st Marquess of Reading, GCB, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO, PC, KC , was an English lawyer, jurist and politician...
, and Alice Edith Cohen
Alice Isaacs, Marchioness of Reading
Alice Edith Isaacs, Marchioness of Reading GBE CI , née Alice Edith Cohen, was the first wife of Rufus Isaacs, 1st Marquess of Reading and a prominent philanthropist in colonial India....
. He was educated at Rugby School
Rugby School
Rugby School is a co-educational day and boarding school located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. It is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain.-History:...
and Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England but founded by a family with strong Scottish connections....
. He served in the First World War, winning the MC and reaching the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
Political career
Reading succeeded his father as second Marquess of Reading in 1935. When the ConservativesConservative 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...
came to power in 1951 under 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...
, he was appointed Joint Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, a post he held until 1953, when he was promoted to Minister of State for Foreign Affairs
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs is a junior ministerial position in the British government.-Ministers of State for Foreign Affairs 1945-1968:*1945: William Mabane*1945-1946: Philip Noel-Baker*1946-1950: Hector McNeil*1950-1951: Kenneth Younger...
and admitted to the Privy Council
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...
. He retained this position also when Sir Anthony Eden became Prime Minister in 1955. However, Reading was not included in the administration formed by Harold Macmillan
Harold 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....
in January 1957 and never returned to ministerial office. Apart from his political career he was also a Bencher
Bencher
A bencher or Master of the Bench is a senior member of an Inn of Court in England and Wales. Benchers hold office for life once elected. A bencher can be elected while still a barrister , in recognition of the contribution that the barrister has made to the life of the Inn or to the law...
and Treasurer of the Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
and an Honorary Colonel in the Inns of Court Regiment
Inns of Court Regiment
The Inns of Court Regiment was a British Army regiment which existed under that name between May 1932 and May 1961. However, the unit traces its lineage back much further, to at least 1584, and its name lives on within The Inns of Court & City and Essex Yeomanry .-History:The first organised...
from 1947 to 1959.