William Ormsby-Gore, 4th Baron Harlech
Encyclopedia
William George Arthur Ormsby-Gore, 4th Baron Harlech KG, GCMG
, PC (11 April 1885 – 14 February 1964), known as William Ormsby-Gore until 1938, was a British
Conservative
politician and banker.
, and Lady Margaret, daughter of Charles Gordon, 10th Marquess of Huntly
.
(MP) for Denbigh Boroughs
from 1910 to 1918 and for Stafford
from 1918 until 1938 and served as Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies
from 1922 to 1929 (with a brief interruption during the short-lived Labour government of 1924). He was British representative to the Permanent Mandates Commission
of the League of Nations from 1921 to 1922. In 1927 he was admitted to the Privy Council
. Harlech also held office in the National Government
as Postmaster-General
in 1931, as First Commissioner of Works
from 1931 to 1936 and as Colonial Secretary
between 1936 and 1938.
In 1938 he succeeded his father as fourth Baron Harlech and entered the House of Lords
. During the Second World War he was High Commissioner to South Africa from 1941 to 1944. After retiring from politics he served on the board of Midland Bank
, owner of a banking house founded by his family. He also held the honorary post of Lord Lieutenant of Merionethshire
between 1938 and 1957. In 1948 he was made a Knight of the Garter
.
, in 1913. His eldest son Owen Gerard Cecil Ormsby-Gore predeceased him. Harlech died in February 1964, aged 78, and was succeeded in the barony by his second son David
, who followed him into politics and served as British Ambassador to the United States in the 1960s. Lady Harlech died in 1980.
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....
, PC (11 April 1885 – 14 February 1964), known as William Ormsby-Gore until 1938, 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 banker.
Background
Harlech was the son of George Ormsby-Gore, 3rd Baron HarlechGeorge Ormsby-Gore, 3rd Baron Harlech
George Ralph Charles Ormsby-Gore, 3rd Baron Harlech, KCB , was a British soldier and Conservative Member of Parliament....
, and Lady Margaret, daughter of Charles Gordon, 10th Marquess of Huntly
Charles Gordon, 10th Marquess of Huntly
Charles Gordon, 10th Marquess of Huntly , styled Lord Strathavon from 1794 to 1836 and Earl of Aboyne from 1836 to 1853, was a Scottish peer and Tory then Whig politician.-Family:...
.
Political career
Harlech sat as Member of ParliamentMember 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 Denbigh Boroughs
Denbigh Boroughs (UK Parliament constituency)
Denbigh District of Boroughs was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Denbigh in Wales. It returned one Member of Parliament to the British House of Commons.The constituency first returned an MP in 1542, to the English Parliament...
from 1910 to 1918 and for Stafford
Stafford (UK Parliament constituency)
Stafford is a county 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. The sitting MP is the Conservative Jeremy Lefroy....
from 1918 until 1938 and served as Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies
Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies
The Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies was a junior Ministerial post in the United Kingdom government, subordinate to the Secretary of State for the Colonies and, from 1948, also to a Minister of State....
from 1922 to 1929 (with a brief interruption during the short-lived Labour government of 1924). He was British representative to the Permanent Mandates Commission
Permanent Mandates Commission
The Permanent Mandates Commission was the commission of the League of Nations responsible for oversight of mandates. The commission was established in 1919 under Article 22 of the League of Nations Covenant and was headquartered at Geneva....
of the League of Nations from 1921 to 1922. In 1927 he was 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...
. Harlech also held office in the National Government
UK National Government
In the United Kingdom the term National Government is an abstract concept referring to a coalition of some or all major political parties. In a historical sense it usually refers primarily to the governments of Ramsay MacDonald, Stanley Baldwin and Neville Chamberlain which held office from 1931...
as Postmaster-General
United Kingdom Postmaster General
The Postmaster General of the United Kingdom is a defunct Cabinet-level ministerial position in HM Government. Aside from maintaining the postal system, the Telegraph Act of 1868 established the Postmaster General's right to exclusively maintain electric telegraphs...
in 1931, as First Commissioner of Works
First Commissioner of Works
The First Commissioner of Works and Public Buildings was a position within the government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. It took over some of the functions of the First Commissioner of Woods and Forests in 1851 when the portfolio of Crown holdings was divided into the public...
from 1931 to 1936 and as Colonial Secretary
Secretary of State for the Colonies
The Secretary of State for the Colonies or Colonial Secretary was the British Cabinet minister in charge of managing the United Kingdom's various colonial dependencies....
between 1936 and 1938.
In 1938 he succeeded his father as fourth Baron Harlech and entered the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
. During the Second World War he was High Commissioner to South Africa from 1941 to 1944. After retiring from politics he served on the board of Midland Bank
Midland Bank
Midland Bank Plc was one of the Big Four banking groups in the United Kingdom for most of the 20th century. It is now part of HSBC. The bank was founded as the Birmingham and Midland Bank in Union Street, Birmingham, England in August 1836...
, owner of a banking house founded by his family. He also held the honorary post of Lord Lieutenant of Merionethshire
Lord Lieutenant of Merionethshire
This is a list of people who served as Lord Lieutenant of Merionethshire. After 1762, all Lord Lieutenants were also Custos Rotulorum of Merionethshire...
between 1938 and 1957. In 1948 he was made a Knight of the Garter
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
.
Family
Lord Harlech married Lady Beatrice Edith Mildred, daughter of James Gascoyne-Cecil, 4th Marquess of SalisburyJames Gascoyne-Cecil, 4th Marquess of Salisbury
James Edward Hubert Gascoyne-Cecil, 4th Marquess of Salisbury, KG, GCVO, CB, PC , known as Viscount Cranborne from 1868 to 1903, was a British statesman.-Background and education:...
, in 1913. His eldest son Owen Gerard Cecil Ormsby-Gore predeceased him. Harlech died in February 1964, aged 78, and was succeeded in the barony by his second son David
David Ormsby-Gore, 5th Baron Harlech
William David Ormsby-Gore, 5th Baron Harlech KCMG PC , known as David Ormsby-Gore until 1964, was a British diplomat and Conservative Party politician.-Early life:...
, who followed him into politics and served as British Ambassador to the United States in the 1960s. Lady Harlech died in 1980.