Basil Brooke, 1st Viscount Brookeborough facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Right Honourable The Viscount Brookeborough KG CBE MC TD PC (Ire)
Brooke in 1941
3rd Prime Minister of Northern Ireland
In office 1 May 1943 – 26 March 1963
Monarch	George VI Elizabeth II
Governor	The Duke of Abercorn The Earl Granville The Lord Wakehurst
Preceded by	J. M. Andrews
Succeeded by	Terence O'Neill
6th Lord Lieutenant of Fermanagh
In office 26 April 1963 – February 1969
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Preceded by	Earl of Enniskillen
Succeeded by	Vacant (1969–71) Thomas Scott (1971–76)
6th Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party
In office 1 May 1946 – 25 March 1963
Preceded by	J. M. Andrews
Succeeded by	Terence O'Neill
Minister of Commerce
In office 16 January 1941 – 16 February 1945
Prime Minister	J. M. Andrews Himself
Preceded by	John Milne Barbour
Succeeded by	Roland Nugent
Minister of Agriculture
In office 1 December 1933 – 16 January 1941
Prime Minister	The Viscount Craigavon J. M. Andrews
Preceded by	Sir Edward Archdale
Succeeded by	The Lord Glentoran
Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal
In office 5 July 1952 – 18 August 1973 Hereditary Peerage
Preceded by	Peerage created
Succeeded by	The 2nd Viscount Brookeborough
Member of the Northern Ireland Parliament for Lisnaskea
In office 22 May 1929 – 22 March 1968
Preceded by	New constituency
Succeeded by	John Brooke
Personal details
Born	(1888-06-09)9 June 1888 Colebrooke Park, Brookeborough, County Fermanagh, Ireland
Died	18 August 1973(1973-08-18) (aged 85) Colebrooke Park, Brookeborough, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland
Nationality	British
Political party	Ulster Unionist Party
Spouses	Cynthia Brooke ​ ​ (m. 1919; died 1970)​ Sarah Eileen Bell Calvert ​ (m. 1971)​
Children	3
Education	Winchester College
Alma mater	Royal Military College, Sandhurst
Military service
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Branch/service	British Army
Years of service	1908–1920
Rank	Captain
Unit	Royal Fusiliers 10th Hussars
Battles/wars	First World War
Awards	Military Cross Croix de Guerre (France)

Basil Stanlake Brooke, 1st Viscount Brookeborough (born June 9, 1888 – died August 18, 1973), also known as Lord Brookeborough, was an important politician from the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP). He served as the third Prime Minister of Northern Ireland for nearly 20 years, from May 1943 to March 1963.

Before becoming Prime Minister, Lord Brookeborough held several other important jobs in the government of Northern Ireland. He was known for his strong belief in Northern Ireland remaining part of the United Kingdom. His long time in office saw many changes and challenges for the region.

Early Life and Family

Basil Stanlake Brooke was born on June 9, 1888. His family home was Colebrooke Park, a large estate in County Fermanagh, Ireland. He was the oldest son of Sir Arthur Douglas Brooke, who was the 4th Baronet. When his father passed away in 1907, Basil became the 5th Baronet.

His uncle was Alan Brooke, 1st Viscount Alanbrooke, a famous military leader during World War II. Basil went to school in France and then at Winchester College in England.

Military Career and Early Involvement

After finishing his studies, Basil Brooke joined the British Army in 1908. He served in the Royal Fusiliers and later the 10th Hussars. During the First World War, he showed great bravery. He was awarded the Military Cross and the Croix de Guerre from France for his service.

By 1920, he had reached the rank of Captain. He then left the army to manage his family's estate. Around this time, he also became involved in politics. He was a strong supporter of the Ulster Unionist Party. He also played a role in groups that supported the Union, like the Ulster Volunteers (UVF), which aimed to protect Northern Ireland's place in the United Kingdom.

Political Journey

Basil Brooke had a very long career in politics. When he stepped down as Prime Minister in 1963, he had been in the job for almost 20 years. This made him Northern Ireland's longest-serving Prime Minister. He also held government positions for 33 years in a row, which was a record in the United Kingdom at the time.

In 1921, Captain Brooke was elected to the Senate of Northern Ireland. However, he soon left this role to lead the Ulster Special Constabulary (USC). This group helped fight against the Irish Republican Army (IRA). He was also given an award, becoming a Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

In 1929, he was elected to the House of Commons of Northern Ireland. He represented the area of Lisnaskea. People knew him for his slim build, always having a cigarette, and his clear, English-sounding accent. He was a familiar face at Stormont, the seat of Northern Ireland's government, for many years.

Becoming a Cabinet Minister

In 1933, Brooke became the Minister of Agriculture. This job also made him a Privy Councillor. This meant he was part of a special advisory group to the government.

From 1941 to 1943, he served as the Minister of Commerce. During his time as a minister, he sometimes made strong statements about who should be employed. For example, in 1934, he suggested that people should employ Protestants. Later in his life, he said he regretted making such statements.

As Prime Minister of Northern Ireland

On May 2, 1943, Basil Brooke became the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland. He took over from John M. Andrews.

In 1952, while still Prime Minister, he was given a special honor. He was made a Viscount, which is a title of nobility. He became Viscount Brookeborough, named after the village near his home. Even with this new title, he kept his seat in the House of Commons of Northern Ireland and remained Prime Minister for another ten years.

As Northern Ireland's economy started to change in the 1950s, some people became unhappy with Brookeborough's leadership. They felt he wasn't doing enough to fix the growing economic problems. Eventually, he faced pressure to step down. In 1963, at the age of 75, he resigned as Prime Minister. Terence O'Neill, who was the Minister of Finance, took his place.

Even after resigning as Prime Minister, he remained a member of the House of Commons of Northern Ireland until 1968. In his later years in Parliament, he disagreed with the more open policies of his successor, Terence O'Neill. O'Neill tried to improve relations with the Republic of Ireland and address some of the concerns of Catholics in Northern Ireland.

Lord Brookeborough was known for his relaxed approach to his work. Terence O'Neill once said that when people met him, they thought he was taking a break, but in reality, he didn't have a formal "desk" to relax from.

During his 20 years as Prime Minister, Brookeborough achieved a lot. He kept the Unionist Party united and prevented Northern Ireland from joining the Republic of Ireland. He also helped Northern Ireland benefit from new social programs and educational opportunities from Britain. However, these new opportunities for Catholics also led to them having more confidence and wanting more rights, which helped start the civil rights movement in the 1960s.

Later Life and Passing

After retiring from politics, Lord Brookeborough became involved in business. He was chairman of a company called Carreras (Northern Ireland) and a director of Devenish Trade. He also became president of the Northern Ireland Institute of Directors. He received an honorary law degree from The Queen's University of Belfast.

In his final years, from 1970 to 1973, Northern Ireland faced great challenges. The government at Stormont was under immense pressure. Lord Brookeborough made only a few public appearances. He passed away at his home, Colebrooke Park, on August 18, 1973. His ashes were scattered on his beloved estate.

His only surviving son, John Brooke, took over his title as the 2nd Viscount Brookeborough.

Personal Life and Family

Basil Brooke married Cynthia Mary Surgison in 1919. They had three sons together. Sadly, two of their sons were killed while serving in the Second World War.

The Brooke family had a long tradition of being involved with the Orange Order, a Protestant organization.

After his first wife passed away in 1970, Lord Brookeborough married Sarah Eileen Bell Calvert in 1971.

In his free time, Lord Brookeborough enjoyed farming and won many awards for it. He also liked shooting, fishing, and playing golf.

Children

Lord Brookeborough and his first wife, Cynthia, had three sons:

• Lieutenant Basil Julian David Brooke (1920–1943) – died in action during World War II.
• John Warden Brooke, 2nd Viscount Brookeborough (1922–1987) – inherited his father's title.
• Lieutenant Henry Alan Brooke (1923–1945) – died in action during World War II.

Awards and Honors

Armorial achievement

Basil Brooke received several awards for his service and achievements:

• He was awarded the Military Cross in 1916 for his bravery in World War I.
• He received the Croix de Guerre from France in 1918.
• In 1921, he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE).
• In 1952, he was raised to the House of Lords as Viscount Brookeborough.
• In 1965, he was appointed a Knight of the Garter, which is a very high honor.
• He also held the title of Vice-Admiral of Ulster and was the Lord Lieutenant of County Fermanagh.

Ribbon	Award	Date	Post-nominal letters
	Order of the British Empire	1921	CBE
	Military Cross	1916	MC
	Order of the Garter	1965	KG
	Croix de Guerre	1918

See also

• List of Northern Ireland Members of the House of Lords