Brendan Bracken facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Viscount Bracken
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Brendan Bracken, 1947.
Photographer: Yousuf Karsh, Ottawa. |
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| First Lord of the Admiralty | |
| In office 25 May 1945 – 26 July 1945 |
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| Monarch | George VI |
| Prime Minister | Winston Churchill |
| Preceded by | A. V. Alexander |
| Succeeded by | A. V. Alexander |
| Minister of Information | |
| In office 20 July 1941 – 25 May 1945 |
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| Prime Minister | Winston Churchill |
| Preceded by | Duff Cooper |
| Succeeded by | Geoffrey Lloyd |
| Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Prime Minister | |
| In office 1940–1941 |
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| Prime Minister | Winston Churchill |
| Preceded by | Lord Dunglass |
| Succeeded by | George Harvie-Watt |
| Member of Parliament for Bournemouth East and Christchurch Bournemouth (1945–1950) |
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| In office 15 November 1945 – 7 January 1952 |
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| Preceded by | Leonard Lyle |
| Succeeded by | Nigel Nicolson |
| Member of Parliament for Paddington North |
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| In office 30 May 1929 – 5 July 1945 |
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| Preceded by | William Perring |
| Succeeded by | Noel Mason-MacFarlane |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 15 February 1901 Templemore, County Tipperary, Ireland |
| Died | 8 August 1958 (aged 57) |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Conservative |
Brendan Rendall Bracken (born February 15, 1901 – died August 8, 1958) was an important figure in British politics and business. Born in Ireland, he became a successful businessman and a government minister in the British Conservative Party. He is most famous for being a close friend and supporter of Winston Churchill during World War II. He also helped create the modern Financial Times newspaper. From 1941 to 1945, he served as the Minister of Information.
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Brendan Bracken's Early Life
Brendan Rendall Bracken was born in Templemore, County Tipperary, Ireland. He was the second son and third of four children. His father, Joseph Kevin Bracken, was a builder and a founder of the GAA.
After his father passed away in 1904, Brendan's mother moved the family to Dublin. Brendan attended St Patrick's National School and then the O'Connell School. In 1915, his mother sent him to Mungret College, a boarding school in County Limerick. However, he soon left the school without permission.
His mother then sent him to Australia to live with a cousin. In Australia, Brendan moved around a lot. He loved to read and taught himself many things.
Returning to the UK
In 1919, Bracken briefly returned to Ireland. He then moved to Liverpool and later to Sedbergh School in England in 1920. He told the school he was 15, an Australian orphan, and had family links to a famous headmaster. The headmaster was impressed by Brendan's knowledge and accepted him.
By the end of his first term, he had blended his Irish background and Australian experiences with the style of a British public school student. He may have wanted to hide his Irish roots because of the Irish War of Independence (1919–1921). This war caused some people in Great Britain to be unfriendly towards Irish people.
Business and Political Career
After leaving Sedbergh, Bracken worked briefly as a schoolmaster. From 1922, he started a successful career as a magazine publisher and newspaper editor in London. He was good at selling advertising space to cover costs.
In 1923, he helped Winston Churchill in his election campaign. This was the start of their political friendship. Bracken also helped Churchill in another campaign in 1924.
Becoming a Member of Parliament
Bracken himself was elected to the House of Commons in 1929. He became a MP for North Paddington. Stanley Baldwin, a political leader, called Bracken Churchill's "faithful chela," which means "disciple" or "student" in Hindi.
Many of Bracken's early magazine stories had a political theme. He asked politicians like Churchill to write articles. His business and political life often overlapped. He needed politicians for stories, and they needed the publicity his publications offered.
In 1926, he founded The Banker magazine. Today, the magazine's respected annual Bank of the Year awards are still called "Brackens" in his honor.
Helping Churchill Become Prime Minister
Bracken played a key role in Churchill becoming Prime Minister. In May 1940, Neville Chamberlain was about to resign. The main candidates to replace him were Churchill and Lord Halifax. Churchill thought the Labour Party would not support him, so he agreed to nominate Halifax.
When Bracken found out, he convinced Churchill that the Labour Party would support him. He also warned that Halifax becoming Prime Minister might help Hitler win the war. Bracken advised Churchill to stay silent when the three met to decide the next leader. After a quiet moment, Halifax said he would not take the job. This led to Churchill becoming Britain's wartime Prime Minister.
Support from the United States
When Churchill became Prime Minister in May 1940, Bracken helped him move into 10 Downing Street. Bracken joined the Privy Council in 1940. He also became Churchill's parliamentary private secretary. This meant he was a close helper to the Prime Minister.
Churchill wrote that he asked Bracken to meet Harry Hopkins from the United States. Hopkins was a close friend and helper of the US President. This shows that Bracken was often Churchill's trusted friend and helper. Bracken and Hopkins had met before in America. This personal connection helped the US decide to assist Britain before they officially entered the war.
Minister of Information
In 1941, Bracken was promoted to Minister of Information. He held this important role until 1945. In this job, he was in charge of how the British government shared news and information during the war.
Postwar Years and Legacy
After World War II ended in 1945, Bracken briefly served as First Lord of the Admiralty. However, he lost this position when the Labour Party won the general election. Bracken also lost his seat as an MP.
But he soon returned to the House of Commons. He became the Member of Parliament for Bournemouth in November 1945. He strongly criticized the Labour government's policies.
In 1952, he was given the title Viscount Bracken. This meant he became a peer, but he never used the title or sat in the House of Lords. He stopped working in publishing in 1956.
Business Achievements
One of his most famous business achievements was combining the Financial News with the Financial Times in 1945. The Financial Times newspaper was published from Bracken House in London. This building was made of pink stone to match the color of the newspaper.
Bracken also published The Economist magazine. In 1951, because he loved history, he helped start History Today magazine.
Death
Brendan Bracken was a heavy smoker. He passed away from cancer on August 8, 1958, at the age of 57. He was not married, so his title of Viscount ended with him. He was cremated in London, and his ashes were scattered by his chauffeur.
Exhibitions and Documentaries
In 2016, an exhibition called Churchill & the Irishman focused on Bracken and his friendship with Churchill. This was the first time Bracken had been the subject of an exhibition.
In 2010, a TV documentary called Brendan Bracken – Churchill's Irishman was broadcast. It explored his life using photos, interviews, and old footage. It showed how important he was in British politics and journalism.
In 2015, an updated version of this documentary was released called Churchill's Secret Son. It included more images and stories about Bracken's life.
