Edward Shackleton, Baron Shackleton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Right Honourable The Lord Shackleton KG AC OBE PC FRS FRGS
1969 photograph, by Godfrey Argent
Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
In office 19 June 1970 – 4 March 1974
Leader	Harold Wilson
Preceded by	The Lord Carrington
Succeeded by	The Lord Carrington
Leader of the House of Lords
In office 16 January 1968 – 20 June 1970
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Prime Minister	Harold Wilson
Preceded by	The Earl of Longford
Succeeded by	The Earl Jellicoe
Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal
In office 1 November 1968 – 20 June 1970
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Prime Minister	Harold Wilson
Preceded by	Fred Peart
Succeeded by	The Earl Jellicoe
Paymaster General
In office 6 April 1968 – 1 November 1968
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Prime Minister	Harold Wilson
Preceded by	George Wigg
Succeeded by	Judith Hart
Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
In office 7 January 1967 – 16 January 1968
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Prime Minister	Harold Wilson
Leader	The Earl of Longford
Preceded by	The Lord Champion
Succeeded by	The Lord Shepherd
Minister without Portfolio
In office 7 January 1967 – 16 January 1968
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Prime Minister	Harold Wilson
Preceded by	Douglas Houghton
Succeeded by	Patrick Gordon Walker
Minister of State for the Air Force
In office 19 October 1964 – 7 January 1967
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Prime Minister	Harold Wilson
Preceded by	Hugh Fraser
Succeeded by	office abolished
Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal
In office 11 August 1958 – 22 September 1994 Life peerage
Member of Parliament for Preston South
In office 23 February 1950 – 6 May 1955
Preceded by	constituency established
Succeeded by	Alan Green
Member of Parliament for Preston
In office 31 January 1946 – 3 February 1950
Preceded by	John William Sunderland
Succeeded by	constituency abolished
Personal details
Born	15 July 1911
Died	22 September 1994 (aged 83)
Spouse	Betty Horman ​ (m. 1938)​
Children	2
Parents	Ernest Shackleton Emily Dorman
Alma mater	Magdalen College, Oxford
Military career
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Air Force
Years of service	1940–1956
Rank	Wing Commander
Service number	83143
Battles/wars	Second World War
Awards	Officer of the Order of the British Empire

Edward Arthur Alexander Shackleton, Baron Shackleton (born 15 July 1911 – died 22 September 1994) was a British geographer, a brave officer in the Royal Air Force, and a Labour Party politician. He was the son of the famous Antarctic explorer, Ernest Shackleton. Edward Shackleton had a long career serving his country in many important roles.

Early Life and Adventures

Edward Shackleton was born in Wandsworth, London. He was the younger son of Emily Mary and Sir Ernest Shackleton. His father was a legendary explorer of the South Pole.

Edward went to Radley College, a boarding school in Oxfordshire. After that, he studied at Magdalen College, part of the University of Oxford.

Exploring the World

Shackleton loved adventure, just like his father. In 1932, he helped organize an expedition to Sarawak in Borneo. During this trip, he was the first person to climb Mount Mulu.

In 1934, he organized another trip, the Oxford University Ellesmere Land Expedition. He went along as an assistant surveyor. This expedition named Mount Oxford and the British Empire Range.

After university, he worked for the BBC in Northern Ireland. This experience changed his political views. He decided to support the Labour Party instead of the Conservatives.

Serving in the Royal Air Force

Edward Shackleton joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War. He started as a pilot officer in 1940. He quickly moved up the ranks.

By 1945, he was an acting wing commander. He was recognized for his bravery and service. In 1945, he was awarded the Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). He left the RAF in 1956, keeping his rank of wing commander.

A Life in Politics

Shackleton tried to become a Member of Parliament (MP) for the Labour Party several times. An MP is someone elected to represent people in the UK Parliament.

In 1946, he was elected as an MP for Preston. Later, in 1950, he became the MP for Preston South. He worked as a special assistant to important government ministers.

Joining the House of Lords

In 1955, he lost his seat as an MP. However, in 1958, he was given a special honor. He became a life peer, which means he was given the title of Baron Shackleton and could sit in the House of Lords for the rest of his life. The House of Lords is the second chamber of the UK Parliament.

His first speech in the House of Lords was about helping workers and businesses understand each other better.

Government Roles

When Harold Wilson became Prime Minister, Shackleton held many important jobs:

• From 1964 to 1967, he was the Minister of Defence for the RAF.
• In 1966, he joined the Privy Council, a group of important advisors to the Queen.
• He became the Deputy Leader of the House of Lords in 1967.
• He also served as a Minister without Portfolio and Paymaster General. These roles meant he was part of the Prime Minister's main team, the Cabinet.

In 1968, he became the Leader of the House of Lords. This meant he was in charge of the government's business in the House of Lords. He worked on plans to change how the House of Lords worked, but these changes did not happen.

After the Labour government lost power in 1970, Shackleton became the Opposition Leader in the House of Lords. This meant he led the Labour Party's efforts to challenge the new government.

Later Life and Honors

Edward Shackleton continued to be very active after his main political roles.

• From 1971, he was the President of the Royal Geographical Society. This society promotes geography and exploration.
• In 1974, he received a very high honor: he was made a Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter.
• He also wrote a report about the future of the Falkland Islands, which was very important for the islanders.
• In 1989, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society, a group of top scientists.
• In 1990, he received an honorary Order of Australia for his work in strengthening ties between Australia and Britain.

The University of Southampton named a building after him, the Shackleton Building, because of his interest in geography there.

He also became the Life President of the James Caird Society. This society is named after the boat his father used to escape Antarctica. He was also a patron of the British Schools Exploring Society.

Personal Life

In 1938, Edward Shackleton married Betty Homan. They had two children, a daughter named Alexandra and a son named Charles.

He passed away in 1994 at the age of 83 in the New Forest.

Arms

Coat of arms of Edward Shackleton, Baron Shackleton

Crest A Poplar Tree proper charged with a Buckle as in the arms Escutcheon Or on a Fess Gules three Lozengy Buckles tongues palewise of the field, on a Canton of the second a Cross Humettée of the field. Motto FORTITUDINE VINCIMIS (BY ENDURANCE WE CONQUER) Orders Order of the Garter (Appointed 23 April 1974)

Lord Shackleton's special banner from the Order of the Garter is now on display in Christ Church Cathedral in the Falkland Islands. It used to hang in St. George's Chapel in Windsor.