George Jellicoe, 2nd Earl Jellicoe facts for kids

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George Jellicoe, 2nd Earl Jellicoe
Leader of the House of Lords Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal
In office 20 June 1970 – 23 May 1973
Prime Minister	Edward Heath
Preceded by	The Lord Shackleton
Succeeded by	The Lord Windlesham
Minister of State for Navy
In office 1 April 1964 – 16 October 1964
Prime Minister	Sir Alec Douglas Home
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Christopher Mayhew
First Lord of the Admiralty
In office 22 October 1963 – 1 April 1964
Prime Minister	Sir Alec Douglas Home
Preceded by	The Lord Carrington
Succeeded by	Elizabeth II as Lord High Admiral
Minister of State for Home Affairs
In office 17 July 1962 – 21 October 1963
Prime Minister	Harold Macmillan
Preceded by	David Renton
Succeeded by	The Lord Derwent
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing and Local Government
In office 27 June 1961 – 16 July 1962
Prime Minister	Harold Macmillan
Preceded by	Keith Joseph
Succeeded by	Frederick Corfield
Lord-in-waiting Government Whip
In office 8 February 1961 – 27 June 1961
Prime Minister	Harold Macmillan
Preceded by	The Earl Bathurst
Succeeded by	The Lord Denham
Member of the House of Lords
Lord Temporal
as a hereditary peer 25 July 1939 – 11 November 1999
Preceded by	The 1st Earl Jellicoe
Succeeded by	Seat abolished
as a life peer 17 November 1999 – 22 February 2007
Personal details
Born	4 April 1918 Hatfield, Hertfordshire United Kingdom
Died	22 February 2007(2007-02-22) (aged 88) Tidcombe, Wiltshire United Kingdom
Political party	Conservative
Children	eight
Residence	Tidcombe
Education	Winchester College
Alma mater	Trinity College, Cambridge
Occupation	Politician, businessman
Military service
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Branch/service	British Army
Rank	Brigadier
Unit	Coldstream Guards Special Air Service Special Boat Service
Battles/wars	Second World War
Awards	Distinguished Service Order Military Cross Croix de Guerre Mentioned in Despatches (3)

George Patrick John Rushworth Jellicoe, 2nd Earl Jellicoe, Baron Jellicoe of Southampton (born April 4, 1918 – died February 22, 2007) was a very important British politician, diplomat, and businessman. He was known for his long career in public service.

Lord Jellicoe was the only son of John Jellicoe, 1st Earl Jellicoe, a famous naval commander from World War I. His father led the British fleet at the Battle of Jutland. George inherited his father's title, Earl Jellicoe, when he was just 17 years old. He served in the Special Boat Service during the Second World War and was a member of the House of Lords for an amazing 68 years.

Early Life and Education

George Jellicoe was born in Hatfield, England. As a child, he lived in different places, including the Isle of Wight and London. He also spent time in New Zealand, where his father served as the Governor-General.

He went to Winchester College, a well-known school, and later studied history at Trinity College, Cambridge. He was a bright student and won a history prize.

Serving in World War II

Jellicoe joined the army in October 1939, right at the start of World War II. He became an officer in the Coldstream Guards. He later joined a special unit called No. 8 (Guards) Commando.

He was part of the group that formed the Special Air Service (SAS), a highly trained special forces unit. He was recognized for his bravery three times and was wounded once.

In 1943, Jellicoe became the Commander of the Special Boat Service (SBS) in the Middle East. He was promoted to lieutenant-colonel and later to brigadier. His SBS teams carried out secret and dangerous missions along the coasts of Italy and Yugoslavia. He earned the Military Cross medal for his actions in 1944.

At the end of the war, Jellicoe was among the first Allied soldiers to enter Athens, Greece. He helped ensure a friendly presence in the city.

Life as a Diplomat

After the war, Lord Jellicoe joined the British Foreign Service in 1947. He worked as a diplomat in several important cities, including London, Washington, D.C., and Brussels. He also served in Baghdad, Iraq.

He left the Foreign Office in 1958 due to personal reasons. After that, he worked as a director for shipping companies, including Clan Line Steamers.

Entering Politics: The House of Lords

Lord Jellicoe first became a member of the House of Lords in 1939. However, he made his first speech there much later, in 1958, discussing international affairs.

By October 1958, he had joined the Conservative Party. He quickly took on important roles in government.

Government Roles in the 1960s

From 1961 to 1964, he held several key positions:

• He was a Lord-in-waiting to the Queen and a Government Whip.
• He served as Joint Parliamentary Secretary for Housing and Local Government.
• He was Minister of State for Home Affairs.
• He became the First Lord of the Admiralty, which was a top naval position.
• He was also the Minister of Defence for the Royal Navy.

During this time, he also represented the UK in European councils and worked on environmental issues, like oil pollution at sea. He also held leadership roles in various organizations.

Cabinet Minister and Resignation

In 1970, when Edward Heath became Prime Minister, Lord Jellicoe was appointed to the Cabinet. He became the Lord Privy Seal and the Leader of the House of Lords. These were very important roles, making him a key figure in the government.

He was responsible for the Civil Service Department and helped manage national crises. For example, he was appointed "energy supremo" during a time when power supplies were low, and he set up a special unit to handle emergencies.

He also played a crucial role in guiding the European Communities Act through the House of Lords. This law was very important for the UK joining the European Economic Community.

In May 1973, Lord Jellicoe resigned from his government positions due to a difficult personal situation. His resignation was widely regretted by other politicians, who praised his work and dedication.

Life After Government

After leaving government, Lord Jellicoe returned to the business world. He became a director at S. G. Warburg & Co., an investment bank. He also took on leadership roles in major companies like Tate & Lyle, a sugar company, where he became the first non-family chairman.

He held many other significant positions:

• Chairman of the Davy Corporation, an engineering company.
• Director at Sotheby's and Smiths Industries Ltd.
• President of the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
• Chairman of the British Overseas Trade Board, promoting British trade abroad.

Contributions to Education and Research

Lord Jellicoe was also very involved in education and scientific research. He was:

• Chairman of the council of King's College London.
• Chairman of the Medical Research Council.
• President of the Royal Geographical Society.
• Chancellor of Southampton University.
• Elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, a prestigious scientific honor.

He helped found Hakluyt & Company, a strategic advisory firm, and was a patron of many charitable and historical organizations.

Later Contributions to Parliament

Lord Jellicoe continued to be an active member of the House of Lords for the rest of his life. He chaired important committees and authored the Jellicoe Report in 1983, which reviewed a law related to preventing terrorism.

At the time of his death in 2007, Lord Jellicoe was the longest-serving member of the House of Lords. He had been a parliamentarian for 68 years, making him one of the longest-serving in the world.

Personal Life

Lord Jellicoe was married twice. He had two sons and two daughters with his first wife, Patricia O'Kane. He later married Philippa Dunne, with whom he had one son and two daughters. In total, he had eight children.

He passed away on February 22, 2007, at his home in Wiltshire, just before his 89th birthday.

Honours and Awards

Lord Jellicoe received many awards and honours throughout his life for his service and achievements:

• Distinguished Service Order (DSO) (1942)
• Military Cross (MC) (1944)
• Légion d'honneur (France) (1945)
• Croix de Guerre (France) (1945)
• Privy Counsellor (PC) (1963)
• Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) (1986)
• Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) (1990)
• Grand Commander Order of Honour (Greece, 1991)
• UK life peer (1999)
• Winston S. Churchill Allied Nations Award (2003)

He also received honorary degrees from King's College London, Southampton University, and Long Island University.

Images for kids

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  Lord Jellicoe during a skiing holiday.

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  Lord Jellicoe skiing in France.