Henry Scrymgeour-Wedderburn, 11th Earl of Dundee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Earl of Dundee
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| Minister of State for Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 9 October 1961 – 16 October 1964 |
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| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Prime Minister | Harold Macmillan Alec Douglas-Home |
| Preceded by | Joseph Godber |
| Succeeded by | Peter Thomas |
| Minister without portfolio | |
| In office 23 October 1958 – 9 October 1961 |
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| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Prime Minister | Harold Macmillan |
| Preceded by | The Lord Mancroft |
| Succeeded by | The Lord Mills |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland | |
| In office 8 February 1941 – 4 March 1942 |
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| Monarch | George VI |
| Prime Minister | Winston Churchill |
| Preceded by | Joseph Westwood |
| Succeeded by | Allan Chapman |
| Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal |
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| In office 30 July 1954 – 29 June 1983 Hereditary Peerage |
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| Preceded by | Peerage created as Baron Glassary |
| Succeeded by | The 12th Earl of Dundee |
| Member of Parliament for West Renfrewshire |
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| In office 27 October 1931 – 15 June 1945 |
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| Preceded by | Robert Forgan |
| Succeeded by | Thomas Scollan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 3 May 1902 |
| Died | 29 June 1983 (aged 81) |
| Political party | Conservative |
Henry James Scrymgeour-Wedderburn (born May 3, 1902 – died June 29, 1983) was a Scottish nobleman, soldier, and politician. He was known as the 11th Earl of Dundee. He held important roles in the British government for many years.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Henry James Scrymgeour-Wedderburn was the older son of Colonel Henry Scrymgeour-Wedderburn. He went to school at Winchester College and then to Balliol College, Oxford University. While at Oxford, he was chosen to be the president of the Oxford Union in October 1924. He earned his Master of Arts degree in 1926.
Political Career and Military Service
After finishing university, Henry Scrymgeour-Wedderburn joined the Territorial Army in 1927. He became a second lieutenant in the 6th/7th Battalion of the Black Watch.
In 1931, he was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) for West Renfrewshire. He served in this role until 1945. During this time, he worked as a special assistant to different government ministers. He was also an Under-Secretary of State for Scotland until World War II began.
He served as an officer in the Second World War with the 7th Battalion, The Black Watch, from 1939 to 1941. He reached the rank of captain.
After being wounded, he returned to politics in London. He briefly served as a Joint Under-Secretary of State for Scotland from 1941 to 1942. He was part of a group of politicians who visited China during the war. They promised to support the Chinese military against the Japanese occupation.
Becoming a Peer
In 1952, his family's claim to the title of Earl of Dundee was officially recognized. This meant he became the 11th Earl of Dundee. In 1954, he was given another title, Baron Glassary. This new title gave him an automatic seat in the House of Lords, which is part of the UK Parliament.
Important Government Roles
From 1958 to 1961, Prime Minister Harold Macmillan chose him to be a Minister without portfolio. This meant he was a minister without a specific department, allowing him to help with various government tasks.
Later, from 1961 to 1964, he was promoted to Minister of State for Foreign Affairs. In this role, he was a senior minister in the Foreign Office, dealing with international relations. He also served as Deputy Leader of the House of Lords from 1962 to 1964. In 1959, he became a Privy Counsellor, which is a special advisory body to the King or Queen.
Lord Dundee also held the special role of the Hereditary Royal Standard-Bearer for Scotland. This right was confirmed for his family in 1902. He received an award called the Order of the Brilliant Star of China. In 1954, he was given an honorary law degree from St Andrews University.
Family Life
Lord Dundee married Patricia Katherine Montagu Douglas Scott in 1946. She was the granddaughter of the 6th Duke of Buccleuch. Patricia had been married twice before, and both her previous husbands were soldiers who died in the war. She had two children with each of them.
Lord and Lady Dundee had one child together:
- Alexander Henry Scrymgeour of Dundee, who later became the 12th Earl of Dundee (born 1949).
Lady Dundee lived to be 102 years old and passed away in 2012.
