Herbrand Sackville, 9th Earl De La Warr facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Right Honourable The Earl De La Warr GBE PC JP DL
Postmaster General
In office 5 November 1951 – 5 April 1955
Monarch	George VI Elizabeth II
Prime Minister	Winston Churchill
Preceded by	Ness Edwards
Succeeded by	Charles Hill
First Commissioner of Works
In office 3 April 1940 – 10 May 1940
Monarch	George VI
Prime Minister	Neville Chamberlain
Preceded by	Herwald Ramsbotham
Succeeded by	The Lord Tryon
President of the Board of Education
In office 27 October 1938 – 3 April 1940
Monarch	George VI
Prime Minister	Neville Chamberlain
Preceded by	The Earl Stanhope
Succeeded by	Herwald Ramsbotham
Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal
In office 28 May 1937 – 27 October 1938
Monarch	George VI
Prime Minister	Neville Chamberlain
Preceded by	The Viscount Halifax
Succeeded by	Sir John Anderson
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies
In office 30 July 1936 – 28 May 1937
Monarch	Edward VIII George VI
Prime Minister	Stanley Baldwin
Preceded by	The Earl of Plymouth
Succeeded by	The Marquess of Dufferin and Ava
Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education
In office 28 November 1935 – 30 July 1936
Monarch	George V Edward VIII
Prime Minister	Stanley Baldwin
Preceded by	Herwald Ramsbotham
Succeeded by	Geoffrey Shakespeare
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries
In office 5 June 1930 – 28 November 1935
Monarch	George V
Prime Minister	Ramsay MacDonald Stanley Baldwin
Preceded by	Christopher Addison
Succeeded by	Herwald Ramsbotham
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for War
In office 11 June 1929 – 5 June 1930
Monarch	George V
Prime Minister	Ramsay MacDonald
Preceded by	The Duke of Sutherland
Succeeded by	The Lord Marley
Lord-in-waiting Government Whip
In office 18 July 1929 – 24 August 1931
Monarch	George V
Prime Minister	Ramsay MacDonald
Preceded by	The Earl of Airlie
Succeeded by	The Viscount Gage
In office 8 February 1924 – 4 November 1924
Monarch	George V
Prime Minister	Ramsay MacDonald
Preceded by	The Earl of Lucan
Succeeded by	The Earl of Lucan
Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal
In office 21 June 1921 – 28 January 1976 Hereditary Peerage
Preceded by	The 8th Earl De La Warr
Succeeded by	The 10th Earl De La Warr
Personal details
Born	20 June 1900 (1900-06-20)
Died	28 January 1976 (1976-01-29) (aged 75)
Nationality	British
Political party	Labour National Labour Conservative
Spouses	Diana Leigh ​ ​ (m. 1920; died 1966)​ Sylvia Harrison ​ (m. 1967)​
Children	3
Parents	Gilbert Sackville, 8th Earl De La Warr Muriel Brassey
Alma mater	Magdalen College, Oxford

Herbrand Edward Dundonald Brassey Sackville, the 9th Earl De La Warr, was a British politician. He was born on June 20, 1900, and passed away on January 28, 1976. He was known as Lord Buckhurst until 1915.

What made him special? He was the first person with an inherited noble title (a hereditary peer) to join the Labour Party. He became a government minister at just 23 years old! Later in his career, he worked with different political groups. He even served as Postmaster General under Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

Early Life and Education

Herbrand was the son of Gilbert Sackville, the 8th Earl De La Warr. His mother was Muriel Agnes. His family had a mix of political views. His father was a Conservative, while his mother was a Liberal.

He went to school at Eton and then studied at Magdalen College, Oxford university. While at university, he became interested in socialism.

In 1915, during the First World War, his father sadly passed away. Herbrand then inherited the title of Earl De La Warr while still a minor (under 21). When he turned 18, he chose not to fight in the war. He was a conscientious objector, meaning he refused to take part in combat because of his beliefs. Instead, he joined the Royal Naval Reserve to help in other ways.

A Unique Political Journey

Herbrand De La Warr's political career was quite interesting because he changed parties.

Joining the Labour Party

He made history by being the first hereditary peer to join the Labour Party. In February 1924, at only 23, he became one of the youngest ministers ever. He was appointed as a Lord in Waiting in the first Labour government led by Ramsay MacDonald. He gave his first speech in the House of Lords that same month.

Serving in Government Roles

In the second Labour government (1929-1931), he held several important jobs. He was the chief whip for the government in the House of Lords. He also served as Under-Secretary of State for War and Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.

Switching to the National Government

In 1931, the Labour government ended. Prime Minister MacDonald then formed a new group called the National Government. Lord De La Warr was one of the few Labour ministers who decided to join this new government. He helped create the National Labour Organisation. This group supported MacDonald and other former Labour members in the National Government.

He continued to serve as Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries until 1935. Then, under Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin, he became Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education and later Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies. In 1936, he became a member of the Privy Council.

Cabinet Positions and World War II

In 1937, the new Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain gave Lord De La Warr his first job in the main cabinet. He became Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal. Like some other younger ministers, he disagreed with the government's foreign policy. He thought about resigning over the Munich Agreement but decided to stay.

In 1938, he was moved to become President of the Board of Education. During this time, there were plans to raise the school leaving age to 15. However, the start of World War II put these plans on hold.

In April 1940, he became First Commissioner of Works. But he was no longer part of the main cabinet. The next month, Winston Churchill became Prime Minister. Churchill formed a government with all major parties. Because the Labour Party did not want National Labour ministers, Lord De La Warr left the government. He did not return to a government role for eleven years.

Return to Government and Later Life

In 1951, when Winston Churchill formed a new Conservative government, Lord De La Warr was appointed Postmaster General. He was in charge during the time of the Eastcastle Street robbery. He left this role in 1955.

He continued to speak regularly in the House of Lords until 1966. After that, he spoke only twice before his death ten years later.

Besides his national political work, Lord De La Warr was also Mayor of Bexhill-on-Sea from 1932 to 1934. He was also a Justice of the Peace and Deputy Lieutenant for Sussex. In 1956, he was honored as a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire.

The famous De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill-on-Sea was built in 1935 and named after him. The name "De La Warr" is pronounced "Delaware," just like the American state.

Family Life

Lord De La Warr was married twice. His first wife was Diana Helena Leigh, whom he married in 1920. They had two sons and one daughter. Sadly, their younger son, Thomas Sackville, died in 1943 during the Second World War.

After Diana passed away in 1966, he married Sylvia, Countess of Kilmuir, in 1968. Sylvia was the sister of the famous actor Sir Rex Harrison, who starred in the movie My Fair Lady.

One of his sisters was Lady Avice Ela Muriel Sackville. He attended her wedding to Stewart Menzies, who was a leader of British wartime intelligence. Lord De La Warr famously wore a lower-deck sailor's bell-bottomed uniform to the wedding.

Death

Lord De La Warr passed away in January 1976, at the age of 75. His elder son, William, inherited his title. The Countess De La Warr died in June 1992.

Images for kids

• De La Warr Pavilion.jpg

  The De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill-on-Sea, named after Lord De La Warr.