James Thomas, 1st Viscount Cilcennin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Viscount Cilcennin
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| First Lord of the Admiralty | |
| In office 31 October 1951 – 2 September 1956 |
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| Monarch | George VI Elizabeth II |
| Prime Minister | Winston Churchill Sir Anthony Eden |
| Preceded by | The Lord Pakenham |
| Succeeded by | The Viscount Hailsham |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 13 October 1903 |
| Died | 13 July 1960 (aged 56) |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Alma mater | Oriel College, Oxford |
James Purdon Lewes Thomas, 1st Viscount Cilcennin (13 October 1903 – 13 July 1960), also known as Jim Thomas, was an important British politician. He was a member of the Conservative Party. From 1951 to 1956, he held a very important job as the First Lord of the Admiralty. This role meant he was in charge of the Royal Navy.
Early Life and Education
James Purdon Lewes Thomas was born on October 13, 1903. His father was John Lewes Thomas, a Justice of the Peace (JP). A JP is a local official who helps with legal matters. James's mother was Anne Louisa.
He went to Rugby, which is a famous school in England. After that, he studied at Oriel College, Oxford, a well-known university. He earned a special degree in French in 1926. He received this degree because he was too sick to take his final exams.
Political Journey
James Thomas began his political career by working for Stanley Baldwin. Baldwin was the leader of the Conservative Party. Thomas was Baldwin's private secretary from 1929 to 1931. A private secretary helps a leader with their daily tasks and important papers.
In 1929, he tried to become a Member of Parliament (MP) for Llanelly. An MP is a person elected to represent a local area in the government. He did not win that election.
However, in 1931, he was elected as an MP for Hereford. He kept this job until 1955. During this time, he worked as a Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) for several government ministers. A PPS helps a minister with their work in Parliament. He worked for the Dominions Secretary, the Colonial Secretary, and the Foreign Secretary.
When World War II started in 1939, Thomas wanted to join the military. But he could not because of a knee injury. From 1940 to 1943, he worked as a government whip. A whip makes sure that members of their party vote in the way the party wants.
In 1943, Winston Churchill, who was Prime Minister, gave Thomas a new role. He became the Financial Secretary to the Admiralty. He stayed in this job until 1945. This role meant he managed the money for the Royal Navy.
After the 1945 election, his party was not in power. So, Thomas became a spokesperson for naval affairs. He also helped choose people to run for Parliament for the Conservative Party.
In 1951, Winston Churchill became Prime Minister again. James Thomas was then given a very important job. He was made the First Lord of the Admiralty. This meant he was the main government minister in charge of the Royal Navy. He also joined the Privy Council. This is a group of important advisors to the Queen.
In 1955, he left the House of Commons, which is where MPs work. In 1956, he was given a special title and became Viscount Cilcennin. This meant he became a member of the peerage, a group of people with special noble titles. He continued to be First Lord of the Admiralty until September 1956, when he left the job.
After leaving his role with the Navy, Lord Cilcennin traveled around the world. He went with Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh in 1956 and 1957. During this trip, Prince Philip opened the 1956 Summer Olympics in Australia.
In 1957, he became the Lord-Lieutenant of Herefordshire. This is a special representative of the King or Queen in a county. He held this job until he passed away three years later. In 1958, he was honored as a knight of the Order of Saint John.
In his later years, he worked for several companies. He was also the chairman of Television Wales and the West (TWW). This was a company that provided commercial television in parts of Wales and England.
Later Life and Legacy
Lord Cilcennin never got married. He passed away in July 1960, when he was 56 years old. Because he had no children, his special title ended with him. He had problems with arthritis in his hip when he was older.
Three months after he died, a book he wrote was published. It was called Admiralty House, Whitehall. The book was about Admiralty House, which was his official home when he was First Lord of the Admiralty.
Arms
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