Philip Cunliffe-Lister, 1st Earl of Swinton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Right Honourable The Earl of Swinton GBE CH MC PC
Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations
In office 24 November 1952 – 7 April 1955
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Prime Minister	Winston Churchill
Preceded by	The Marquess of Salisbury
Succeeded by	The Earl of Home
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
In office 31 October 1951 – 24 November 1952
Monarch	George VI Elizabeth II
Prime Minister	Winston Churchill
Preceded by	The Viscount Alexander of Hillsborough
Succeeded by	The Earl of Woolton
Minister of Civil Aviation
In office 8 October 1944 – 26 July 1945
Monarch	George VI
Prime Minister	Winston Churchill
Preceded by	Post established
Succeeded by	The Lord Winster
Secretary of State for Air
In office 7 June 1935 – 16 May 1938
Monarch	George V Edward VIII George VI
Prime Minister	Stanley Baldwin Neville Chamberlain
Preceded by	The Marquess of Londonderry
Succeeded by	Kingsley Wood
Secretary of State for the Colonies
In office 5 November 1931 – 7 June 1935
Monarch	George V
Prime Minister	Ramsay MacDonald
Preceded by	James Henry Thomas
Succeeded by	Malcolm MacDonald
President of the Board of Trade
In office 25 August 1931 – 5 November 1931
Monarch	George V
Prime Minister	Ramsay MacDonald
Preceded by	William Graham
Succeeded by	Walter Runciman
In office 6 November 1924 – 4 June 1929
Monarch	George V
Prime Minister	Stanley Baldwin
Preceded by	Sidney Webb
Succeeded by	William Graham
In office 24 October 1922 – 22 January 1924
Monarch	George V
Prime Minister	Bonar Law Stanley Baldwin
Preceded by	Stanley Baldwin
Succeeded by	Sidney Webb
Secretary for Overseas Trade
In office 1 April 1921 – 19 October 1922
Monarch	George V
Prime Minister	David Lloyd George
Preceded by	F G Kellaway
Succeeded by	Sir William Joynson-Hicks, Bt
Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade
In office 22 August 1920 – 1 April 1921
Monarch	George V
Prime Minister	David Lloyd George
Preceded by	William Bridgeman
Succeeded by	William Mitchell-Thomson
Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal
In office 4 December 1935 – 27 July 1972 Hereditary peerage
Preceded by	Peerage created
Succeeded by	The 2nd Earl of Swinton
Member of Parliament for Hendon
In office 14 December 1918 – 25 October 1935
Preceded by	constituency established
Succeeded by	Reginald Blair
Personal details
Born	(1884-05-01)1 May 1884 East Ayton, Yorkshire, England
Died	27 July 1972(1972-07-27) (aged 88) Swinton, Yorkshire, England
Resting place	Masham, Yorkshire, England
Political party	Conservative
Spouse	Mary Boynton (died 1974)
Alma mater	Winchester College

Philip Cunliffe-Lister, 1st Earl of Swinton (born May 1, 1884 – died July 27, 1972), was an important Conservative politician in Britain. He was known by different names during his life, including Philip Lloyd-Greame and The Viscount Swinton. He held many key government jobs from the 1920s to the 1950s. He was especially important in the 1940s and 1950s, helping to set up rules for international air travel. He retired from politics in 1955.

Early Life and Education

Philip Cunliffe-Lister was born as Philip Lloyd-Greame. His father was Lieutenant-Colonel Yarburgh George Lloyd-Greame. His mother was Dora Letitia O'Brien.

He went to Winchester College, a famous school for boys. After that, he studied law at University College, Oxford. He earned a degree in 1905. He later became an Honorary Fellow at his college.

Military Service in World War I

When World War I started in 1914, Philip joined the British Army. He fought on the Western Front. He was recognized for his bravery and was promoted to Major. In 1916, he received the Military Cross (MC) medal. This medal is given for bravery during battle.

During the war, he worked with Winston Churchill. They later worked together again in the government. In 1917, he helped the Minister of National Service. He was also noticed by Prime Minister David Lloyd George. Lloyd George asked him to lead a special committee for the war cabinet. After the war, he decided to become a politician.

Beginning a Political Career

In 1918, Philip was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Hendon. He kept this job until 1935. He was known for his intelligence. In 1920, he was knighted, which means he received the title "Sir."

First Government Roles

His first government job was in 1920, helping with foreign affairs. In 1921, he took charge of the Overseas Trade Department. In 1922, he became a Privy Counsellor. This is a special group of advisors to the King or Queen. He was also made President of the Board of Trade. This role involved managing trade and business for the country. He held this important job several times until 1931.

In 1924, Philip changed his last name to Cunliffe-Lister. This was so he could inherit property from his wife's family. In 1929, he received another high honor, being made a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire.

Key Government Positions

In 1931, Philip Cunliffe-Lister was one of the Conservative politicians who worked with the Labour Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald. This happened when MacDonald's government was struggling. Cunliffe-Lister was one of only four Conservatives in the new emergency government. He served again as President of the Board of Trade.

After a big election victory in 1931, the government had different ideas about trade. Some wanted "protective tariffs," which are taxes on imported goods. To balance the government, Cunliffe-Lister became Secretary of State for the Colonies. This job involved managing Britain's colonies around the world. He held this role until 1935.

When Stanley Baldwin became Prime Minister, Cunliffe-Lister became Secretary of State for Air. This was a very important job, as he was in charge of Britain's air defenses before World War II. In 1935, he was given the title of Viscount Swinton. This meant he moved from being an MP to a member of the House of Lords.

Later Roles and Retirement

During World War II, Philip Cunliffe-Lister's career became important again. He was appointed the first Minister of Civil Aviation. This role meant he was in charge of air travel in Britain. He also helped create international rules for air travel at a big meeting in Chicago in 1944.

When Winston Churchill became Prime Minister again in 1951, he appointed Swinton to new roles. He became Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for War Materials. He also served as Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations. This job involved working with countries that were once part of the British Empire.

In 1955, when Churchill retired, Swinton decided to retire too. He was given an even higher title, becoming the Earl of Swinton. Towards the end of his life, he was an Honorary Fellow at University College, Oxford.

Family Life

Philip Lloyd-Greame married Mary Constance "Molly" Boynton in 1912. Her grandfather was a wealthy businessman named Samuel Cunliffe-Lister, 1st Baron Masham. In 1924, Philip and Molly changed their last name to Cunliffe-Lister. They moved to Swinton Park, a large estate.

Philip and Molly had two sons:

• John Yarburgh Cunliffe-Lister (1913–1943), who died during the Second World War.
• S/Ldr The Hon Philip Ingram Cunliffe-Lister DSO RAF (1918–1956).

Their elder son, John, had two sons. The older grandson became the 2nd Earl of Swinton after his grandfather passed away. In 2006, his younger brother became the 3rd Earl of Swinton.