Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 5th Marquess of Salisbury facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Most Honourable The Marquess of Salisbury KG PC FRS DL
The then Viscount Cranborne in 1927
Ministerial offices Leader of the House of Lords In office 28 October 1951 – 29 March 1957 Monarch George VI Elizabeth II Prime Minister Winston Churchill Anthony Eden Harold Macmillan Preceded by The Viscount Addison Succeeded by The Earl of Home In office 21 February 1942 – 26 July 1945 Monarch George VI Prime Minister Winston Churchill Preceded by The Lord Moyne Succeeded by The Viscount Addison Lord President of the Council In office 25 November 1952 – 29 March 1957 Monarch Elizabeth II Prime Minister Winston Churchill Anthony Eden Preceded by The Lord Woolton Succeeded by The Earl of Home Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations In office 12 March 1952 – 24 November 1952 Monarch Elizabeth II Prime Minister Winston Churchill Preceded by The Baron Ismay Succeeded by The Viscount Swinton Secretary of State for the Colonies In office 22 February 1942 – 22 November 1942 Monarch George VI Prime Minister Winston Churchill Preceded by The Lord Moyne Succeeded by Oliver Stanley Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal In office 28 October 1951 – 7 May 1952 Monarch George VI Prime Minister Winston Churchill Preceded by Richard Stokes Succeeded by Harry Crookshank In office 22 November 1942 – 24 September 1943 Monarch George VI Prime Minister Winston Churchill Preceded by Stafford Cripps Succeeded by The Lord Beaverbrook Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs In office 24 September 1943 – 26 July 1945 Monarch George VI Prime Minister Winston Churchill Preceded by Clement Attlee Succeeded by The Viscount Addison In office 3 October 1940 – 19 February 1942 Monarch George VI Prime Minister Winston Churchill Preceded by The Viscount Caldecote Succeeded by Clement Attlee Paymaster General In office 15 May 1940 – 3 October 1940 Monarch George VI Prime Minister Winston Churchill Preceded by The Earl Winterton Succeeded by Maurice Hankey Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs In office 18 June 1935 – 20 February 1938 Monarch George V Edward VIII George VI Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin Neville Chamberlain Preceded by The Earl Stanhope Succeeded by The Earl Plymouth
Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal
In office 4 April 1947 – 23 February 1972 Hereditary Peerage
Preceded by	The 4th Marquess of Salisbury
Succeeded by	The 6th Marquess of Salisbury
In office 21 January 1941 – 4 April 1947 as Baron Cecil of Essendon
Preceded by	James Gascoyne-Cecil (by writ of acceleration)
Succeeded by	himself
Member of Parliament for South Dorset
In office 30 May 1929 – 21 January 1941
Preceded by	Robert Yerburgh
Succeeded by	Victor Montagu
Personal details
Born	(1893-08-27)27 August 1893
Died	23 February 1972(1972-02-23) (aged 78)
Nationality	British
Political party	Conservative
Spouse	Elizabeth Cavendish ​ (m. 1915)​
Children	Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 6th Marquess of Salisbury Michael Charles James Cecil Richard Hugh Cecil
Alma mater	Christ Church, Oxford

Robert Arthur James Gascoyne-Cecil, also known as the 5th Marquess of Salisbury, was a British politician. He was born on August 27, 1893, and passed away on February 23, 1972. From 1903 to 1947, people knew him as Viscount Cranborne. He was a key member of the Conservative Party.

Early Life and Education

Robert Gascoyne-Cecil was often called "Bobbety" by his friends. He was the oldest son of James Gascoyne-Cecil, 4th Marquess of Salisbury. His grandfather, the 3rd Marquess of Salisbury, was a Prime Minister from 1895 to 1902.

Robert went to Eton, a famous school, and then studied at Christ Church, Oxford, a university. Later in 1951, he received an honorary degree, which is a special award from a university.

Military Service and Early Career

Robert served in the Army during World War I. He became a Lieutenant in the Grenadier Guards in 1915 and served until the war ended. For his bravery, he received the Croix de Guerre and the Chevalier Order of the Crown of Belgium.

After the war, he worked at the Westminster Bank. In 1928, he became a director there. He also joined the Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts and later became its chairman in 1957.

Starting His Political Journey

Robert, known as Viscount Cranborne at the time, began his political career in 1929. He was elected as a Conservative MP for South Dorset.

• In 1934, he became a Parliamentary Secretary.
• From 1935 to 1938, he served as the Joint Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
• In May 1940, Winston Churchill made him Paymaster General during the Battle of Britain.
• He then became Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs from 1940 to 1942.

In 1941, he joined the House of Lords as Baron Cecil of Essendon. This was a special way to enter the House of Lords while his father was still alive.

Key Roles During World War II

During World War II, Robert held several important government positions:

• He was Secretary of State for the Colonies from February to November 1942.
• He served as Lord Privy Seal between 1942 and 1943.
• He was the Leader of the House of Lords from 1942 to 1945.
• He was again the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs from 1943 to 1945.

As a friend of Winston Churchill, he was chosen in 1943 to be President of the English-Speaking Union. This group worked to promote the English language across the British Empire. He also became President of the University College of the South West.

In 1947, King George VI honored him by making him a Knight of the Order of the Garter. Soon after, he inherited his father's title and became the Marquess of Salisbury.

Political Leadership in the 1950s

When the Conservative Party returned to power in the 1950s, Robert continued to serve in high-ranking roles under Prime Ministers Winston Churchill, Anthony Eden, and Harold Macmillan.

• He was Lord Privy Seal from 1951 to 1952.
• He was the Leader of the House of Lords from 1951 to 1957.
• He became Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations in 1952.
• He served as Lord President of the Council from December 1952 to 1957.

During the coronation of Elizabeth II, he even served as Acting Foreign Secretary. This happened because Anthony Eden was very ill at the time. In November 1951, he received another honorary doctorate from the University of Liverpool.

Views on Empire and Politics

Lord Salisbury was known for his strong belief in the British Empire. He was a firm supporter of the white-led governments in South Africa and Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). In 1956, he was given the Freedom of the City of Salisbury in Southern Rhodesia, a city named after his grandfather.

He also played a role in how the House of Lords works. He created the Salisbury Convention. This rule means that the House of Lords generally won't block new laws that were promised by the government in their election plans.

In 1957, when Prime Minister Anthony Eden resigned, Lord Salisbury helped advise Queen Elizabeth II on who should be the next Prime Minister. He interviewed Cabinet members to find out who they supported. This advice helped Harold Macmillan become the new Prime Minister.

Lord Salisbury later resigned from his role as Leader of the House of Lords. He disagreed with the government's decision to release Archbishop Makarios from prison. Makarios was a leader in Cyprus who had been arrested by the British.

In 1962, he became the first president of the Conservative Monday Club. He held this position until his death.

Other Achievements and Interests

Beyond politics, Lord Salisbury had other interests. He was recognized for his love of culture and was made a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Arts. He also served as a Trustee of the National Gallery from 1960 to 1966.

He was the Chancellor of the University of Liverpool from 1951 until 1971.

Family Life

Lord Salisbury married Elizabeth Vere Cavendish on December 8, 1915. They had three sons:

• Robert Edward Peter Gascoyne-Cecil (born 1916, died 2003)
• Michael Charles James Gascoyne-Cecil (born 1918, died 1934)
• Richard Hugh Vere Gascoyne-Cecil (born 1924), who was a pilot in the RAF and was killed in action during the Second World War in 1944.

Lord Salisbury passed away in February 1972 at the age of 78. His oldest living son, Robert, became the 6th Marquess of Salisbury. Lady Salisbury died in 1982.

In Popular Culture

Robert Gascoyne-Cecil is shown in the Netflix series The Crown. He is played by actor Clive Francis.