Robert Horne, 1st Viscount Horne of Slamannan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Viscount Horne of Slamannan
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| Chancellor of the Exchequer | |
| In office 1 April 1921 – 19 October 1922 |
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| Monarch | George V |
| Prime Minister | David Lloyd George |
| Preceded by | Austen Chamberlain |
| Succeeded by | Stanley Baldwin |
| President of the Board of Trade | |
| In office 19 March 1920 – 1 April 1921 |
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| Monarch | George V |
| Prime Minister | David Lloyd George |
| Preceded by | Sir Auckland Geddes |
| Succeeded by | Stanley Baldwin |
| Minister of Labour | |
| In office 10 January 1919 – 19 March 1920 |
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| Monarch | George V |
| Prime Minister | David Lloyd George |
| Preceded by | George Henry Roberts |
| Succeeded by | Thomas James Macnamara |
| Member of Parliament for Glasgow Hillhead |
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| In office 14 December 1918 – 9 June 1937 |
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| Preceded by | Constituency created |
| Succeeded by | James Reid |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Robert Stevenson Horne
28 February 1871 Slamannan, Stirlingshire |
| Died | 3 September 1940 (aged 69) |
| Political party | Unionist |
| Alma mater | University of Glasgow |
| Profession | Advocate |
Robert Stevenson Horne, 1st Viscount Horne of Slamannan (born February 28, 1871 – died September 3, 1940) was an important Scottish politician and businessman. He was a member of the Unionist Party. He held several big jobs in the British government. These included Minister of Labour, President of the Board of Trade, and Chancellor of the Exchequer. He worked under Prime Minister David Lloyd George. Later in his life, he was given the special title of Viscount Horne of Slamannan.
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Early Life and Education
Robert Stevenson Horne was born in a village called Slamannan in Stirlingshire, Scotland. His father, also named Robert Stevenson Horne, was a minister for the Church of Scotland in the village. His mother was Mary Lockhead.
Robert went to school at George Watson's College in Edinburgh. After that, he studied law at the University of Glasgow. While at university, he was chosen by his fellow students to be the President of the Students' Representative Council. This shows he was a leader even when he was young.
Career Before Politics
After university, Horne spent a year teaching philosophy at the University College of North Wales. In 1896, he became an advocate, which is a type of lawyer in Scotland. He became very good at his job, especially with cases about business and shipping. In 1910, he was made a King's Counsel, a special title for experienced lawyers.
He also worked at the University of Aberdeen. He was an examiner for philosophy students from 1896 to 1900. Later, from 1921 to 1924, he was the Rector, a senior leader at the university.
Horne was also a director on the boards of many large companies. He worked for the Suez Canal Company and was the chairman of the Great Western Railway Company. He was also a director for several other companies and banks.
Service During World War I
During the First World War, Robert Horne used his skills to help the country. He became the Director of Railways on the Western Front. This was a very important job to help move supplies and soldiers. He was given the honorary rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in the Royal Engineers.
In 1917, he joined the British Admiralty, which manages the Royal Navy. He started as an Assistant Inspector-General of Transportation. In 1918, he became the Director of Materials and Priority. Later that same year, he was made Director of Labour and Third Civil Lord. These roles were key in making sure the war effort had enough resources and workers.
Becoming a Member of Parliament
Robert Horne tried to become a Member of Parliament (MP) for Stirlingshire twice in 1910, but he did not win. However, in the 1918 election, he was successfully elected as the MP for Glasgow Hillhead.
Important Government Roles
Once he was an MP, Horne quickly moved into important government positions under Prime Minister David Lloyd George.
- From 1919 to 1920, he was the Minister of Labour. This role focused on jobs and workers' rights.
- From 1920 to 1921, he became the President of the Board of Trade. This job was about managing trade and business for the country.
- From 1921 to 1922, he held the very important position of Chancellor of the Exchequer. This role is in charge of the country's money and finances.
As Chancellor, he was involved in talks that led to the Anglo-Soviet Trade Agreement. This was a trade deal with the new Russian Soviet government. A Russian official named Leonid Krasin pushed Horne to sign the agreement. He said that if Britain didn't sign, Russia would cancel orders with textile factories in Yorkshire. Many of these factories relied on these orders to stay open. When the treaty was signed, it was the first time Britain officially recognized the new Russian government.
Life After Government Service
In 1922, the government led by Lloyd George ended. Robert Horne decided not to join the new government. Two years later, Stanley Baldwin offered him the job of Minister of Labour again. But Horne said no. He wanted to focus on his work in the City, which means working in finance and business in London.
He remained an MP until 1937, but he never held a government job again. For his work during the war, he was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) in 1918. In 1920, he was made a Knight Grand Cross (GBE) for his work as Minister of Labour. In 1919, he also joined the Privy Council, a group of important advisors to the King.
On June 9, 1937, he was given the special title of Viscount Horne of Slamannan. This meant he became a member of the House of Lords.
Later Life
Robert Horne passed away in September 1940, when he was 69 years old. He never married or had children. Because of this, the title of Viscount Horne of Slamannan ended when he died.
Images for kids
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Robert Stevenson Horne, 1st Viscount Horne of Slamannan.
