William Morrison, 1st Viscount Dunrossil Facts for Kids

Ministerial positions


Postmaster General
In office 3 April 1940 – 7 February 1943
Monarch	George VI
Prime Minister	Neville Chamberlain Winston Churchill
Preceded by	George Tryon
Succeeded by	Harry Crookshank
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
In office 29 January 1939 – 3 April 1940
Monarch	George VI
Prime Minister	Neville Chamberlain
Preceded by	The Earl Winterton
Succeeded by	George Tryon
Minister of Food
In office 4 September 1939 – 3 April 1940
Monarch	George VI
Prime Minister	Neville Chamberlain
Preceded by	Office Established Charles McCurdy as Minister of Food Control, 1921
Succeeded by	The Lord Woolton
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
In office 29 October 1936 – 29 January 1939
Monarch	Edward VIII George VI
Prime Minister	Stanley Baldwin Neville Chamberlain
Preceded by	Walter Elliot
Succeeded by	Sir Reginald Dorman-Smith

Constituency

Member of Parliament for Cirencester and Tewkesbury
In office 30 May 1929 – 18 September 1959
Preceded by	Thomas Davies
Succeeded by	Nicholas Ridley

Personal details

Born

10 August 1893
Torinturk, Argyll, Scotland

Died

3 February 1961 (aged 67)
Canberra, Australia

Resting place

St John the Baptist Church, Reid

Nationality

British

Political party

Conservative

Spouse

Katharine Swan

(m. 1924)

Children

Four, including John

Alma mater

University of Edinburgh

William Shepherd Morrison, 1st Viscount Dunrossil (born August 10, 1893 – died February 3, 1961) was an important British politician. He held many government jobs before becoming the Speaker of the House of Commons from 1951 to 1959. After that, he was chosen to be the 14th Governor-General of Australia. He served in this role from 1960 until he passed away in 1961.

Morrison grew up in Scotland, the son of a farmer. He studied at the University of Edinburgh but paused his education to serve in World War I. He was a soldier in the Royal Field Artillery and earned the Military Cross for his bravery. After the war, he became a lawyer. In 1929, he was elected to the House of Commons as a member of the Conservative Party.

He became a government minister in 1936, working under different Prime Ministers. He was in charge of areas like agriculture, food, and postal services. In 1951, he became the Speaker of the House of Commons, a very important role where he made sure debates were fair. When he finished this job, he was given the special title of Viscount Dunrossil. In 1960, he moved to Australia to become the Governor-General, representing the Queen. Sadly, he died in office just one year later.

Early Life and Education
Political Journey
- Government Roles
- Becoming Speaker of the House
Governor-General of Australia
Honours and Awards

Early Life and Education

William Morrison was born in a small village called Torinturk in Scotland. His father was a farmer. William went to George Watson's College and then to the University of Edinburgh.

His studies were interrupted by the First World War. He joined the British Army and served as an officer in an artillery group in France. He was awarded the Military Cross for his actions. In 1919, he left the Army as a captain. He married Katharine Swan in 1924, and they had four sons.

Political Journey

Morrison started his political career when he was elected to the House of Commons in 1929. He represented the area of Cirencester and Tewkesbury for the Conservative Party. In Parliament, he was known for often quoting William Shakespeare, which earned him the nickname "Shakes."

Government Roles

Morrison held many important jobs in the government under four different Prime Ministers. These included Ramsay MacDonald, Stanley Baldwin, Neville Chamberlain, and Winston Churchill.

Some of his key roles were:

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries (1936–1939)
Minister of Food (1939–1940)
Postmaster-General (1940–1943)
Minister of Town and Country Planning (1943–1945)

In 1947, he spoke out against identity cards. These cards had been used during the war. He felt they were annoying for law-abiding people and not very effective.

Becoming Speaker of the House

In 1951, the Conservative Party won the general election. William Morrison was then chosen to be the Speaker of the House of Commons. This was a big moment because it was the first time in the 20th century that the election for Speaker was challenged. Another politician, Major James Milner from the Labour Party, also wanted the job. However, Morrison was elected after a vote.

Governor-General of Australia

Dunrossil and his wife in Canberra, Australia, 1960

Morrison served as Speaker until 1959. He then announced he would retire due to his health. As is tradition for former Speakers, he was given the title of Viscount, becoming Viscount Dunrossil.

It surprised many people when he was chosen to become the Governor-General of Australia shortly after. This role meant he would represent the Queen in Australia. He was also made a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (GCMG). At this time, some Australians preferred their own citizens as Governor-General. However, the Australian Prime Minister, Robert Menzies, wanted to keep a strong link with Britain.

Lord Dunrossil started his role as Governor-General on February 2, 1960. He was known for being more relaxed than the previous Governor-General. However, he faced health challenges while in office. His wife often stepped in for him at official events.

Sadly, Lord Dunrossil passed away on February 3, 1961, due to a sudden illness. He was the first and only Governor-General of Australia to die while in office. He received a special state funeral and was buried in St John the Baptist Church, Reid. His son, John Morrison, 2nd Viscount Dunrossil, inherited his title.

Honours and Awards

William Morrison received several important honours and awards during his life. These recognised his service in the military and his political career.

Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (GCMG)
Military Cross (MC)
Knight of the Order of St John (KStJ)
1914-15 Star
British War Medal
Victory Medal (with a special mention for bravery)
King George V Silver Jubilee Medal (1935)
King George VI Coronation Medal (1937)
Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal (1953)

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William Morrison, 1st Viscount Dunrossil Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.

William Morrison, 1st Viscount Dunrossil facts for kids

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