Godfrey Elton, 1st Baron Elton
Encyclopedia
Godfrey Elton, 1st Baron Elton (29 March 1892-18 April 1973), was a British
historian.
and Balliol College, Oxford
. At Oxford he at first studies classics
but later turned to history. However, he never took his history finals as he was commissioned into the 4th Hampshire Regiment in September 1914. He fought in Mesopotamia
in the First World War and was wounded during the siege of Kut-el-Amara. After Kut-el-Amara fell in April 1916 he was taken prisoner by the Turks
. After the war Elton was elected a Fellow of Queen's College, Oxford in 1919, and was lecturer in modern history from 1919 to 1939, dean of the college between 1921 and 1923 and tutor from 1927 to 1934. In 1923 he published The Revolutionary Idea in France, 1789-1878.
shortly after the end of the world war and stood unsuccessfully for Thornbury
in the 1924 and 1929 general elections. He was a strong supporter of Ramsay MacDonald
, whose son Malcolm MacDonald
had been his pupil at Oxford, and followed him into National Labour. In 1934, on Macdonald's initiative, he was raised to the peerage as Baron Elton, of Headington in the County of Oxford. Elton's somewhat controversial elevation to the peerage caused fellow historian Lewis Namier to remark: "In the eighteenth-century peers made their tutors under-secretaries; in the twentieth under-secretaries make their tutors peers" (Malcolm MacDonald was at the time serving as Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs
). Lord Elton was a frequent speaker in the House of Lords
and a member of several government committees.
, Norway
, in 1921. They had three children, one son and two daughters. He died in April 1973, aged 81, and was succeeded in the barony by his only son Rodney
, who became a Conservative
government minister. Lady Elton died in 1977.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
historian.
Early life
Elton was the eldest son of Edward Fiennes Elton and his wife Violet Hylda Fletcher. He was educated at RugbyRugby School
Rugby School is a co-educational day and boarding school located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. It is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain.-History:...
and Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England but founded by a family with strong Scottish connections....
. At Oxford he at first studies classics
Classics
Classics is the branch of the Humanities comprising the languages, literature, philosophy, history, art, archaeology and other culture of the ancient Mediterranean world ; especially Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome during Classical Antiquity Classics (sometimes encompassing Classical Studies or...
but later turned to history. However, he never took his history finals as he was commissioned into the 4th Hampshire Regiment in September 1914. He fought in Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia is a toponym for the area of the Tigris–Euphrates river system, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and southwestern Iran.Widely considered to be the cradle of civilization, Bronze Age Mesopotamia included Sumer and the...
in the First World War and was wounded during the siege of Kut-el-Amara. After Kut-el-Amara fell in April 1916 he was taken prisoner by the Turks
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
. After the war Elton was elected a Fellow of Queen's College, Oxford in 1919, and was lecturer in modern history from 1919 to 1939, dean of the college between 1921 and 1923 and tutor from 1927 to 1934. In 1923 he published The Revolutionary Idea in France, 1789-1878.
Political career
Elton was also involved in politics. He joined the Labour PartyLabour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
shortly after the end of the world war and stood unsuccessfully for Thornbury
Thornbury (UK Parliament constituency)
Thornbury was a county constituency centred on the town of Thornbury in Gloucestershire. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system.-History:...
in the 1924 and 1929 general elections. He was a strong supporter of Ramsay MacDonald
Ramsay MacDonald
James Ramsay MacDonald, PC, FRS was a British politician who was the first ever Labour Prime Minister, leading a minority government for two terms....
, whose son Malcolm MacDonald
Malcolm MacDonald
Malcolm John MacDonald OM, PC was a British politician and diplomat.-Background:MacDonald was the son of Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald and Margaret MacDonald. Like his father he was born in Lossiemouth, Moray...
had been his pupil at Oxford, and followed him into National Labour. In 1934, on Macdonald's initiative, he was raised to the peerage as Baron Elton, of Headington in the County of Oxford. Elton's somewhat controversial elevation to the peerage caused fellow historian Lewis Namier to remark: "In the eighteenth-century peers made their tutors under-secretaries; in the twentieth under-secretaries make their tutors peers" (Malcolm MacDonald was at the time serving as Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs
Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs
The position of Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs was a British ministerial position, subordinate to that of Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs, created in 1925 to deal with British relations with the Dominions — Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Newfoundland, and the...
). Lord Elton was a frequent speaker in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
and a member of several government committees.
Rhodes Trust
In 1939 Elton gave up his teaching fellowship at Queen's College and the same year he became secretary of the Rhodes Trust, a post he held until 1959.Writing
Elton was the author of several books, notably a biography of Ramsay MacDonald, entitled The Life of James Ramsay MacDonald 1866-1919. In 1938 he published his autobiography, Among Others.Personal life
Lord Elton married Dedi, daughter of Gustav Hartmann of OsloOslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, in 1921. They had three children, one son and two daughters. He died in April 1973, aged 81, and was succeeded in the barony by his only son Rodney
Rodney Elton, 2nd Baron Elton
Rodney Elton, 2nd Baron Elton is a British politician and Conservative member of the House of Lords.Lord Elton was educated at Eton College and New College, Oxford. The son of Godfrey Elton, 1st Baron Elton, Lord Elton succeeded to the peerage on his father's death in 1973...
, who became a Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
government minister. Lady Elton died in 1977.