Harcourt Johnstone
Encyclopedia
Harcourt 'Crinks' Johnstone (19 May 1895 – 1 March 1945) was a British Liberal Party
politician.
(1827–1904) who was Home Secretary and Chancellor of the Exchequer under William Ewart Gladstone
. His paternal grandfather was the first Baron Derwent.Harcourt Johnstone was educated at Eton College
and at Balliol College, Oxford
. In the First World War he served in the Rifle Brigade and on the staff in France and Belgium.
for the Liberals at the general election of 1922
. However the sitting Tory
MP, Sir H M Mallaby-Deeley, resigned in 1923 causing a by-election
which was held on 3 March 1923. Johnstone was again chosen to contest the seat for the Liberals and won by a majority of 5,176 votes over the Conservative George Frederick Stanley
. Johnstone held the seat in the 1923 general election
, only to lose it to Stanley at the 1924 general election
. He then tried and failed to return to the House of Commons at by-elections: first at Eastbourne in 1925
and later at Westbury in 1927, where he lost by just 149 votes. He fought Westbury
a second time at the 1929 general election
again losing narrowly. However at the 1931 general election
he got in at South Shields
, before losing the seat in 1935. In May 1940, even though Johnstone was outside Parliament, Winston Churchill
decided to appoint him to the government as Secretary to the Department of Overseas Trade. Two months later the Liberal constituency of Middlesbrough West
became vacant when the sitting MP, Frank Kingsley Griffith
, was made a county court judge and Johnstone was returned for the seat at a by-election
on 7 August 1940 unopposed under the terms of the wartime electoral truce. He was made a Privy Councillor in 1943. By common consent he was an effective minister. As of 2008, he is the last MP for South Shields to have represented any party other than Labour
.
and used a lot of his own personal wealth to support the ailing Liberal party. During the National Government after 1931 he remained a faithful member of the Samuelite Liberals, always supporting the traditional policy of Free Trade
against protectionism
. After 1935, again out of Parliament, he gave close support to Sinclair and, despite the animosities of earlier years, endorsed Sinclair’s attempts to reunite the Liberal party with the Lloyd George family group of MPs. Despite any temptations to defect from the party during these difficult years – and plenty did – he remained a constant Liberal.
Johnstone’s unexpected return to government and Parliament in 1940 came about mainly as a result of his closeness to Sinclair and his friendship with Churchill. Johnstone had been a member and one-time co-secretary with Brendan Bracken of the Other Club since the early 1930s. The Other Club was a political dining club founded by Churchill and F.E. Smith in 1911. This fitted with Johnstone’s reputation for enjoying the good life. In his diaries, "Chips", Sir Henry Channon
said that Harcourt "dug his own grave with his teeth". He was known as a lover of books, furniture and pictures, being good fun and good company and not being a great exponent of taking exercise.
on 13 March attended by the prime minister and Clementine Churchill, Clement Attlee
(deputy prime minister) and Anthony Eden
amongst prominent government mourners.
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
politician.
Early Life & Education
Johnstone was born in London in 1895, the son of the Hon. Sir Alan Johnstone, a British diplomat, and his American wife Antoinette Pinchot. His nickname 'Crinks' is alleged to have derived from the wrinkled face he had as a baby. One of his ancestors was Sir William Vernon HarcourtWilliam Vernon Harcourt (politician)
Sir William George Granville Venables Vernon Harcourt was a British lawyer, journalist and Liberal statesman. He served as Member of Parliament for various constituencies and held the offices of Home Secretary and Chancellor of the Exchequer under William Ewart Gladstone before becoming Leader of...
(1827–1904) who was Home Secretary and Chancellor of the Exchequer under William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone FRS FSS was a British Liberal statesman. In a career lasting over sixty years, he served as Prime Minister four separate times , more than any other person. Gladstone was also Britain's oldest Prime Minister, 84 years old when he resigned for the last time...
. His paternal grandfather was the first Baron Derwent.Harcourt Johnstone was educated at Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and at 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....
. In the First World War he served in the Rifle Brigade and on the staff in France and Belgium.
Politics
Drawn to politics, he unsuccessfully contested Willesden EastWillesden East (UK Parliament constituency)
Willesden East was a borough constituency in the Municipal Borough of Willesden, in North-West London. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
for the Liberals at the general election of 1922
United Kingdom general election, 1922
The United Kingdom general election of 1922 was held on 15 November 1922. It was the first election held after most of the Irish counties left the United Kingdom to form the Irish Free State, and was won by Andrew Bonar Law's Conservatives, who gained an overall majority over Labour, led by John...
. However the sitting Tory
Tory
Toryism is a traditionalist and conservative political philosophy which grew out of the Cavalier faction in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It is a prominent ideology in the politics of the United Kingdom, but also features in parts of The Commonwealth, particularly in Canada...
MP, Sir H M Mallaby-Deeley, resigned in 1923 causing a by-election
Willesden East by-election, 1923
The Willesden East by-election, 1923 was a parliamentary by-election for the British House of Commons constituency of Willenseden East held on 3 March 1923. The constituency was a large one extending from Kilburn in the south to the Welsh Harp and on to Neasden...
which was held on 3 March 1923. Johnstone was again chosen to contest the seat for the Liberals and won by a majority of 5,176 votes over the Conservative George Frederick Stanley
George Frederick Stanley
Lieutenant-Colonel Sir George Frederick Stanley GCSI GCIE CMG was a British soldier and Conservative Party politician who served as a member of the UK Parliament for Preston and later, Willesdon East...
. Johnstone held the seat in the 1923 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1923
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
, only to lose it to Stanley at the 1924 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1924
- Seats summary :- References :* F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* - External links :* * *...
. He then tried and failed to return to the House of Commons at by-elections: first at Eastbourne in 1925
Eastbourne by-election, 1925
The Eastbourne by-election, 1925 was a parliamentary by-election held in England on 17 June 1925 for the House of Commons constituency of Eastbourne in East Sussex.- Vacanacy :...
and later at Westbury in 1927, where he lost by just 149 votes. He fought Westbury
Westbury (UK Parliament constituency)
Westbury was a parliamentary constituency in Wiltshire from 1449 to 2010. It was represented in the House of Commons of England until 1707, and then in the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and finally in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801...
a second time at the 1929 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1929
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
again losing narrowly. However at the 1931 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1931
The United Kingdom general election on Tuesday 27 October 1931 was the last in the United Kingdom not held on a Thursday. It was also the last election, and the only one under universal suffrage, where one party received an absolute majority of the votes cast.The 1931 general election was the...
he got in at South Shields
South Shields (UK Parliament constituency)
South Shields is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
, before losing the seat in 1935. In May 1940, even though Johnstone was outside Parliament, Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
decided to appoint him to the government as Secretary to the Department of Overseas Trade. Two months later the Liberal constituency of Middlesbrough West
Middlesbrough West (UK Parliament constituency)
Middlesbrough West was a parliamentary constituency in the town of Middlesbrough in North East England. 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....
became vacant when the sitting MP, Frank Kingsley Griffith
Frank Kingsley Griffith
Frank Kingsley Griffith was a British Liberal Party politician, barrister and County Court judge.-Early life:...
, was made a county court judge and Johnstone was returned for the seat at a by-election
Middlesbrough West by-election, 1940
The Middlesbrough West by-election, 1940 was a parliamentary by-election held on 7 August 1940 for the British House of Commons constituency of Middlesbrough West.- Previous MP :...
on 7 August 1940 unopposed under the terms of the wartime electoral truce. He was made a Privy Councillor in 1943. By common consent he was an effective minister. As of 2008, he is the last MP for South Shields to have represented any party other than Labour
Labour 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...
.
Minister
Although little known today, Johnstone was the most prominent Liberal member of the wartime coalition government after Sir Archie Sinclair, who was Liberal leader from 1935 to 1945. He was a key figure in the Liberal Party Organisation between the two World Wars and was Secretary of the influential Liberal Candidates Association. He was a leading supporter of H H Asquith in the party split with David Lloyd GeorgeDavid Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
and used a lot of his own personal wealth to support the ailing Liberal party. During the National Government after 1931 he remained a faithful member of the Samuelite Liberals, always supporting the traditional policy of Free Trade
Free trade
Under a free trade policy, prices emerge from supply and demand, and are the sole determinant of resource allocation. 'Free' trade differs from other forms of trade policy where the allocation of goods and services among trading countries are determined by price strategies that may differ from...
against protectionism
Protectionism
Protectionism is the economic policy of restraining trade between states through methods such as tariffs on imported goods, restrictive quotas, and a variety of other government regulations designed to allow "fair competition" between imports and goods and services produced domestically.This...
. After 1935, again out of Parliament, he gave close support to Sinclair and, despite the animosities of earlier years, endorsed Sinclair’s attempts to reunite the Liberal party with the Lloyd George family group of MPs. Despite any temptations to defect from the party during these difficult years – and plenty did – he remained a constant Liberal.
Johnstone’s unexpected return to government and Parliament in 1940 came about mainly as a result of his closeness to Sinclair and his friendship with Churchill. Johnstone had been a member and one-time co-secretary with Brendan Bracken of the Other Club since the early 1930s. The Other Club was a political dining club founded by Churchill and F.E. Smith in 1911. This fitted with Johnstone’s reputation for enjoying the good life. In his diaries, "Chips", Sir Henry Channon
Henry Channon
Sir Henry "Chips" Channon was an American-born British Conservative politician, author and diarist. Channon moved to England in 1920 and became strongly anti-American, feeling that American cultural and economic views threatened traditional European and British civilisation. He wrote extensively...
said that Harcourt "dug his own grave with his teeth". He was known as a lover of books, furniture and pictures, being good fun and good company and not being a great exponent of taking exercise.
Death
Aged only 49, Johnstone died suddenly in March 1945 of a stroke. A memorial service was held for him at the Church of St. Margaret, WestminsterSt. Margaret's, Westminster
The Anglican church of St. Margaret, Westminster Abbey is situated in the grounds of Westminster Abbey on Parliament Square, and is the parish church of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom in London...
on 13 March attended by the prime minister and Clementine Churchill, Clement Attlee
Clement Attlee
Clement Richard Attlee, 1st Earl Attlee, KG, OM, CH, PC, FRS was a British Labour politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1945 to 1951, and as the Leader of the Labour Party from 1935 to 1955...
(deputy prime minister) and Anthony Eden
Anthony Eden
Robert Anthony Eden, 1st Earl of Avon, KG, MC, PC was a British Conservative politician, who was Prime Minister from 1955 to 1957...
amongst prominent government mourners.
Further reading
- C.R.Coote. The Other Club (Chapter Eminent Unknowns), 1971
- Reynolds, Jaime & Hunter, Ian. 'Crinks' Johnstone, Journal of Liberal History, Issue no.26, Spring 2000