James Thomas, 1st Viscount Cilcennin
Encyclopedia
James Purdon Lewes "Jim" Thomas, 1st Viscount Cilcennin (13 October 1903 – 13 July 1960) was a British Conservative
politician. He served as First Lord of the Admiralty between 1951 and 1956.
, Caeglas, Llandilo, Carmarthenshire
, and Anne Louisa, daughter of Commander George Purdon. He was educated at Rugby
and Oriel College, Oxford.
, the leader of the Conservative Party, between 1929 and 1931. The latter year he was elected Member of Parliament
for Hereford
. He was Parliamentary Private Secretary
(PPS) to the Dominions Secretary, James Henry Thomas
, between 1932 to 1935, to the Colonial Secretary
, Thomas and from 1936 William Ormsby-Gore
, between 1935 and 1937, and to the Foreign Secretary, Anthony Eden
, between 1937 and Eden's resignation in 1938. He entered the government as a Lord of the Treasury
under Neville Chamberlain
in 1939, an office he retained when Winston Churchill
became Prime Minister in May 1940. In 1940 he was also PPS to the War Secretary
.
In 1943 Churchill appointed Thomas Financial Secretary to the Admiralty, which he remained until 1945. When Churchill returned as Prime Minister in 1951, Thomas was sworn of the Privy Council and appointed First Lord of the Admiralty. He left the House of Commons in 1955 and was raised to the peerage
as Viscount Cilcennin, of Hereford in the County of Hereford, in early 1956 (the title was pronounced "Kilkennin"). He continued First Lord of the Admiralty until September 1956, when he resigned. In 1957 he was appointed Lord-Lieutenant of Herefordshire, a post he held until his early death three years later.
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...
politician. He served as First Lord of the Admiralty between 1951 and 1956.
Background and education
Thomas was the son of James Lewes Thomas, JPJustice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
, Caeglas, Llandilo, Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire is a unitary authority in the south west of Wales and one of thirteen historic counties. It is the 3rd largest in Wales. Its three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford...
, and Anne Louisa, daughter of Commander George Purdon. He was educated at Rugby
Rugby 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 Oriel College, Oxford.
Political career
Thomas was private secretary to Stanley BaldwinStanley Baldwin
Stanley Baldwin, 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley, KG, PC was a British Conservative politician, who dominated the government in his country between the two world wars...
, the leader of the Conservative Party, between 1929 and 1931. The latter year he was elected Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Hereford
Hereford (UK Parliament constituency)
Hereford was, until 2010, a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Since 1918, it had elected one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post voting system....
. He was Parliamentary Private Secretary
Parliamentary Private Secretary
A Parliamentary Private Secretary is a role given to a United Kingdom Member of Parliament by a senior minister in government or shadow minister to act as their contact for the House of Commons; this role is junior to that of Parliamentary Under-Secretary, which is a ministerial post, salaried by...
(PPS) to the Dominions Secretary, James Henry Thomas
James Henry Thomas
James Henry "Jimmy" Thomas was a British trade unionist and Labour politician. He was involved in a political scandal involving budget leaks.-Early career and Trade Union activities:...
, between 1932 to 1935, to the Colonial Secretary
Secretary of State for the Colonies
The Secretary of State for the Colonies or Colonial Secretary was the British Cabinet minister in charge of managing the United Kingdom's various colonial dependencies....
, Thomas and from 1936 William Ormsby-Gore
William Ormsby-Gore, 4th Baron Harlech
William George Arthur Ormsby-Gore, 4th Baron Harlech KG, GCMG, PC , known as William Ormsby-Gore until 1938, was a British Conservative politician and banker.-Background:...
, between 1935 and 1937, and to the Foreign Secretary, 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...
, between 1937 and Eden's resignation in 1938. He entered the government as a Lord of the Treasury
Lord of the Treasury
In the United Kingdom, there are at least six Lords of the Treasury who serve concurrently. Traditionally, this board consists of the First Lord of the Treasury, the Second Lord of the Treasury, and four or more junior lords .Strictly they are commissioners for exercising the office of Lord...
under Neville Chamberlain
Neville Chamberlain
Arthur Neville Chamberlain FRS was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from May 1937 to May 1940. Chamberlain is best known for his appeasement foreign policy, and in particular for his signing of the Munich Agreement in 1938, conceding the...
in 1939, an office he retained when 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...
became Prime Minister in May 1940. In 1940 he was also PPS to the War Secretary
Secretary of State for War
The position of Secretary of State for War, commonly called War Secretary, was a British cabinet-level position, first held by Henry Dundas . In 1801 the post became that of Secretary of State for War and the Colonies. The position was re-instated in 1854...
.
In 1943 Churchill appointed Thomas Financial Secretary to the Admiralty, which he remained until 1945. When Churchill returned as Prime Minister in 1951, Thomas was sworn of the Privy Council and appointed First Lord of the Admiralty. He left the House of Commons in 1955 and was raised to the peerage
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
as Viscount Cilcennin, of Hereford in the County of Hereford, in early 1956 (the title was pronounced "Kilkennin"). He continued First Lord of the Admiralty until September 1956, when he resigned. In 1957 he was appointed Lord-Lieutenant of Herefordshire, a post he held until his early death three years later.