John Maffey, 1st Baron Rugby
Encyclopedia
John Loader Maffey, 1st Baron Rugby, GCMG, KCB
, KCVO
, CSI
, CIE
(1 July 1877 – 20 April 1969) was a British civil servant.
Maffey was the younger son of Thomas Maffey, a commercial traveller of Rugby, Warwickshire
, and his wife Mary Penelope, daughter of John Loader. He was educated at Rugby
and Christ Church, Oxford
.
from 1916 to 1920 and Chief Commissioner of the North-West Frontier Province
from 1921 to 1924. After a disagreement with the British government in 1924, Maffey resigned from the Indian Civil Service. In 1926 he became Governor-General
of the Sudan, followed in 1933 by his appointment as Permanent Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies
. At Winston Churchill
's request he became the first United Kingdom representative to Ireland in 1939, a post he held throughout the war years and until his retirement in 1949.
During the war Maffey was undoubtedly the most important foreign diplomat resident in Dublin, given the complications of Ireland's neutrality policy
. Appointed as 'British representative to Ireland', but not as ambassador because of the External Relations Act, he quickly established a good working relationship with Éamon de Valera
. De Valera was personally in favour of the survival of democracy, but did not necessarily trust the British to look after Ireland's best interests. Maffey was vital in mediating between the 'Warlord' Churchill and 'the Chief' de Valera. When de Valera was replaced by a coalition, headed by John Costello
, in 1948, Maffey again established a good working relationship with its members, although he was scathing about the clumsy manner in which the declaration of a Republic was handled: "Mr. Costello has handled the business in a slapdash and amateur fashion".
In 1947 Maffey was raised to the peerage as Baron Rugby, of Rugby in the County of Warwick.
became a well-known socialite, and was the mother of the former Conservative
politician Jonathan Aitken
and the actress Maria Aitken
and the grandmother of actor Jack Davenport
. Lord Rugby died in April 1969, aged 91. He was succeeded in the barony by his eldest son Alan Loader Maffey.
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, KCVO
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
, CSI
Order of the Star of India
The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1861. The Order includes members of three classes:# Knight Grand Commander # Knight Commander # Companion...
, CIE
Order of the Indian Empire
The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1878. The Order includes members of three classes:#Knight Grand Commander #Knight Commander #Companion...
(1 July 1877 – 20 April 1969) was a British civil servant.
Maffey was the younger son of Thomas Maffey, a commercial traveller of Rugby, Warwickshire
Rugby, Warwickshire
Rugby is a market town in Warwickshire, England, located on the River Avon. The town has a population of 61,988 making it the second largest town in the county...
, and his wife Mary Penelope, daughter of John Loader. 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 Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
.
Career
Maffey entered the Indian Civil Service in 1899, and notably served as Private Secretary to the Viceroy of India Lord ChelmsfordFrederic Thesiger, 1st Viscount Chelmsford
Frederic John Napier Thesiger, 1st Viscount Chelmsford GCSI, GCMG, GCIE, GBE, PC was a British statesman who served as Governor of Queensland , Governor of New South Wales from 1909 to 1913, and Viceroy of India from 1916 to 1921, where he was responsible for the creation of the Montagu-Chelmsford...
from 1916 to 1920 and Chief Commissioner of the North-West Frontier Province
North-West Frontier Province
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa , formerly known as the North-West Frontier Province and various other names, is one of the four provinces of Pakistan, located in the north-west of the country...
from 1921 to 1924. After a disagreement with the British government in 1924, Maffey resigned from the Indian Civil Service. In 1926 he became Governor-General
Governor-General
A Governor-General, is a vice-regal person of a monarch in an independent realm or a major colonial circonscription. Depending on the political arrangement of the territory, a Governor General can be a governor of high rank, or a principal governor ranking above "ordinary" governors.- Current uses...
of the Sudan, followed in 1933 by his appointment as Permanent Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies
Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies
The Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies was a junior Ministerial post in the United Kingdom government, subordinate to the Secretary of State for the Colonies and, from 1948, also to a Minister of State....
. At 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...
's request he became the first United Kingdom representative to Ireland in 1939, a post he held throughout the war years and until his retirement in 1949.
During the war Maffey was undoubtedly the most important foreign diplomat resident in Dublin, given the complications of Ireland's neutrality policy
Irish neutrality during World War II
The policy of Irish neutrality during World War II was adopted by Dáil Éireann at the instigation of Éamon de Valera, its Taoiseach upon the outbreak of hostilities in Europe and maintained throughout the conflict. De Valera refrained from joining either the Allies or Axis powers...
. Appointed as 'British representative to Ireland', but not as ambassador because of the External Relations Act, he quickly established a good working relationship with Éamon de Valera
Éamon de Valera
Éamon de Valera was one of the dominant political figures in twentieth century Ireland, serving as head of government of the Irish Free State and head of government and head of state of Ireland...
. De Valera was personally in favour of the survival of democracy, but did not necessarily trust the British to look after Ireland's best interests. Maffey was vital in mediating between the 'Warlord' Churchill and 'the Chief' de Valera. When de Valera was replaced by a coalition, headed by John Costello
John A. Costello
John Aloysius Costello , a successful barrister, was one of the main legal advisors to the government of the Irish Free State after independence, Attorney General of Ireland from 1926–1932 and Taoiseach from 1948–1951 and 1954–1957....
, in 1948, Maffey again established a good working relationship with its members, although he was scathing about the clumsy manner in which the declaration of a Republic was handled: "Mr. Costello has handled the business in a slapdash and amateur fashion".
In 1947 Maffey was raised to the peerage as Baron Rugby, of Rugby in the County of Warwick.
Family
Lord Rugby married Dorothy Gladys Huggins, daughter of Charles Lang Huggins, on 28 August 1907. Their daughter Penelope AitkenPenelope Aitken
Penelope Loader, Lady Aitken, MBE , styled The Honorable Lady Aitken and nicknamed 'Pempe', was an English socialite.-Biography:...
became a well-known socialite, and was the mother of the former 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...
politician Jonathan Aitken
Jonathan Aitken
Jonathan William Patrick Aitken is a former Conservative Member of Parliament in the United Kingdom, and British government minister. He was convicted of perjury in 1999 and received an 18-month prison sentence, of which he served seven months...
and the actress Maria Aitken
Maria Aitken
Maria Penelope Katharine Aitken is an English actress, writer, producer and director.Aitken was born in Dublin, the daughter of Sir William Aitken, a Conservative MP, and socialite Penelope Aitken, whose father was John Maffey, 1st Baron Rugby. She is a great-niece of newspaper magnate and...
and the grandmother of actor Jack Davenport
Jack Davenport
Jack Davenport is an English actor, best known for his roles in the television series This Life, Coupling and as James Norrington in the Pirates of the Caribbean series. He has also appeared in many other Hollywood films such as The Talented Mr. Ripley...
. Lord Rugby died in April 1969, aged 91. He was succeeded in the barony by his eldest son Alan Loader Maffey.
Styles
- 1877–1916: John Loader Maffey
- 1916–1920: John Loader Maffey, CIEOrder of the Indian EmpireThe Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1878. The Order includes members of three classes:#Knight Grand Commander #Knight Commander #Companion...
- 1920–1921: John Loader Maffey, CSI, CIE
- 1921–1931: SirSirSir is an honorific used as a title , or as a courtesy title to address a man without using his given or family name in many English speaking cultures...
John Loader Maffey, KCVORoyal Victorian OrderThe Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
, CSI, CIE - 1931–1934: Sir John Loader Maffey, KCMG, KCVO, CSI, CIE
- 1934–1935: Sir John Loader Maffey, KCBOrder of the BathThe Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, KCMG, KCVO, CSI, CIE - 1935–1947: Sir John Loader Maffey, GCMG, KCB, KCVO, CSI, CIE
- 1947–1969: The Right HonourableThe Right HonourableThe Right Honourable is an honorific prefix that is traditionally applied to certain people in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Anglophone Caribbean and other Commonwealth Realms, and occasionally elsewhere...
the Lord Rugby, GCMG, KCB, KCVO, CSI, CIE