Lawrence Dundas, 2nd Marquess of Zetland
Encyclopedia
Laurence John Lumley Dundas, 2nd Marquess of Zetland KG
, GCSI
, GCIE
, PC, DL
, JP
(11 June 1876 – 6 February 1961), styled Lord Dundas until 1892 and Earl of Ronaldshay between 1892 and 1929, was a British Conservative
politician. An expert on India, he served as Secretary of State for India
in the late 1930s.
, and Lady Lillian, daughter of Richard Lumley, 9th Earl of Scarbrough. He was educated at Harrow School
and Trinity College, Cambridge
.
in 1907, a seat he held until 1916. Much of his public career centred around British India. In September 1912, he was appointed (with Lord Islington, Herbert Fisher
, Mr Justice Abdur Rahim
, and others) as a member of the Royal Commission
on the Public Services in India of 1912–1915. He was Governor of Bengal
between 1917 and 1922 and Secretary of State for India
between 1937 and 1940. Although a member of the Conservative Party
, his belief was that Indians should be allowed to take ever-increasing responsibility for the government of the country, culminating in Dominion status (enjoyed by Canada
, Australia
, and other formally self-governing parts of the British Empire
).
Zetland played an important role in the protracted negotiations which led to the Government of India Act 1935
, which began, subject to the implacable opposition of Winston Churchill
and the "diehards" to anything that might imperil direct British rule over India, to implement those ideals. He was ideally placed as Secretary of State for India to implement them, although the two Viceroys with whom he served, Lords Willingdon
and Linlithgow
, were rather less idealistic than he. In the event, Willingdon and Linlithgow were proved right when the Congress Party
won the 1937 Provincial elections, much to the dismay of Zetland. Zetland's term as Secretary of State — and the experiment with democracy represented by the 1935 Act — came to an end with Churchill's assumption of the Prime Ministership in 1940: Zetland then offered his resignation, feeling that his ideas and Churchill's regarding India were so different that "I could only end by becoming an embarrassment to him." Zetland was also an author: Rab Butler
, who served under him in the India Office, records that he asked how he could understand better his chief's thinking about the future of India and received the answer: "Read my books!"
Zetland was sworn of the Privy Council in 1922 and made a Knight of the Garter
in 1942. He also bore the Sword of State at the coronation of George VI
in 1937 and was Lord Lieutenant of the North Riding of Yorkshire
between 1945 and 1951.
at Chieveley
in Berkshire
. Zetland died in February 1961, aged 84, and was succeeded in the marquessate by his son, Lawrence. The Marchioness of Zetland died in January 1973.
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
, GCSI
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...
, GCIE
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...
, PC, DL
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
, JP
Justice 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...
(11 June 1876 – 6 February 1961), styled Lord Dundas until 1892 and Earl of Ronaldshay between 1892 and 1929, was a British 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. An expert on India, he served as Secretary of State for India
Secretary of State for India
The Secretary of State for India, or India Secretary, was the British Cabinet minister responsible for the government of India and the political head of the India Office...
in the late 1930s.
Background and education
Zetland was the son of Lawrence Dundas, 1st Marquess of ZetlandLawrence Dundas, 1st Marquess of Zetland
Lawrence Dundas, 1st Marquess of Zetland, KT, PC , known as Lawrence Dundas until 1873 and as the Earl of Zetland from 1873 to 1892, was a British Conservative politician and statesman. He was Lord Lieutenant of Ireland between 1889 and 1892.-Background, education and military service:Zetland was...
, and Lady Lillian, daughter of Richard Lumley, 9th Earl of Scarbrough. He was educated at Harrow School
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
and Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
.
Political career
Zetland was returned to Parliament for HornseyHornsey (UK Parliament constituency)
Hornsey was a parliamentary constituency covering what is now the Hornsey district of North London. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from the 1885 general election until it was abolished for the 1983 general election...
in 1907, a seat he held until 1916. Much of his public career centred around British India. In September 1912, he was appointed (with Lord Islington, Herbert Fisher
Herbert Fisher
Herbert Albert Laurens Fisher OM, FRS, PC was an English historian, educator, and Liberal politician. He served as President of the Board of Education in David Lloyd George's 1916 to 1922 coalition government....
, Mr Justice Abdur Rahim
Abdur Rahim (judge)
Sir Abdur Rahim, KCSI, Kt , sometimes spelt Abdul Rahim, was a judge and politician in British India, and a leading member of the Muslim League...
, and others) as a member of the Royal Commission
Royal Commission
In Commonwealth realms and other monarchies a Royal Commission is a major ad-hoc formal public inquiry into a defined issue. They have been held in various countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Saudi Arabia...
on the Public Services in India of 1912–1915. He was Governor of Bengal
Governor of Bengal
From 1690, a governor represented the British East India Company in Bengal, which had been granted the right to establish a trading post by the local rulers, the nawabs of Murshidabad, who were nominal vassals of the Mughal emperor in Delhi....
between 1917 and 1922 and Secretary of State for India
Secretary of State for India
The Secretary of State for India, or India Secretary, was the British Cabinet minister responsible for the government of India and the political head of the India Office...
between 1937 and 1940. Although a member of the Conservative Party
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...
, his belief was that Indians should be allowed to take ever-increasing responsibility for the government of the country, culminating in Dominion status (enjoyed by Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, and other formally self-governing parts of the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
).
Zetland played an important role in the protracted negotiations which led to the Government of India Act 1935
Government of India Act 1935
The Government of India Act 1935 was originally passed in August 1935 , and is said to have been the longest Act of Parliament ever enacted by that time. Because of its length, the Act was retroactively split by the Government of India Act 1935 into two separate Acts:# The Government of India...
, which began, subject to the implacable opposition of 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...
and the "diehards" to anything that might imperil direct British rule over India, to implement those ideals. He was ideally placed as Secretary of State for India to implement them, although the two Viceroys with whom he served, Lords Willingdon
Freeman Freeman-Thomas, 1st Marquess of Willingdon
Major Freeman Freeman-Thomas, 1st Marquess of Willingdon was a British Liberal politician and administrator who served as Governor General of Canada, the 13th since Canadian Confederation, and as Viceroy and Governor-General of India, the country's 22nd.Freeman-Thomas was born in England and...
and Linlithgow
Victor Hope, 2nd Marquess of Linlithgow
Victor Alexander John Hope, 2nd Marquess of Linlithgow KG, KT, GCSI, GCIE, OBE, PC was a British statesman who served as Governor-General and Viceroy of India from 1936 to 1943.-Early life and family:...
, were rather less idealistic than he. In the event, Willingdon and Linlithgow were proved right when the Congress Party
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
won the 1937 Provincial elections, much to the dismay of Zetland. Zetland's term as Secretary of State — and the experiment with democracy represented by the 1935 Act — came to an end with Churchill's assumption of the Prime Ministership in 1940: Zetland then offered his resignation, feeling that his ideas and Churchill's regarding India were so different that "I could only end by becoming an embarrassment to him." Zetland was also an author: Rab Butler
Rab Butler
Richard Austen Butler, Baron Butler of Saffron Walden, KG CH DL PC , who invariably signed his name R. A. Butler and was familiarly known as Rab, was a British Conservative politician...
, who served under him in the India Office, records that he asked how he could understand better his chief's thinking about the future of India and received the answer: "Read my books!"
Zetland was sworn of the Privy Council in 1922 and made a Knight of the Garter
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
in 1942. He also bore the Sword of State at the coronation of George VI
George VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
in 1937 and was Lord Lieutenant of the North Riding of Yorkshire
Lord Lieutenant of the North Riding of Yorkshire
The post of Lord Lieutenant of the North Riding of Yorkshire was created in 1660, at the Restoration, and was abolished on 31 March 1974. From 1782 until 1974, all Lords Lieutenant were also Custos Rotulorum of the North Riding of Yorkshire....
between 1945 and 1951.
Family
Lord Zetland married Cicely, daughter of Mervyn Henry Archdale, in 1907. They had one son and two daughters and lived at SnelsmoreSnelsmore
Snelsmore is a village in Berkshire, England, and part of the civil parish of Chieveley.The settlement lies near to junction 13 of the M4 motorway, and is located approximately north of Newbury....
at Chieveley
Chieveley
Chieveley is a village and civil parish about north of Newbury in Berkshire, close to the M4 motorway and A34 road.-Character:Chieveley is a village of 1,481 people and 508 households. A map of 1877 stated the area at the time to be roughly . Chieveley Service Station serves Junction 13 of the M4...
in Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
. Zetland died in February 1961, aged 84, and was succeeded in the marquessate by his son, Lawrence. The Marchioness of Zetland died in January 1973.