Sir John McEwen, 1st Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir John Helias Finnie McEwen, 1st Baronet (21 June 1894 – 19 April 1962), was a Scottish
Unionist politician.
McEwen was the son of Robert Finnie McEwen. He was educated at Eton College
and Trinity College, Cambridge
. He served in the Cameron Highlanders
in the First World War. After the war he joined the Diplomatic Service. He was elected to the House of Commons
as Member of Parliament
(MP) for Berwick and Haddington at the 1931 general election
, and held the seat until 1945. He served under Neville Chamberlain
as Under-Secretary of State for Scotland
from 1939 to 1940 and under Winston Churchill
as a Lord of the Treasury
from 1942 to 1944. In 1953 he was created a Baronet, of Marchmont in the County of Berwick and Bardrochat in the County of Ayr.
McEwen married Brigid Mary, daughter of Sir Francis Oswald Lindley
, in 1923 and they had seven children. He died in April 1962, aged 67, and was succeeded in the baronetcy by his eldest son James.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
Unionist politician.
McEwen was the son of Robert Finnie McEwen. He 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 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...
. He served in the Cameron Highlanders
Cameron Highlanders
Cameron Highlanders may mean:* The Highlanders , infantry regiment in the Scottish Division of the British Army* The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa, Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces...
in the First World War. After the war he joined the Diplomatic Service. He was elected to the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
as 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,...
(MP) for Berwick and Haddington 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...
, and held the seat until 1945. He served 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...
as Under-Secretary of State for Scotland
Under-Secretary of State for Scotland
The Under-Secretary of State for Scotland is a junior ministerial post in the United Kingdom government, supporting the Secretary of State for Scotland...
from 1939 to 1940 and under 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...
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...
from 1942 to 1944. In 1953 he was created a Baronet, of Marchmont in the County of Berwick and Bardrochat in the County of Ayr.
McEwen married Brigid Mary, daughter of Sir Francis Oswald Lindley
Francis Oswald Lindley
Sir Francis Oswald Lindley CB, CBE, PC, KCMG was a British diplomat, HM Consul-General in Russia, 1919, British High Commissioner in Vienna, 1919 to 1920, Ambassador to Austria, 1920 to 1921, Ambassador to Greece, 1922 to 1923, Minister in Oslo, 1923 to 1929; Ambassador to Portugal, 1929 to 1931,...
, in 1923 and they had seven children. He died in April 1962, aged 67, and was succeeded in the baronetcy by his eldest son James.