John Andrew Davidson, 2nd Viscount Davidson (22 December 1928 – 20 July 2012), was a British

hereditary peer The hereditary peers form part of the peerage in the United Kingdom. As of April 2025, there are 800 hereditary peers: 30 dukes (including six royal dukes), 34 marquesses, 189 earls, 108 viscounts, and 439 barons (not counting subsidiary ...

and

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...

politician. Regarded as a safe pair of hands, he became deputy chief whip in the House of Lords.

Background and education

Davidson was the elder son of

J. C. C. Davidson, 1st Viscount Davidson John Colin Campbell Davidson, 1st Viscount Davidson, (23 February 1889 – 11 December 1970), known before his elevation to the peerage as J. C. C. Davidson, was a British civil servant and Conservative Party (UK), Conservative Party politici ...

, and

Frances Frances is an English given name or last name of Latin origin. In Latin the meaning of the name Frances is 'from France' or 'the French.' The male version of the name in English is Francis (given name), Francis. The original Franciscus, meaning "F ...

, daughter of

Willoughby Dickinson, 1st Baron Dickinson Willoughby Hyett Dickinson, 1st Baron Dickinson, KBE, PC (9 April 1859 – 31 May 1943), was a British Liberal Party politician. He was Member of Parliament for St. Pancras North from 1906 to 1918. He was an influential proponent of establish ...

. He was educated at

Westminster School Westminster School is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school in Westminster, London, England, in the precincts of Westminster Abbey. It descends from a charity school founded by Westminster Benedictines before the Norman Conquest, as do ...

and

Pembroke College, Cambridge Pembroke College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. The college is the third-oldest college of the university and has over 700 students and fellows. It is one of the university's larger colleges, with buildings from ...

. Between 1947 and 1949 he served in the

Black Watch The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland (3 SCOTS) is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The regiment was created as part of the Childers Reforms in 1881, when the 42nd (Royal Highland) Regiment ...

and the 5th Battalion of the

King's African Rifles The King's African Rifles (KAR) was a British Colonial Auxiliary Forces regiment raised from Britain's East African colonies in 1902. It primarily carried out internal security duties within these colonies along with military service elsewher ...

before going up to Pembroke College, Cambridge, where he was known for his thespian talents, being president of the Footlights in 1951.Who's Who 2007. A & C Black Publishers Limited, London, 2007.thepeerage.com
/ref> In 1960 he embarked on a 15-year career in large-scale farming, as a director of Strutt and Parker (Farms) and Lord Rayleigh Farms. By 1965 he was on the council of the Country Landowners Association (now the Country Land & Business Association). In 1966 he was appointed chairman of the Royal Eastern Counties Hospital for the mentally handicapped at Colchester, a job he considered the "most frustrating" of his life. Tensions with the regional hospital board which was ultimately responsible for the hospital boiled over in 1971, ostensibly because of the way Mauritian employees had been treated, and the following March the board sacked five members of the management committee.

Political career

Davidson entered the

House of Lords The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the lower house, the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster in London, England. One of the oldest ext ...

on the death of his father in 1970. He served in the Conservative administrations of

Margaret Thatcher Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher (; 13 October 19258 April 2013), was a British stateswoman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of th ...

and

John Major Sir John Major (born 29 March 1943) is a British retired politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from 1990 to 1997. Following his defeat to Ton ...

as a

Lord-in-waiting Lords-in-waiting (male) or baronesses-in-waiting (female) are peers who hold office in the Royal Household of the sovereign of the United Kingdom. In the official Court Circular they are styled "Lord in Waiting" or "Baroness in Waiting" (without ...

between 1985 and 1986. An agile mind and a winning manner enabled Andrew Davidson to carry out the demanding duties of Deputy Chief Whip in the House of Lords for six years, 1986–92, with skill and marked success. As Deputy Chief Whip, he held the ancient but purely nominal office of

Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard The Captain of the King's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard is a Government of the United Kingdom, UK Government post usually held by the Government Whip (politics), Deputy Chief Whip in the House of Lords. The present Captain is Margaret Whe ...

. He lost his seat in Parliament after the passing of the

House of Lords Act 1999 The House of Lords Act 1999 (c. 34) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed the House of Lords, one of the chambers of Parliament. The Act was given royal assent on 11 November 1999. For centuries, the House of Lords ...

, commenting: "I am getting on and maybe the younger generation should get a shot at it."

Marriages and children

Lord Davidson was married twice. He married firstly Margaret Birgitta Norton, daughter of Major General Cyril Henry Norton, on 30 June 1956. They had four daughters: *

Hon Hon or HON may refer to: People Given name * Cho Hŏn (1544–1592), Joseon militia leader * Ho Hon (1885–1951), North Korean politician Surname * Han (surname) (Chinese: 韩/韓), also romanized Hon * Louis Hon (1924–2008), French fo ...

Alexandra Frances Margaret Davidson (13 April 1957 - 1995) * Hon Georgiana Caroline Davidson (born 16 May 1958), married Lord Edward Somerset, a younger son of

David Somerset, 11th Duke of Beaufort David Robert Somerset, 11th Duke of Beaufort GCC (23 February 1928 – 16 August 2017), known as David Somerset until 1984, was an English peer and major landowner. An important figure in the world of fox hunting, he was also chairman of Marl ...

. In 2014, Lord Edward was jailed for 2 years for assaulting his wife.Lord Edward Somerset's jail term for beating wife upheld, BBC News, published 26 June 2014
/ref> * Hon Camilla Birgitta Davidson (born 17 February 1963) * Hon Kristina Louise Davidson (born 17 February 1963) They were divorced in 1974 and Lady Davidson subsequently married

Mark Colville, 4th Viscount Colville of Culross John Mark Alexander Colville, 4th Viscount Colville of Culross (19 July 1933 – 8 April 2010), was a British judge and politician. He was one of the 92 hereditary peers elected to remain in the House of Lords after the House of Lords Act 1999. ...

. On 6 June 1975, Lord Davidson married secondly Pamela Joy Vergette (now deceased), daughter of John Vergette. They had no children.

Death

Viscount Davidson died on 20 July 2012 at the age of 83 and was succeeded in the viscountcy by his younger brother Malcolm Davidson, 3rd Viscount Davidson (1934–2019), also a Pembroke alumnus.

Arms

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Davidson, Andrew Davidson, 2nd Viscount 1928 births 2012 deaths Alumni of Pembroke College, Cambridge Black Watch officers Conservative Party (UK) Baronesses- and Lords-in-Waiting King's African Rifles officers People educated at Westminster School, London Viscounts in the Peerage of the United Kingdom 20th-century British Army personnel Sons of life peers Davidson