![The grave of Sir Arthur Steel-Maitland, St Ninian's Churchyard, Stirling](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/49/The_grave_of_Sir_Arthur_Steel-Maitland%2C_St_Ninian%27s_Churchyard%2C_Stirling.png)
Sir Arthur Herbert Drummond Ramsay Steel-Maitland, 1st Baronet (5 July 1876 β 30 March 1935) was a British
Conservative
Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization i ...
politician. He was the first
Chairman of the Conservative Party
The chairman of the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom is responsible for party administration and overseeing the Conservative Campaign Headquarters, formerly Conservative Central Office.
When the Conservatives are in government, the off ...
from 1911 to 1916 and held junior office from 1915 to 1919 in
David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor, (17 January 1863 β 26 March 1945) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1916 to 1922. He was a Liberal Party politician from Wales, known for leading the United Kingdom during t ...
's coalition government. From 1924 to 1929 he was
Minister of Labour Minister of Labour (in British English) or Labor (in American English) is typically a cabinet-level position with portfolio responsibility for setting national labour standards, labour dispute mechanisms, employment, workforce participation, traini ...
under
Stanley Baldwin
Stanley Baldwin, 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley, (3 August 186714 December 1947) was a British Conservative Party politician who dominated the government of the United Kingdom between the world wars, serving as prime minister on three occasions, ...
, with a seat in the cabinet.
Background and education
The second son of Mary Emmeline Eden Drummond, daughter of General Henry Drummond, and Colonel Edward Harris Steel, Steel-Maitland was educated at
Rugby
Rugby may refer to:
Sport
* Rugby football in many forms:
** Rugby league: 13 players per side
*** Masters Rugby League
*** Mod league
*** Rugby league nines
*** Rugby league sevens
*** Touch (sport)
*** Wheelchair rugby league
** Rugby union: 1 ...
and at
Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College () is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. One of Oxford's oldest colleges, it was founded around 1263 by John I de Balliol, a landowner from Barnard Castle in County Durham, who provided the f ...
, where he was a classical Scholar and Eldon Scholar in 1899. He gained first class honours in classics and law, and became a Fellow of
All Souls College
All Souls College (official name: College of the Souls of All the Faithful Departed) is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Unique to All Souls, all of its members automatically become fellows (i.e., full members of t ...
in 1900. He was Secretary, Junior Treasurer and President of the
Oxford Union Society
The Oxford Union Society, commonly referred to simply as the Oxford Union, is a debating society in the city of Oxford England, whose membership is drawn primarily from the University of Oxford. Founded in 1823, it is one of Britain's oldest ...
, and rowed against Cambridge in 1899. His brother, Col. Richard Steel, was concerned with MIO during the war.
Political career
Steel-Maitland was appointed an assistant private secretary (unpaid) to the
Chancellor of the Exchequer
The chancellor of the Exchequer, often abbreviated to chancellor, is a senior minister of the Crown within the Government of the United Kingdom, and head of His Majesty's Treasury. As one of the four Great Offices of State, the Chancellor is ...
,
Charles Ritchie, in October 1902. He unsuccessfully contested
Rugby
Rugby may refer to:
Sport
* Rugby football in many forms:
** Rugby league: 13 players per side
*** Masters Rugby League
*** Mod league
*** Rugby league nines
*** Rugby league sevens
*** Touch (sport)
*** Wheelchair rugby league
** Rugby union: 1 ...
in 1906, and was a Special Commissioner to the
Royal Commission on the Poor Laws from 1906 to 1907. He was elected as Member of Parliament for
Birmingham East in 1910, a seat he held until 1918, and then represented
Birmingham Erdington
Birmingham Erdington is a parliamentary constituency in Birmingham, England, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom since 2022 by Paulette Hamilton of the Labour Party.
Members of Parliament
MPs 1918β ...
from 1918 to 1929 and
Tamworth from 1929 until 1935. He was the first
Chairman of the Conservative Party
The chairman of the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom is responsible for party administration and overseeing the Conservative Campaign Headquarters, formerly Conservative Central Office.
When the Conservatives are in government, the off ...
from 1911 to 1916, and founded the
Unionist Social Reform Committee in 1911.
Steel-Maitland served under
David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor, (17 January 1863 β 26 March 1945) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1916 to 1922. He was a Liberal Party politician from Wales, known for leading the United Kingdom during t ...
as
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.
Under-Secretaries of State for the Co ...
from 1915 to 1917. The latter year he was created a Baronet, of Sauchie in the County of Stirling. He then held office under Lloyd George as
Secretary for Overseas Trade
The Secretary for Overseas Trade was a junior Ministerial position in the United Kingdom government from 1917 until 1953, subordinate to the President of the Board of Trade. The office was replaced by the Minister of State for Trade on 3 Septem ...
in his capacity as Head of the Department of Overseas Trade (Development and Intelligence) from 1917 to 1919. In 1924 he was sworn of the
Privy Council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a state, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the mon ...
and appointed
Minister of Labour Minister of Labour (in British English) or Labor (in American English) is typically a cabinet-level position with portfolio responsibility for setting national labour standards, labour dispute mechanisms, employment, workforce participation, traini ...
under
Stanley Baldwin
Stanley Baldwin, 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley, (3 August 186714 December 1947) was a British Conservative Party politician who dominated the government of the United Kingdom between the world wars, serving as prime minister on three occasions, ...
, with a seat in the cabinet, a post he retained until the government fell in June 1929.
Other
Steel-Maitland was awarded honorary degrees of LL.D. by the
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh DhΓΉn Γideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...
and the
University of St Andrews
(Aien aristeuein)
, motto_lang = grc
, mottoeng = Ever to ExcelorEver to be the Best
, established =
, type = Public research university
Ancient university
, endowment ...
.
Legacy
A new residential area of Erdington, Birmingham had a road named after Arthur Steel-Maitland in December 2016.
Family
Steel-Maitland married Mary, daughter of Sir
James Ramsay-Gibson-Maitland, 4th Baronet, of Barnton and Sauchie, in 1901. He died in March 1935, aged 58, and was succeeded in the baronetcy by his son, Arthur.
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Steel-Maitland, Arthur
1876 births
1935 deaths
People educated at Rugby School
Alumni of Balliol College, Oxford
Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies
Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Presidents of the Oxford Union
UK MPs 1910
UK MPs 1910β1918
UK MPs 1918β1922
UK MPs 1922β1923
UK MPs 1923β1924
UK MPs 1924β1929
UK MPs 1929β1931
UK MPs 1931β1935
Baronets in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom
Chairmen of the Conservative Party (UK)