Arthur Hugh Elsdale Molson, Baron Molson,
PC (29 June 1903 – 13 October 1991) 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 and member of the
Molson family
The Molson family of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, was founded by John Molson, who immigrated to Canada in 1782 from his home in Lincolnshire, England. They are considered to be one of Canada's most prominent business families with a combined net w ...
of
Montreal
Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...
.
Life and career
Born in
Chelmsford
Chelmsford () is a city in the City of Chelmsford district in the county of Essex, England. It is the county town of Essex and one of three cities in the county, along with Southend-on-Sea and Colchester. It is located north-east of London a ...
,
Essex
Essex () is a county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the River Thames to the south, and G ...
, he was the only surviving son of Major
John Elsdale Molson
Major John Elsdale Molson TD (1863–1925) was a Canadian-born British Conservative politician and member of the Molson family of Montreal that started the famous Molson brewery.
John Molson was the son of Samuel Elsdale and Agnes Molson, born ...
,
Member of Parliament
A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...
for
Gainsborough Gainsborough or Gainsboro may refer to:
Places
* Gainsborough, Ipswich, Suffolk, England
** Gainsborough Ward, Ipswich
* Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, a town in England
** Gainsborough (UK Parliament constituency)
* Gainsborough, New South Wales, ...
from 1918 to 1923, and Mary Leeson. He was educated at the
Royal Naval College, Osborne
The Royal Naval College, Osborne, was a training college for Royal Navy officer cadets on the Osborne House estate, Isle of Wight, established in 1903 and closed in 1921.
Boys were admitted at about the age of thirteen to follow a course lasting ...
, and
Dartmouth, at
Lancing, and at
New College, Oxford
New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1379 by William of Wykeham in conjunction with Winchester College as its feeder school, New College is one of the oldest colleges at th ...
.
At Lancing, Molson was a contemporary and close friend of
Evelyn Waugh
Arthur Evelyn St. John Waugh (; 28 October 1903 – 10 April 1966) was an English writer of novels, biographies, and travel books; he was also a prolific journalist and book reviewer. His most famous works include the early satires ''Decli ...
, and known as "Luncher". To the young Waugh, he represented a figure of louche daring, as evidenced by many suggestive but mostly inexplicit references in his published letters and diaries. They were less close from Oxford onwards.
Molson was President of the
Oxford Union
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 ...
in 1925 and graduated with first-class honours in Jurisprudence in 1925. He worked as Political Secretary of the Associated Chambers of Commerce of India from 1926 to 1929, then he became a
barrister-at-law
A barrister is a type of lawyer in common law jurisdictions. Barristers mostly specialise in courtroom advocacy and litigation. Their tasks include taking cases in superior courts and tribunals, drafting legal pleadings, researching law and givin ...
at the
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as the Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court and is a professional associations for barristers and judges. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wal ...
in 1931.
He was commissioned on 4 March 1939 and served with the
36th (Middlesex) Searchlight Regiment, Royal Artillery
The 36th (Middlesex) Searchlight Regiment was a volunteer air defence battalion of Britain's Territorial Army (TA) from 1936 until 1961, at first as part of the Royal Engineers, later in the Royal Artillery. As part of 40th Anti-Aircraft Brigad ...
from 1939 to 1941. He was Staff Captain with the
11th Anti-Aircraft Division from 1941 to 1942.
Molson was the unsuccessful
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 ...
candidate in
Aberdare
Aberdare ( ; cy, Aberdâr) is a town in the Cynon Valley area of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, at the confluence of the Rivers Dare (Dâr) and Cynon. Aberdare has a population of 39,550 (mid-2017 estimate). Aberdare is south-west of Merthyr Tyd ...
in 1929, then sat as
Member of Parliament
A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...
(MP) for
Doncaster
Doncaster (, ) is a city in South Yorkshire, England. Named after the River Don, it is the administrative centre of the larger City of Doncaster. It is the second largest settlement in South Yorkshire after Sheffield. Doncaster is situated in ...
from 1931 to 1935 and for
High Peak, Derbyshire, from 1939 to 1961. He was elected unopposed at the
1939 High Peak by-election
The 1939 High Peak by-election was held on 7 October 1939. The by-election was held due to the death of the incumbent Conservative MP, Alfred Law
Sir Alfred Joseph Law (31 May 1860 – 18 July 1939) was a Conservative Party politician in t ...
, after the death of
Alfred Law
Sir Alfred Joseph Law (31 May 1860 – 18 July 1939) was a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom.
Born in West Bromwich, he was elected at the 1918 general election as Member of Parliament (MP) for the Rochdale constituency in L ...
. He held Ministerial office as
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works
A parliamentary system, or parliamentarian democracy, is a system of democratic governance of a state (or subordinate entity) where the executive derives its democratic legitimacy from its ability to command the support ("confidence") of the ...
from 1951 to 1953, Joint
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation from November 1953 to January 1957, and as
Minister of Works from 1957 until October 1959. He was a Member of the
Monckton Commission
The Monckton Commission, officially the Advisory Commission for the Review of the Constitution of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, was set up by the British government under the chairmanship of Walter Monckton, 1st Viscount Monckton of Bre ...
on
Rhodesia and Nyasaland
The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, also known as the Central African Federation or CAF, was a colonial federation that consisted of three southern African territories: the self-governing British colony of Southern Rhodesia and the B ...
in 1960, and Chairman of the Commission of Privy Counsellors on the dispute between
Buganda
Buganda is a Bantu peoples, Bantu kingdom within Uganda. The kingdom of the Baganda, Baganda people, Buganda is the largest of the traditional kingdoms in present-day East Africa, consisting of Buganda's Districts of Uganda, Central Region, inclu ...
and
Bunyoro
Bunyoro or Bunyoro-Kitara is a Bantu kingdom in Western Uganda. It was one of the most powerful kingdoms in Central and East Africa from the 13th century to the 19th century. It is ruled by the King (''Omukama'') of Bunyoro-Kitara. The current ...
in 1962.
In 1949, Molson married Nancy Astington, daughter of W.H. Astington of Bramhall, Cheshire. He was appointed a
Privy Counsellor
The Privy Council (PC), officially His Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, is a privy council, formal body of advisers to the British monarchy, sovereign of the United Kingdom. Its membership mainly comprises Politics of the United King ...
in 1956, and was created a
Life Peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the peerage whose titles cannot be inherited, in contrast to hereditary peers. In modern times, life peerages, always created at the rank of baron, are created under the Life Peerages ...
on 21 February 1961 as Baron Molson, of
High Peak in the
County of Derby.
In later life, Molson was Chairman (1968–71) and President (1971–80) of the
Council for the Protection of Rural England
CPRE, The Countryside Charity, formerly known by names such as the ''Council for the Preservation of Rural England'' and the ''Council for the Protection of Rural England'', is a charity in England with over 40,000 members and supporters. Forme ...
. He died at
Westminster
Westminster is an area of Central London, part of the wider City of Westminster.
The area, which extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street, has many visitor attractions and historic landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, Bu ...
in 1991, aged 88.
Notable quotations
* "I will look at any additional evidence to confirm the opinion to which I have already come."
Arms
See also
*
Canadian peers and baronets
Canadian peers and baronets (french: pairs et baronnets canadiens) exist in both the peerage of France recognized by the Monarch of Canada (the same as the Monarch of the United Kingdom) and the peerage of the United Kingdom.
In 1627, French C ...
References
*
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Molson, Hugh
1903 births
1991 deaths
Military personnel from Chelmsford
Royal Artillery officers
Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies
Conservative Party (UK) life peers
People educated at Lancing College
Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for constituencies in Derbyshire
UK MPs 1931–1935
UK MPs 1935–1945
UK MPs 1945–1950
UK MPs 1950–1951
UK MPs 1951–1955
UK MPs 1955–1959
UK MPs 1959–1964
UK MPs who were granted peerages
Alumni of New College, Oxford
Presidents of the Oxford Union
Presidents of the Oxford University Conservative Association
Members of the Inner Temple
People from Chelmsford
20th-century British lawyers
People educated at the Royal Naval College, Osborne
High Peak, Derbyshire
Hugh
Hugh may refer to:
*Hugh (given name)
Noblemen and clergy French
* Hugh the Great (died 956), Duke of the Franks
* Hugh Magnus of France (1007–1025), co-King of France under his father, Robert II
* Hugh, Duke of Alsace (died 895), modern-day ...
Ministers in the third Churchill government, 1951–1955
Ministers in the Eden government, 1955–1957
Ministers in the Macmillan and Douglas-Home governments, 1957–1964
Life peers created by Elizabeth II