Gordon Thomas Calthrop Campbell, Baron Campbell of Croy, (8 June 1921 – 26 April 2005) was a British

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politician and diplomat.

Biography

Early life and career

Campbell was born in

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(now in

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), the son of Major General James Alexander Campbell and was educated at Rockport School in Holywood, County Down, then at

Wellington College Wellington College may refer to: *Wellington College, Berkshire, an independent school in Crowthorne, Berkshire, England ** Wellington College International Shanghai ** Wellington College International Tianjin * Wellington College, Wellington, Ne ...

before joining the Royal Artillery in 1939. He fought in the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

with the

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from 1940, winning the

Military Cross The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level (second-level pre-1993) military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) other ranks of the British Armed Forces, and formerly awarded to officers of other Commonwealth countries. The MC ...

and Bar. Invalided out in 1947 with the honorary rank of major, he served the Foreign Office in New York and

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until 1957.

House of Commons

Elected to Parliament in 1959, he served as

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for the constituency of Moray and Nairn until February 1974 when he was defeated by

Winnie Ewing Winifred Margaret Ewing (' Woodburn; born 10 July 1929) is a Scottish politician, lawyer and figure within the independence movement who served as President of the Scottish National Party from 1987 to 2005. Ewing was a Member of the Scottish ...

of the Scottish National Party. He served as a Government Whip, 1961–62;

Lord Commissioner of the Treasury In the United Kingdom there are at least six Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury, serving as a commission for the ancient office of Treasurer of the Exchequer. The board consists of the First Lord of the Treasury, the Second Lord of the ...

and Scottish Whip, 1962–63; Parliamentary

Under-Secretary of State for Scotland The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland is a junior ministerial post (of Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State rank) in the Government of the United Kingdom, supporting the Secretary of State for Scotland. The post is also kno ...

, 1963–64. He was Opposition Spokesman on Defence, 1967–68 and a member of the Shadow Cabinet, 1969–70.

Secretary of State for Scotland

He was Secretary of State for Scotland during the whole of

Edward Heath Sir Edward Richard George Heath (9 July 191617 July 2005), often known as Ted Heath, was a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1974 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1965 to 1975. Heath a ...

's government. During his term in office the issues of fishing and oil led to him losing his Moray coastal seat to the SNP. Government papers released under the 30 year rule reveal an attitude that may explain that loss. Papers from 1970 revealed how the Scottish Office was prepared to have a "weaker and less efficient national fleet" to enable the UK to sign up to the controversial Common Fisheries Policy. On oil in 1972 Campbell was against any move to pump oil revenues directly into the Scottish economy despite Heath asking government departments to explore such an arrangements to help revive Scotland's economy with "its own resources". Further papers from 1974 revealed how he proposed "exceptional measures" to force Shetland Islands Council to accept an oil terminal without financial benefit to the islands.

House of Lords

After being defeated by

of the Scottish National Party at the February 1974 general election, Campbell was made a life peer as Baron Campbell of Croy, of Croy in the

County of Nairn The County of Nairn (also called Nairnshire) ( gd, Siorrachd Inbhir Narann) is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area of Scotland. The county was used for local administration until the county council, based at the county t ...

on 9 January 1975. He became Chairman of the Scottish Board in 1976, and was Vice President of the Advisory Committee on Pollution at Sea from 1976 to 1984.

Personal life

He married Nicola Madan, daughter of Geoffrey Spencer Madan and his wife Marjorie Noble, and had three children. * Hon. Colin Ian Calthrop Campbell b. 1950 * Colonel Hon. Alastair James Calthrop Campbell (6 Jan 1952 – 24 Aug 2021) * Hon. Christina Marjorie Campbell b. 1953. The Campbell family lived at Holme Rose at Croy in the Nairn Valley. In 2019, the property was put on the market for £2.3 million.

Arms

Footnotes

*Torrance, David, ''The Scottish Secretaries'' (Birlinn 2006)

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Campbell, Gordon Thomas Calthrop 1921 births 2005 deaths British Army personnel of World War II Campbell of Croy Deputy Lieutenants in Scotland Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for Scottish constituencies Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom Ministers in the Macmillan and Douglas-Home governments, 1957–1964 People educated at Rockport School People educated at Wellington College, Berkshire People from Lossiemouth Politics of Moray Recipients of the Military Cross Royal Artillery officers Scottish Conservative Party MPs Secretaries of State for Scotland UK MPs 1959–1964 UK MPs 1964–1966 UK MPs 1966–1970 UK MPs 1970–1974 UK MPs who were granted peerages Unionist Party (Scotland) MPs Life peers created by Elizabeth II