Auckland Campbell Geddes, 1st Baron Geddes, (21 June 1879 – 8 June 1954) was a British academic, soldier, politician and diplomat. He was a member of

David Lloyd George David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor (17 January 1863 – 26 March 1945) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1916 to 1922. A Liberal Party (United Kingdom), Liberal Party politician from Wales, he was known for leadi ...

coalition government A coalition government, or coalition cabinet, is a government by political parties that enter into a power-sharing arrangement of the executive. Coalition governments usually occur when no single party has achieved an absolute majority after an ...

during the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

and also served as Ambassador to the United States.

Early life

Geddes was born in London as the son of Auckland Campbell-Geddes, a civil engineer, and his wife Christina Helen MacLeod Anderson. He was the brother of Sir Eric Campbell-Geddes,

First Lord of the Admiralty First Lord of the Admiralty, or formally the Office of the First Lord of the Admiralty, was the title of the political head of the English and later British Royal Navy. He was the government's senior adviser on all naval affairs, responsible f ...

during the

and principal architect of the

Geddes Axe The Geddes Axe was the drive for public economy and retrenchment in UK government expenditure recommended in the 1920s by a Committee on National Expenditure chaired by Sir Eric Geddes and with Lord Inchcape, Lord Faringdon, Sir Joseph Maclay a ...

, which led to the retrenchment of British public expenditure following the War. His sister was Dr. Mona Chalmers Watson, the first woman to graduate

M.D. A Doctor of Medicine (abbreviated MD, from the Latin ) is a medical degree, the meaning of which varies between different jurisdictions. In the United States, and some other countries, the ''MD'' denotes a professional degree of physician. This ge ...

from the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh (, ; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a Public university, public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded by the City of Edinburgh Council, town council under th ...

and the first Chief Controller of the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps.

Career

Boer War

Geddes served in the

Second Boer War The Second Boer War (, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, Transvaal War, Anglo–Boer War, or South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer republics (the South African Republic and ...

in South Africa between 1901 and 1902 as a second lieutenant in the

Highland Light Infantry The Highland Light Infantry (HLI) was a light infantry regiment of the British Army formed in 1881. It took part in the First World War, First and World War II, Second World Wars, until it was amalgamated with the Royal Scots Fusiliers in 1959 t ...

. On 2 June 1902 he was promoted a

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a Junior officer, junior commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations, as well as fire services, emergency medical services, Security agency, security services ...

in the 3rd (

Militia A militia ( ) is a military or paramilitary force that comprises civilian members, as opposed to a professional standing army of regular, full-time military personnel. Militias may be raised in times of need to support regular troops or se ...

) battalion of the regiment, and he returned home with other men of this battalion on the SS ''Doune Castle'' in September 1902, after the war had ended two months earlier.

Academic career

Geddes was educated at

George Watson's College George Watson's College is a co-educational Private schools in the United Kingdom, private day school in Scotland, situated on Colinton Road, in the Merchiston area of Edinburgh. It was first established as a Scottish education in the eighteenth ...

Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...

. He then studied Medicine at

Edinburgh University The University of Edinburgh (, ; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded by the town council under the authority of a royal charter from King James VI in 1582 and offi ...

graduating MB ChB in 1903. From 1906 to 1909, Geddes was an Assistant Professor of Anatomy at Edinburgh University. The university gave him his doctorate (MD) in 1908. In 1909 he was elected a Fellow of the

Royal Society of Edinburgh The Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity that operates on a wholly independent and non-partisan basis and provides public benefit throughout Scotland. It was establis ...

; his proposers were William Turner, Sir

Edward Albert Sharpey-Schafer Sir Edward Albert Sharpey-Schafer (2 June 1850 – 29 March 1935) was a British physiologist. He is regarded as a founder of endocrinology: in 1894 he discovered and demonstrated the existence of adrenaline together with George Oliver, and he a ...

, David Waterston and

George Chrystal George Chrystal FRSE FRS (8 March 1851 – 3 November 1911) was a Scottish mathematician. He is primarily known for his books on algebra and his studies of seiches (wave patterns in large inland bodies of water) which earned him a Gold Meda ...

. From 1913 to 1914 he was a Professor of Anatomy at the

Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) is a not-for-profit medical professional and educational institution, which is also known as RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences. It was established in 1784 as the national body ...

. From 1913 to 1914, he was a Professor of Anatomy at

McGill University McGill University (French: Université McGill) is an English-language public research university in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1821 by royal charter,Frost, Stanley Brice. ''McGill University, Vol. I. For the Advancement of Learning, ...

. His academic career was interrupted by the

during which he served as a Brigadier General in the War Office.

First World War

During the

he served as a Major in the 17th

Northumberland Fusiliers The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers was an infantry regiment of the British Army. Raised in 1674 as one of three 'English' units in the Dutch Anglo-Scots Brigade, it accompanied William III to England in the November 1688 Glorious Revolution and ...

and was on the staff of the General Headquarters in

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

as a Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel and Honorary Brigadier General.Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). ''Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage'' (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990, Geddes was Director of Recruiting at the

War Office The War Office has referred to several British government organisations throughout history, all relating to the army. It was a department of the British Government responsible for the administration of the British Army between 1857 and 1964, at ...

from 1916 to 1917.

Political and diplomatic career

In 1917 he was elected Unionist Member of Parliament for

Basingstoke Basingstoke ( ) is a town in Hampshire, situated in south-central England across a valley at the source of the River Loddon on the western edge of the North Downs. It is the largest settlement in Hampshire without city status in the United King ...

, a seat he held until 1920. He was sworn of the Privy Council in 1917 and served under

as Director of National Service from 1917 to 1918, as

President of the Local Government Board The President of the Local Government Board was a ministerial post, frequently a Cabinet position, in the United Kingdom, established in 1871. The Local Government Board itself was established in 1871 and took over supervisory functions from the ...

from 1918 to 1919, as

Minister of Reconstruction The Minister of Reconstruction was a British government post that briefly existed during the latter stages of the Second World War, charged with planning for the post-war period. A succession of government committees had failed to make much progress ...

in 1919 and as

President of the Board of Trade The president of the Board of Trade is head of the Board of Trade. A committee of the His Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, Privy Council of the United Kingdom, it was first established as a temporary committee of inquiry in the 17th centur ...

(with a seat in the cabinet) from 1919 to 1920. Geddes was appointed Principal of

in 1919 but never undertook his official duties. He resigned from the post in 1920 after being appointed British Ambassador to the United States, in which position he served until 1924. As His Majesty's ambassador, Geddes investigated the treatment of British immigrants at

Ellis Island Ellis Island is an island in New York Harbor, within the U.S. states of New Jersey and New York (state), New York. Owned by the U.S. government, Ellis Island was once the busiest immigrant inspection and processing station in the United State ...

, for which he wrote a report (1923). He was also heavily involved in the negotiations that led up to the

Washington Naval Treaty The Washington Naval Treaty, also known as the Five-Power Treaty, was signed during 1922 among the major Allies of World War I, Allies of World War I, which agreed to prevent an arms race by limiting Navy, naval construction. It was negotiated at ...

of 1922, which limited the size and number of the world's battleships. He was appointed Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St. Michael and St. George (G.C.M.G.) in 1922. From 1924 to 1947, he was the Chairman of the Rio Tinto Company and Rhokana Corporation. He returned to public service during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

when he served as Commissioner for Civil Defence for the South-East Region from 1939 to 1944 and for the North-West Region from 1941 to 1942. The latter year he was raised to the peerage as Baron Geddes, of Rolvenden in the County of Kent.

Personal life

On 8 September 1906, Geddes was married to Isabella Gamble Ross (1881–1962) at St. Mary's Church in Livingston, Staten Island. Isabella was a daughter of William Adolphus Ross (1843–1912) of

Staten Island, New York Staten Island ( ) is the southernmost of the boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Richmond County and situated at the southernmost point of New York (state), New York. The borough is separated from the ad ...

, one of the largest soft drink manufacturers in

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

(W A Ross & Sons Ltd, with ''Ross's Royal Ginger Ale'', the firm's principal product) and who settled in New York. Together, Geddes and his wife had five children: * Ross Campbell Geddes, 2nd Baron Geddes (1907–1975), who married Enid Mary Butler, only child of Clarence Henry

Butler A butler is a person who works in a house serving and is a domestic worker in a large household. In great houses, the household is sometimes divided into departments, with the butler in charge of the dining room, wine cellar, and pantries, pantr ...

, of Tenterden. * Hon. Alexander Campbell Geddes (1910–1972), a Lieutenant-Colonel; he married Margaret Kathleen Addis, daughter of Sir Charles Stewart Addis. They divorced in 1964 and he married, secondly, Princess and Altgräfin Marie-Anne Helene Emanuela of Salm-Reifferscheidt-Krautheim und Dyck (1933–2015), daughter of Franz, 6th Prince of Salm-Reifferscheidt-Krautheim and

Dyck Dyck is a form of the Dutch surname (van) Dijck, which is also common among Russian Mennonites. Notable surnames * Aganetha Dyck (born 1937), Canadian artist * Anthony van Dyck (1599–1641), Flemish artist * Arnold Dyck (1889-1970), Canadian ...

, and Princess Cäcilie of Salm-Salm, on 27 July 1964. * Hon. Margaret Campbell Geddes (1913–1997), who married Prince Louis of Hesse and by Rhine, last surviving member of this family. * Hon. John Reay Campbell Geddes (1915–1978), who married Diana Elizabeth Swift, a daughter of Brig. Charles Copley Swift. * Hon. David Campbell Geddes (1917–1995), who married Gerda Bruun, daughter of Norwegian Minister of Trade Gerdt Meyer Bruun, in 1948. Lord Geddes died in January 1954, aged 74, and was succeeded in the barony by his eldest son, Ross. Lady Geddes died in January 1962.Mosley, Charles, editor. ''Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 106th edition, 2 volumes''. Crans, Switzerland: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 1999.

Arms

References

External links

*
The Papers of Sir Auckland Campbell Geddes
held at

Churchill Archives Centre The Churchill Archives Centre (CAC) at Churchill College at the University of Cambridge is one of the largest repositories in the United Kingdom for the preservation and study of modern personal papers. It is best known for housing the papers ...

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Geddes, Auckland Academics of the University of Edinburgh British anatomists Ambassadors of the United Kingdom to the United States British Army personnel of the Second Boer War British Army personnel of World War I Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies Diplomatic peers Highland Light Infantry officers Knights Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom Academic staff of McGill University Principals of McGill University Royal Northumberland Fusiliers officers UK MPs 1910–1918 UK MPs 1918–1922 UK MPs who were granted peerages 1879 births 1954 deaths People educated at George Watson's College Alumni of the University of Edinburgh Presidents of the Board of Trade Barons created by George VI