David Pitblado
Sir David Pitblado Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister | |
|---|---|
| In office 1951–1956 Serving with Jock Colville (1951–1955) | |
| Prime Minister | Clement Attlee Winston Churchill Anthony Eden |
| Preceded by | Denis Rickett |
| Succeeded by | Frederick Bishop |
| Personal details | |
| Born | David Bruce Pitblado 18 August 1912 |
| Died | 9 July 1997 (aged 84) |
| Spouse |
Edith Evans (m. 1941) |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Civil servant |
| Awards | CVO (1953) CB (1955) KCB (1967) |
Sir David Bruce Pitblado
Biography
David Pitblado, born in London in August 1912, attended
During Churchill's second term, 1951–1955, the Prime Minister (age 77-81) was not always in good health, and the office of Principal Private Secretary became more important than usual, causing a second principal private secretary to be appointed: Pitblado specialised in home and internal affairs, his colleague Jock Colville in defence and external affairs.[4]
Following Churchill's stroke in June 1953, prime-ministerial duties were performed by senior staff for some weeks. Churchill biographer Martin Gilbert credits Pitblado, Colville, and Churchill's son-in-law Christopher Soames with supervising the operation of the office while the incapacitated Prime Minister fought toward partial recovery.[4]
After Churchill's retirement in 1955, Pitblado rounded out his service at No 10 with brief service to his successor, Anthony Eden (later Earl of Avon) in 1955–1956. He then returned to the ministerial civil service and served in a variety of posts. He became
Later life and honours
David Pitblado was listed in the 1953 Coronation Honours, receiving the rank of Commander of the Royal Victorian Order. Two years later he was appointed CB (Order of the Bath) in the 1955 Birthday Honours. In his capacity as ministerial Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Power, he was again honoured in the 1967 New Year Honours with the designation of Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB).
Personal life
He was married in 1941 to Edith Evans until her death in 1978. The union bore one son and one daughter.[2][3]
References
- ^ "Obituaries". The Independent. 23 July 1997. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
- ^ a b c "Sir David Pitblado". The Times. 14 July 1997. p. 23. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
- ^ a b c "Sir David Pitblado". The Daily Telegraph. p. 29. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
- ^ a b
Gilbert, Martin (1988). Winston S. Churchill: Never Despair, 1945-1965. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. p. 859.