Duff Cooper

Alfred Duff Cooper, 1st Viscount Norwich,

First elected to Parliament in 1924, he lost his seat in 1929 but returned to Parliament in the 1931 Westminster St George's by-election, which was seen as a referendum on Stanley Baldwin's leadership of the Conservative Party. He later served in the Cabinet as Secretary of State for War and First Lord of the Admiralty. He resigned from the cabinet over the Munich agreement of 1938.

When Winston Churchill became prime minister in May 1940, he named Cooper as Minister of Information. In 1941, as a member of the Cabinet, he served as British Minister in Singapore before its fall to the Japanese. He later served an important role as representative to Charles de Gaulle's Free France (1943–44) and ambassador to France from 1944 to 1948.

Duff Cooper was born at Cavendish Square.^[1] He was the only son of society doctor Sir Alfred Cooper (1843–1908), a surgeon who specialised in the sexual diseases of the upper classes (his carriage was humorously known as "Cooper's Clap Trap") and Lady Agnes Duff, daughter of James Duff, 5th Earl Fife and descendant of King William IV. She had already eloped with two husbands, the first of whom she deserted and the second of whom died, before marrying Cooper in 1882. Duff Cooper had three older sisters and one older half sister from his mother's first marriage.^[1] He attended two prep schools, including Wixenford. He was unhappy at prep school, but was then very happy at Eton College.^[1]

At

Cooper spent six months on the Western Front, during which, Philip Ziegler writes, he proved himself "exceptionally courageous, resourceful, and a natural leader of men", at a time when the life expectancy of junior officers was very brief. He suffered a minor wound in the advance to the Albert Canal in August 1918, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) for conspicuous gallantry, a rare decoration for a junior officer.^[1] The citation for his DSO appeared in The London Gazette in November 1918 and reads as follows:

For conspicuous gallantry during an attack. Although the remainder of his company lost direction he led his platoon on to the objective and captured part of it. When supports arrived he led two sections against a machine-gun post, the four men immediately behind him were shot, but he went on alone and compelled the surrender of eighteen men and two machine guns. Later, with a patrol of six men he succeeded in capturing eighty-nine prisoners. He showed splendid courage and devotion to duty.^[4]

Almost all his closest friends, including Shaw-Stewart, Horner and Asquith were killed in the war, allowing him to draw closer to Lady Diana Manners, a socialite who was known for her eccentricities.^[5]

After demobilisation, he returned to the Egypt Department, and was then Private Secretary to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary (i.e., assistant to the junior minister). He needed money to enter politics.

On 2 June 1919, he married Lady Diana Manners, whose family were initially opposed to the match. Diana's mother in particular thought Cooper a promiscuous drinker and gambler who was without title, position or wealth. Diana was officially the daughter of the 8th Duke of Rutland, but was widely believed—by herself included—to be the natural daughter of Harry Cust, a Belvoir Castle neighbour, and MP. In 1923, Lady Diana played the Madonna in the Max Reinhardt play The Miracle. The money which she earned enabled Cooper to resign from the Foreign Office in July 1924.^[6]

Lady Diana tolerated Cooper's numerous affairs.

Within weeks Cooper was selected for the winnable seat of Oldham, where he was elected at the general election in October 1924, with a 13,000 majority over the sitting Labour member.^[12] He made a very successful maiden speech on Egypt, which was praised by H. A. L. Fisher who spoke next. The speech was also praised in several newspaper accounts. He was seen as a "coming man" within the party. ^[13] Cooper was a stalwart supporter of Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin, and a friend of Chancellor of the Exchequer, Winston Churchill.^[14] In January 1928 he was appointed Financial Secretary to the War Office, not a job he would have chosen. The Secretary of State Sir Laming Worthington-Evans gave him a lot of responsibility. He very likely would have been promoted if the Conservatives had won the election in 1929, but they were defeated and Cooper lost his own seat.^[6]

John Julius, his only legitimate child, was born in 1929.^[6] Out of Parliament, Cooper wrote a biography of the French statesman Talleyrand, Napoleon's (in)famous chief diplomat and traitor. He wrote slowly but seldom needed to revise his drafts. Ziegler writes that "rarely can subject and author have been more satisfactorily matched" as both men were worldly and disliked cant.^[6] The book was eventually published in 1932 by his nephew Rupert Hart-Davis to critical praise and lasting success.^[15]

In August 1931, on the formation of the National Government, he was appointed Financial Secretary to the War Office under the elderly Lord Crewe, who left Cooper to do a great deal of the work. In June 1934 he was appointed Financial Secretary to the Treasury, a traditional stepping stone to the Cabinet. This brought him close to the Chancellor of the Exchequer Neville Chamberlain, who thought highly of him. He had been to Germany, and had seen and been appalled by a Nuremberg Rally. Chamberlain told him to tone down his criticisms of Hitler. Cooper urged rearmament, not then a fashionable view, and briefed Churchill, then on the backbenches, that Hitler was serious and wanted war.^[6]

Cooper, keen to make a literary name for himself, was approached by the executors of

Historians' view of Haig would be dramatically changed by the 1952 publication of his Private Papers (which revealed his political intrigues, and his private uncharitable view of various British officers and politicians and of the French in general).[17] At that time Cooper admitted to Robert Blake, the editor of that work, that he had been influenced by the politics of the 1930s and the desire to facilitate Anglo-French rapprochement.^[16] Modern views of Cooper's biography are less favourable: George Egerton writing in The Journal of Modern History in 1988 detected a conflict between Cooper the writer, who concealed the degree to which Haig like everybody else was dwarfed by events and the historian who was too honest to pretend he dominated them.^[16] Ziegler writes that the book was criticised for pro-Haig bias and what Ziegler calls "lack of consideration".^[6]

In November 1935, after the

On 3 October 1938, a few days after the Munich Agreement, he denounced it and resigned from the Cabinet.[20] On doing so he said, "War with honour or peace with dishonour", he might have been persuaded to accept, "but war with dishonour—that was too much".^[22] Fellow appeasement-critic and Conservative Party MP Vyvyan Adams described Cooper's actions as "the first step in the road back to national sanity".^[23]

As a backbencher, he joined the coterie around

By now German propaganda ranked Cooper with Churchill and Eden as Britain's most dangerous Conservative warmongers.[25] Unlike the other two, Cooper was not offered a job on the outbreak of war in September 1939. He went on a lecture tour of the US, where he called for the democracies to stand firm against the dictatorships, and predicted that Churchill would become Prime Minister, which seemed an eccentric prediction at the time.^[20]

From May 1940 he was

In July 1941 Cooper was appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, to his relief.^[29] He was one of a number of Churchill's proteges promoted in the July 1941 reshuffle: Duncan Sandys became Financial Secretary at the War Office and Brendan Bracken became Minister of Information. Cuthbert Headlam wrote of Cooper at this time that "he has failed in every job he has been given, is clearly incompetent as an administrator, but belongs to the Winston clique."^[30]

Cooper was sent to

Cooper's term as ambassador ended at the end of 1947. He bequeathed a large part of his library to the British Embassy in Paris. To the dismay of his successor he remained in Paris, living at the Château Saint-Firmin in the Park of Chantilly.[36]

Cooper was raised to the

He was created Viscount Norwich of Aldwick in the County of Sussex, in 1952, in recognition of his political and literary career.^[37] The title was not popular with some of the local dignitaries.^[20] His wife refused to be called Lady Norwich, claiming that it sounded too much like "porridge" and promptly took out a newspaper advertisement declaring that she would retain her previous style of Lady Diana Cooper.^{[citation needed]} Cooper's sixth and final book was his acclaimed memoirs, Old Men Forget, which appeared on 5 July 1953.^[36] The Duff Cooper Diaries: 1915–1951, edited by his son John Julius Norwich, appeared posthumously in 2005.

Cooper was intemperate in his drinking (and eating) habits throughout his adult life. As a result, in later life he developed cirrhosis of the liver, and œsophageal varices.^[

Legacy

After Cooper's death, a British literary award, the Duff Cooper Prize, was established in his name.^[40] His biographer Ziegler wrote that Cooper was "not totally successful in worldly terms but never dull", though he was "arrogant, self-indulgent and selfish, and devoted far too much time and energy to wine, women and gambling". However, he was "never mean or ignoble" and was "a proud patriot" who sometimes had "true nobility", although he was "too proud to court popularity" and too reserved to attract it readily.^[36]

On 28 November 2021, Cooper was posthumously awarded the Order of the White Lion, the highest decoration of Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic, in recognition of his opposition to the Munich Agreement.^[41][42]

In popular culture

Leslie Hore Belisha, Ellen Wilkinson and Randolph Churchill.^[43]

Family and ancestry

Cooper was married to Lady Diana from 1919 to his death and their only child was John Julius Norwich (1929–2018), who became well known as a writer and television presenter.^[44] Cooper's granddaughter Artemis has published several books, including A Durable Fire: The Letters of Duff and Diana Cooper, 1913–50.^[45]

One of Cooper's maternal great-great-grandfathers was King

Elizabeth FitzClarence. She married William Hay, 18th Earl of Erroll, and one of their children was Lady Agnes Hay, Cooper's grandmother. Lady Agnes married James Duff, 5th Earl Fife, and they had five children including Cooper's mother, Lady Agnes Duff. Cooper's sister Stephanie was the paternal great-grandmother of former prime minister David Cameron.^[46]

Genealogy

Ancestors of Duff Cooper
8. Charles Cooper 4. William Cooper 9. Rose White 2. Sir Alfred Cooper 5. Anne Marsh 1. Duff Cooper 12. Sir Alexander Duff 6. James Duff, 5th Earl Fife 13. Anne Stein 3. Lady Agnes Duff 14. William Hay, 18th Earl of Erroll 7. Lady Agnes Hay 15. Lady Elizabeth FitzClarence]

Arms

Coat of arms of Duff Cooper

Crest On the Battlements of a Tower Argent a Bull passant Sable armed and unguled Or Escutcheon Or three Lions rampant Gules on a Chief Azure a Portcullis chained between two Fleurs-de-lis of the first Supporters On either side a Unicorn Argent gorged with a Collar with Chain reflexed over the back Or pendent from the collar of the dexter a Portcullis chained and from that of the sinister a Fleur-de-lys both Gold Motto Odi et Amo ; Latin, "I hate and I love" Orders Order of St Michael & St George (not pictured)

References

Footnotes

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h} Ziegler 2004, p. 240.
2. ^ Charmley 1997, pp. 20–22.
3. ^ Cooper 2011, p. 66.
4. ^ "No. 31043". The London Gazette (Supplement). 29 November 1918. pp. 14209–14210.
5. ^ Charmley 1997, pp. 18–20.
6. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i} Ziegler 2004, p. 241.
7. ^ Charmley 1997, pp. 34–35.
8. ^ Sheppard, Ben; Alderson, Andrew (8 January 2006). "Revealed: Duff Cooper's secret second son". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 27 April 2006. Retrieved 1 May 2010.
9. ^ "Maine native who consulted in Washington pleads guilty to violating lobbyist disclosure law". Bangor Daily News. 31 August 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
10. ^ Schillinger, Liesl (11 November 2012). "Susan Mary Alsop: A Two-Continent Hostess". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
11. ^ "John Julius Norwich: 'Deep Down, I'm Shallow. I Really Am'". The Daily Telegraph. London. 4 June 2008. Archived from the original on 6 June 2008. Retrieved 1 May 2010.
12. ^ Charmley 1997, p. 43.
13. ^ Charmley 1997, p. 45.
14. ^ Charmley 1997, pp. 44–47.
15. ^ Charmley 1997, p. 70.
16. ^ ^{a b c d} Heathorn 2013, pp. 155–8.
17. ^ Heathorn 2013, pp. 168–9.
18. ^ Charmley 1997, p. 86.
19. ^ Charmley 1997, p. 96; Ziegler 2004, p. 241.
20. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k} Ziegler 2004, p. 242.
21. ^ Charmley 1997, pp. 101–106.
22. ^ Charmley 1997, p. 121; Norwich 2011, p. 425.
23. ^ Manchester 1989, p. 361.
24. ^ Charmley 1997, pp. 132–133.
25. ^ Stenton 2000, pp. 9–10.
26. ^ Charmley 1997, pp. 142–144; Cooper 2014, pp. 32–33.
27. ^ Cooper 2014, pp. 32–33.
28. ^ Charmley 1997, p. 202.
29. ^ ^{a b} Norwich 2005, p. 281.
30. ^ Jago 2015, p. 150.
31. ^ Charmley 1997, pp. 172–182.
32. ^ Charmley 1997, pp. 188–189.
33. ^ Bell 2014, p. 72.
34. ^ Bell 2014, p. 72; Ziegler 2004, p. 242.
35. ^ Bell 2014, p. 74.
36. ^ ^{a b c d e} Ziegler 2004, p. 243.
37. ^ "No. 39592". The London Gazette. 8 July 1952. p. 3699.
38. ^ "Death at Sea of Lord Norwich". The Times. No. 52819. London. 2 January 1954. p. 6.
39. ^ Ziegler 2004, p. 368.
40. ^ "The Pol Roger Duff Cooper Prize". Épernay: Pol Roger. Archived from the original on 22 December 2020. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
41. ^ "Presidential awards announced". expats.cz. 29 October 2021. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
42. ^ "President Zeman awarded the highest state award to British politician Alfred Duff Cooper". Embassy of the Czech Republic in London. 29 October 2021. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
43. ^ Wells, H. G. (1934). "9. The Last War Cyclone, 1940–50". The Shape of Things to Come. London: Hutchinson. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
44. ^ Flanders, Judith (1 June 2018). "John Julius Norwich obituary: writer and broadcaster keen to share his many passions". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 June 2018.
45. ^ Cunningham, John (9 December 2000). "Knowing all the right people". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
46. ^ Doble, Anna (25 May 2010). "The Queen, the PM, William IV and his mistress". Retrieved 3 March 2022.

Bibliography

• Bell, P. M. H. (2014). France and Britain, 1940–1994: The Long Separation. London: Routledge.
  ISBN 978-05-82289-21-5
  .
• ISBN 978-07-53802-46-5
  .
• ISBN 978-14-68310-18-4
  .
• Cooper, Duff (2011) [1953]. Old Men Forget. London: Faber & Faber.
  ISBN 978-05-71279-58-6
  .
• Heathorn, Stephen (2013). Haig and Kitchener in Twentieth-Century Britain: Remembrance, Representation and Appropriation. Routledge.
  ISBN 978-0-75466-965-4
  .
• Jago, Michael (2015). Rab Butler: The Best Prime Minister We Never Had?. Biteback Publishing.
  ISBN 978-1849549202
  .
• Manchester, William (1989). The Last Lion, Winston Spencer Churchill. New York City: Dell Publishing Co.
  ISBN 978-03-45548-63-4
  .
• ISBN 978-02-97848-43-1
  .
• ISBN 978-18-48546-06-6
  .
• Stenton, Michael (2000). Radio London and Resistance in Occupied Europe: British Political Warfare 1939–1943. Oxford University Press.
  ISBN 978-01-98208-43-3
  .
• ISBN 978-01-98614-11-1
  .

Further reading

• Cooper, Duff (2001) [1932]. Talleyrand. New York City: Grove Atlantic, Grove Great Lives.
  ISBN 978-08-02137-67-8
  .

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Duff Cooper, 1st Viscount Norwich.

• Works by or about Duff Cooper at the Internet Archive
• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by the Viscount Norwich
• "Archival material relating to Duff Cooper". UK National Archives.
• Newspaper clippings about Duff Cooper in the 20th Century Press Archives of the ZBW

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by William John Tout Edward Grigg	Member of Parliament for Oldham 1924–1929 With: William Wiggins	Succeeded by James Wilson Gordon Lang
Preceded by Sir Laming Worthington-Evans	Member of Parliament for Westminster St George's 1931–1945	Succeeded by Arthur Howard
Political offices
Preceded by Douglas King	Financial Secretary to the War Office 1928–1929	Succeeded by Manny Shinwell
Preceded by William Sanders	Financial Secretary to the War Office 1931–1934	Succeeded by Douglas Hacking
Preceded by Leslie Hore-Belisha	Financial Secretary to the Treasury 1934–1935	Succeeded by William Morrison
Preceded by The Viscount Halifax	Secretary of State for War 1935–1937	Succeeded by Leslie Hore-Belisha
Preceded by Sir Samuel Hoare	First Lord of the Admiralty 1937–1938	Succeeded by The Earl Stanhope
Preceded by Sir John Reith	Minister of Information 1940–1941	Succeeded by Brendan Bracken
Preceded by The Lord Hankey	Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 1941–1943	Succeeded by Ernest Brown
Diplomatic posts
Vacant German occupation of France during World War II. Title last held by Ronald Campbell	British Ambassador to France 1944–1948	Succeeded by Oliver Harvey
Peerage of the United Kingdom
New creation	Viscount Norwich 1952–1954	Succeeded by John Julius Cooper