Nigel Birch, Baron Rhyl
PC | |
|---|---|
| Secretary of State for Air | |
| In office 20 December 1955 – 16 January 1957 | |
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Prime Minister | Anthony Eden Harold Macmillan |
| Preceded by | The Lord De L'Isle and Dudley |
| Succeeded by | George Ward |
| Member of Parliament for West Flintshire Flintshire (1945–1950) | |
| In office 1945–1970 | |
| Preceded by | Gwilym Rowlands |
| Succeeded by | Anthony Meyer |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 18 November 1906 |
| Died | 8 March 1981 (aged 74) |
| Alma mater | Eton |
Evelyn Nigel Chetwode Birch, Baron Rhyl PC (18 November 1906 – 8 March 1981) was a British Conservative politician.
The son of General Sir
Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1945.[1]
He was Conservative Member of Parliament for
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence from 1952 to 1954, Minister of Works from October 1954 to December 1955, Secretary of State for Air from December 1955 to January 1957 and Economic Secretary to the Treasury
from 1957 to 1958.
His resignation in 1958, along with that of the
Profumo scandal, he attacked the Macmillan government and quoted in his memorable speech the devastating words of Robert Browning on William Wordsworth
: "Never glad confident morning again".
His speech showed Macmillan as weak and out of touch, and it sealed Birch's reputation of being as deadly as Leo Amery.
In 1950 he married Esmé Glyn, the daughter of the 4th Baron Wolverton.
In 1955, he was appointed a
Privy Counsellor, and on 7 July 1970, he was created a life peer as Baron Rhyl, of Holywell in the parish of Swanmore in the County of Southampton.[2]
References
- ^ "No. 37386". The London Gazette (Supplement). 13 December 1945. p. 6056.
- ^ "No. 45145". The London Gazette. 9 July 1970. p. 7581.
Sources
- Who Was Who
External links
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
