10.
Monday, February 7, 1972
He was educated at Eton and Christ Church, Oxford, where he
graduated in history. In 1931 he was elected Conservative Member of
Parliament for Lanark, an industrial constituency with a large mining
population. This seat he held, with the exception of the years 1945-50,
until he went to the House of Lords.
During his early years in the House of Commons, Sir Alec,
who as heir to the Earldom of Home was then known by the courtesy title
of Lord Dunglass, served as Parliamentary Private Secretary to several
junior Ministers. In February 1936 he was appointed Parliamentary
Private Secretary to Mr. Neville Chamberlain, then Chancellor of the
Exchequer, and continued to serve Mr. Chamberlain after he became Prime
Minister.
After Mr. Chamberlain's resignation in 1940 Sir Alec, who had
been an officer in the Lanarkshire Yeomanry for many years, rejoined
the Army. He became seriously ill, however, and was obliged to resign
his commission. This illness also kept him out of politics for nearly
three years.
In the summer of 1943 he returned to his Parliamentary
duties and began to devote much of his attention to foreign politics.
He received a ministerial appointment in the 'Caretaker' Government of
1945 as Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
In July 1951 Sir Alec succeeded his father; he took his seat in
the House of Lords as the 14th Earl of Home. When the Conservative Party
was returned to power the following autumn, he was appointed to the Scottish
Office as Minister of State, first holder of a newly created office.
taking up this appointment he was created a Privy Councillor. In April
1955 he entered the Cabinet as Secretary of State for Commonwealth
/Relations