George Tryon, 1st Baron Tryon

George Clement Tryon, 1st Baron Tryon, PC (15 May 1871 – 24 November 1940) was a British Conservative politician who served in a number of ministerial positions in the inter-war years.[1]

The Lord Tryon
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
In office
3 April 1940 – 14 May 1940
Prime MinisterNeville Chamberlain
Preceded byWilliam Morrison
Succeeded byThe Lord Hankey
First Commissioner of Works
In office
18 May 1940 – 3 October 1940
Preceded byThe Earl De La Warr
Succeeded bySir John Reith
Personal details
Born15 May 1871
Died24 November 1940(1940-11-24) (aged 69)
Little Court, Sunningdale
SpouseAveril Vivian
Children2, including Charles, 2nd Baron Tryon
Military service
AllegianceUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
Branch/service British Army
Years of service1890-1906, 1914-
RankMajor (United Kingdom)
UnitGrenadier Guards
Battles/warsSecond Boer War

Early life

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George Clement Tryon was son of Vice-Admiral Sir George Tryon and Clementina Heathcote, daughter of Gilbert Heathcote, 1st Baron Aveland.[2]

Educated at Eton College and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, Tryon joined the Grenadier Guards in 1890, serving for sixteen years before retiring as major.[2]

Career

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Tryon was elected as Member of Parliament (MP) for Brighton in 1910, serving until 1940. He became Under-Secretary of Air in 1919 and Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Pensions in 1920 and in 1922 became a Privy Counsellor. He served as Minister of Pensions himself 1922–24, 1924–29 and 1931–35 and was then appointed Postmaster General in 1935, serving until 1940. He was one of those to appear on the first day of BBC television broadcasts, 2 November 1936.[3]

In April 1940, Tryon was elevated to the peerage as Baron Tryon, of Durnford in the County of Wilts[4] and made Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and First Commissioner of Works. However, he was replaced as Chancellor (by Lord Hankey) when Winston Churchill became prime minister in May, while retaining the First Commissionership; he relinquished that post the following October, a few weeks before his death, aged 69.

Personal life

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He married Averil Vivian, daughter of Colonel Sir Henry Hussey Vivian, 1st Baron Swansea. They had two children, including Charles, 2nd Baron Tryon.

Arms

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Coat of arms of George Tryon, 1st Baron Tryon
 
 
Crest
Issuant from a coronet composed of four roses set upon a rim Or a bear's head Sable charged with seven stars in the form of the Constellation Ursa Major Gold
Escutcheon
Azure a fess embattled between in chief three estoiles and in base a portcullis chained Or.
Supporters
Dexter an army pensioner in hospital uniform sinister a postman holding with the exterior hand a letter sack over his shoulder Proper.
Motto
Do Right And Fear Not

References

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  1. ^ "Tryon, 1st Baron". Who Was Who. Oxford University Press. December 2007. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
  2. ^ a b 'Lord Tryon: Unselfish political service' (obit.), The Times, 25 November 1940, p. 7
  3. ^ "The Contest". BBC. Retrieved 1 October 2013.
  4. ^ "No. 34834". The London Gazette. 23 April 1940. p. 2383.
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Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Brighton
19101940
Served alongside: Walter Rice 1910–1911
John Gordon 1911–1914
Charles Thomas-Stanford 1914–1922
Cooper Rawson 1922–1940
Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Minister of Pensions
1922–1924
Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of Pensions
1924–1929
Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of Pensions
1931–1935
Succeeded by
Preceded by Postmaster General
1935–1940
Succeeded by
Preceded by Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
1940
Succeeded by
Preceded by First Commissioner of Works
1940
Succeeded by
Peerage of the United Kingdom
New creation Baron Tryon
1940
Succeeded by