Derick Heathcoat-Amory, 1st Viscount Amory

The Right Honourable The Viscount Amory KG GCMG TD PC DL
Chancellor of the Exchequer
In office 6 January 1958 – 27 July 1960
Prime Minister	Harold Macmillan
Preceded by	Peter Thorneycroft
Succeeded by	Selwyn Lloyd
Personal details
Born	(1899-12-26)26 December 1899 St George's, Hanover Square, London
Died	20 January 1981(1981-01-20) (aged 81) Devon, England
Political party	Conservative

Derick Heathcoat-Amory, 1st Viscount Amory (/ˈeɪmərɪ/ AY-mər-ee; KG, GCMG, TD, PC, DL; 26 December 1899 – 20 January 1981) was a British Conservative politician. He served as Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1958 to 1960 and as Chancellor of the University of Exeter from 1972 to 1981.

Background and education

Heathcoat-Amory was born in London, the son of Sir Ian Heathcoat-Amory, 2nd Baronet (see Heathcoat-Amory baronets) and Alexandra Georgina (d. 1942), daughter of Vice-Admiral Henry Seymour. He was an uncle of David Heathcoat-Amory. He was educated at Eton College and at Christ Church, Oxford.

Political career

Heathcoat-Amory became a Devon County Councillor in 1932 and worked in textile manufacturing and banking. After service in the Territorial Army Royal Artillery (including being wounded and captured during Operation Market-Garden), in which he reached the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel,^{[citation needed]} he was elected Member of Parliament for Tiverton in 1945 (a constituency previously represented by his grandfather Sir John Heathcoat-Amory, 1st Baronet). When the Conservatives came to power under Winston Churchill in 1951 he was appointed Minister of Pensions. In September 1953 he was made Minister of State for Trade. He entered the cabinet under Churchill in July 1954 succeeding Sir Thomas Dugdale as Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries (while continuing as Minister of State for Trade). In October 1954 the Ministry merged with the Ministry of Food still in command of Heathcoat-Amory. Gwilym Lloyd George had previously been in charge of Food. He remained in the post until he became Chancellor of the Exchequer in 1958, under Harold Macmillan, an office he retained until 1960.

He retired from the House of Commons in 1960 and was raised to the peerage as Viscount Amory, of Tiverton in the County of Devon, on 1 September of that year. Lord Amory had been sworn of the Privy Council in 1953 and was appointed a Knight of the Garter in 1968. He was awarded the honorary degree of Hon. LLD (Exon) from the University of Exeter in 1959 and served as Chancellor of the university from 1972 to 1981.

Personal life

Lord Amory was a was a well-known sailor who had his yacht brought up the Thames to take him away after the Budget. THe Civil Service Sailing Association still awards the Heathcoat Amory Trophy (originally presented to the Club by Lord Amory) for outstanding sailing achievement by a member. Lord Amory succeeded his brother to the Heathcoat-Amory Baronetcy in 1972. He died unmarried in January 1981, aged 81. The viscountcy became extinct on his death while the baronetcy passed to his younger brother.

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Derick Heathcoat-Amory

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Gilbert Acland-Troyte	Member of Parliament for Tiverton 1945–1960	Succeeded by Robin Maxwell-Hyslop
Political offices
Preceded by George Isaacs	Minister of Pensions 1951-1953	Succeeded by Osbert Peake
New office	Minister of State for Trade 1953-1957	Succeeded by Derek Walker-Smith
Preceded by Sir Thomas Dugdale, Bt	Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries 1954	Succeeded by Himself as Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
Preceded by Himself as Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries	Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 1954–1958	Succeeded by Hon. John Hare
Preceded by Hon. Gwilym Lloyd George as Minister of Food
Preceded by Peter Thorneycroft	Chancellor of the Exchequer 1958–1960	Succeeded by Selwyn Lloyd
Academic offices
Preceded by The Duchess of Devonshire	Chancellor of the University of Exeter 1972–1981	Succeeded by Rex Richards
Peerage of the United Kingdom
New creation	Viscount Amory 1960–1981	Extinct
Baronetage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by John Heathcoat-Amory	Baronet (of Knightshayes Court)  1972–1981	Succeeded by William Heathcoat-Amory