3 August: Stanley Baldwin

Former Conservative Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin was born on this date in 1867. 10 things you might not know about him:

1. His father, Alfred, came from a rich family and there was a family iron and steel firm, Baldwins Ltd. His father was also a Conservative MP and Stanley took over the seat when his father died.
2. Stanley Baldwin was a first cousin of Rudyard Kipling.
3. He went to school at St Michael's School in Slough, Berkshire, followed by Harrow and then Trinity College Cambridge, where he studied history. He joined the debating society, but never spoke in debates and was asked to resign.
4. After university, he did a course in metallurgy at Mason College and joined the family business. The experience he got there helped him later to secure the post of Financial Secretary of the Treasury in 1917.
5. In 1921 he entered the Cabinet as President of the Board of Trade; in October 1922 he played a leading part in a Conservative rebellion which overthrew Lloyd George. In Andrew Bonar Law’s government he became Chancellor of the Exchequer. When Bonar Law retired in May 1923, Baldwin became Prime Minister. He lost the subsequent election that November but gained power again in 1924. His win in 1935 was the last time a UK party gained more than 50% of the popular vote.
6. Baldwin is the only PM to have served under three monarchs: George V, Edward VIII and George VI.
7. He once wrote an anonymous letter to The Times expressing concern about the financial costs of the war, and asking rich people to donate Money to help reduce the war debt. Putting his money where his mouth was, he donated a fifth of his own fortune. Can't see Boris doing that, somehow.
8. His wife was Lucy Ridsdale. She was a member of the White Heather Club, the first women’s cricket club, and they met on a Cricket field. They married in 1892.
9. He came in for some flack for failing to prevent the second world war, but he did achieve many things: expansion of pensions and house building, local government reform and extending the right to vote to women aged over 21 among them. He was also praised for his handling of the Edward VIII abdication crisis.
10. On his retirement from government and party politics in May 1937, he was created Earl Baldwin of Bewdley. His final public appearance was at the unveiling of a statue of George V in 1947. He'd gone deaf by then. When people in the crowd cheered him, he asked "Are they booing me?"

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