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Canadian born Prime Minister
of Great Britain
“If I am a great man, then a good many great men of history are frauds.”
Born: 16 September 1858, Rexton, New Brunswick, Canada
Died: 30 October 1923, London
Andrew Bonar Law was the Canadian-born son of a Scottish clergyman. He
worked as a boy on his father’s smallholding and then, at age 12, he went to
live with his late mother’s cousins, who were rich Glaswegian merchant
bankers in Scotland.
He later worked for the family bank while attending university night
classes, which gave him an interest in politics and debating. At 27 he was
making his fortune as an iron merchant but did not live extravagantly,
having simple tastes.
With an inheritance that gave him financial independence, Bonar Law entered
politics. In 1900 he was elected Conservative MP for Glasgow Blackfriars. He
had a reputation for honesty and fearlessness, and was well regarded as an
effective speaker. These qualities promoted him to Parliamentary Secretary
to the Board of Trade in 1902.
He lost his seat in the 1906 Liberal landslide General Election, but he
returned to represent Dulwich following a by-election later in the same
year. Though hit hard by the death of his wife, he continued his political
career and won the Conservative party leadership in 1911 as a compromise
candidate.
At the outbreak of war he offered the government the support of the
Conservatives in the coalition. Working closely with the Liberals caused
Bonar Law to admire David Lloyd George to such a degree that he even
declined the premiership in favour of Lloyd George’s appointment.
He was given senior positions in Lloyd George’s new war cabinet. His
promotion reflected the great mutual trust between both leaders and made for
a well-coordinated political partnership. Their coalition was re-elected by
a landslide following the Armistice.
Bonar Law had lost his 2 eldest sons in the war and his health deteriorated.
To recover he resigned as Leader of the House and leader of his party. At
the time many leading Conservatives were so charmed by Lloyd George that
they were considering leaving the Conservatives to join a new party Lloyd
George was planning. Law made a decisive and stimulating speech at the
Conservative Carlton Club which changed their minds and saved the
Conservative party. He persuaded the Conservatives to end the coalition, and
work as an independent party.
Conservative withdrawal forced Lloyd George to resign and the King then
invited Bonar Law to form a new administration in 1922.
Law’s ‘Tranquility Manifesto’ was an attempt to allow Britain to recover
from war damage.
Though elected, he lasted just 209 days in office. He resigned in May 1923
due to ill health, and died of throat cancer 6 months later.
You can read a book about him
entitled...
Andrew Bonar Law
The Unknown Prime Minister, The Life and Times of Andrew Bonar Law 1858 -
1923 by Robert Blake (1955) (pdf) |
