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Single person record details
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Person code |
DS/UK/25072 |
Family name |
Balfour |
Territorial designation |
East Lothian |
Activity |
Sir Arthur James Balfour (1848-1930) was created Earl of Balfour and Viscount Traprain of Whittingehame in the county of Haddington in the UK peerage in 1922. He was the eldest son of James Maitland Balfour of Whittingehame and of Strathconan, MP for Haddington, 1841-47, and a director of the North British Railway, and Lady Blanche Cecil, daughter of the 2nd Marquis of Salisbury. His grandfather, John Balfour of Balbirnie, had made his fortune in India and bought the estate of Whittingehame in East Lothian.
Arthur followed his maternal uncle, the 3rd Marquis of Salisbury, into politics, being elected MP for Hertford (Conservative) in 1874 and representing the East Division of Manchester 1885-1906. He took part in a special mission to Berlin in 1878 and was appointed assistant Private Secretary to the 3rd Marquis as Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs 1878-80. His first Cabinet post was as Secretary of State for Scotland 1886-87 and he was thereafter appointed First Lord of the Treasury and Leader of the House of Commons. In 1902 he succeeded his uncle, the 3rd Marquis, as Prime Minister. His administration sponsored an Education Act which became known as the 'Balfour Act' in 1902, strengthened the defence of the British Empire, encouraged the sale of land to tenant farmers in Ireland, and came to an agreement with the French over North Africa. Balfour resigned as Prime Minister in 1905 due to disagreements over free trade and the Conservative Party lost the general election in 1906. Balfour continued to sit in Parliament as MP for the City of London and was Leader of the Opposition until 191. During the first World War Balfour was a member of the Committee for Imperial Defence, he held office as First Lord of the Admiralty 1915-16 and Foreign Secretary 1916-19, in which capacity he led a diplomatic mission to the United States and issued the Balfour Declaration of 1917 promising the Jews a homeland in Palestine. He held office as Lord President of the Council 1919-22 and 1925-29, and was a British representative to the peace conference at Versailles in 1919 and to the League of Nations. He continued to be active in politics after receiving his peerage, serving in Stanley Baldwin's government in 1925.
Arthur was succeeded by his brother, Gerald William Balfour, 2nd Earl (1853-1945), who was MP for the Central Division of Leeds, 1885-1906, held office as Church Secretary for Ireland 1895-1900 and President of the Board of Trade 1900-05. The honours then passed to his son, Robert Balfour, 3rd Earl (1902-68) who was Chairman of the Scottish Division of the National Coal Board 1946-51. His son, Gerald Balfour, 4th Earl (born 1925) was a Master Mariner in the Merchant Navy (1944-53), a County Councillor (1960-74) and a JP for East Lothian. |
Dates |
1922- |
Epithet |
family |
Non preferred term |
Viscount Traprain of Whittingehame |
Associated records |
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GD433 | Papers of the Balfour family of Whittingehame, East Lothian, Earls of Balfour | 1577-1954 |
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