BRIGADIER SIR CHARLES HOWARD, G.C.V.O., D.S.O. (Hansard, 22 January 1957)

§ The Secretary of State for the Home Department and Lord Privy Seal (Mr. R. A. Butler)

I beg to move, That Mr. Speaker be requested to acquaint Brigadier Sir Charles Alfred Howard, G.C.V.O., D.S.O., that this House entertains a just sense of the exemplary manner in which he has uniformly discharged the duties of the office of Serjeant at Arms, and has devoted himself to the service of the House for a period of over twenty-one years. Sir Charles Howard has occupied, with no less distinction than courtesy, one of the most important, onerous and yet unpublicised positions in the realm. To my knowledge, no poet has turned an elegant lyric in praise of the post of Serjeant at Arms. This is not because the post is unhonoured—all of us here know the respect and dignity which it carries—but because, I think, this is an Assembly which sets great, and perhaps too much, store by the spoken word; whereas it is the function of the Serjeant at Arms to do rather than to speak.

Therefore, I think, we should, for just a moment, pay a tribute to Sir Charles Howard for the manner in which he has performed his manifold duties. These have brought him into intimate contact not only with hon. Members, but also with the public and with the Press, and Sir Charles, during this exceptionally long period of twenty-one years, has added a most notable chapter to the great historical volume of devotion written by his distinguished predecessors.

Sir Charles had particular difficulties to grapple with during his twenty-one years. Those of us who were with him through the war will never forget the fortitude, or the spirit, or the energy with which he undertook the rehousing of the House of Commons during the war, and made improvised arrangements for us to meet elsewhere. This was one of his many services to the House and also, I believe, to the whole country and to the democratic cause everywhere. Sir Charles met all the demands we made upon him, whether reasonable or unreasonable, with a genial efficiency and kindliness which can only have sprung from a deep sense of unselfish service. This is one of those occasions when we can be uncontroversial and when we are united in a basic unity 54 in which we can pay a tribute without reserve.

We are sure that his great tradition will be notably sustained by his successor, General Hughes, who has become so well known and liked by us during his service as Assistant Serjeant at Arms and, later, as Deputy-Serjeant at Arms. We give him a generous welcome.

Sir Charles Howard was appointed in the warm, autumnal days of October, 1935. We now move this Motion, with gratitude, in the colder and grimmer days of January, 1957. But our hearts are warm, and we wish to express in the terms of the Motion our affectionate appreciation of his devotion and example. We hope that he and his charming lady will now enjoy long leisure, and that we shall see him back to visit us from time to time. To adopt the Miltonic line, we say: May long retirement urge his sweet return.

§ Mr. Hugh Gaitskell (Leeds, South)

On behalf of the Opposition, I desire to support fully all that the Lord Privy Seal has said so eloquently about our former Serjeant at Arms. Sir Charles Howard has held this post for twenty-one years and, although the duties of the Serjeant at Arms are manifold, the one that most comes to our mind is that of sitting in this Chamber. To have to sit in this Chamber for twenty-one years listening to others speak is not a prospect that would appeal to all of us, particularly if one was not allowed to speak oneself from time to time. It is an ordeal which even you, Mr. Speaker, might find a little trying, because at least you have the opportunity to rebuke hon. Members and to intervene in various ways.

Undoubtedly, great qualities are needed to fulfil the office of Serjeant at Arms—certainly, patience and understanding are obviously indicated—and there is no doubt that Sir Charles Howard had these in abundance. We thank him for his long services to this House and for the help and kindness he has given us over the years. We hope that he will enjoy a very well deserved retirement with his wife.

May I also take this opportunity, as did the Lord Privy Seal, of welcoming his successor, General Hughes. We know him well, we have every confidence in him and we are quite satisfied that he will 55 prove a most worthy successor to the many distinguished predecessors in this office.