§ 2.36 p.m.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR COMMONWEALTH RELATIONS AND LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (THE EARL OF HOME)My Lords, by the death of Lord Stanmore we have been deprived of one of the oldest and, during the long period of his active service, in his quiet and unassuming way, most influential Members of the House. Sadly enough, he was almost a stranger to the post-war generation of your Lordships here, for he was seldom able to come to the House during the last ten years, owing to increasing physical disability. To those who were privileged to enjoy his personal friendship, he displayed his brilliant conversational gifts and his charm almost to the very end. I myself, as a comparative latecomer to your Lordships' House, cannot speak of Lord Stanmore from personal acquaintance, and the noble Viscount, Lord Samuel, is far better qualified in every way than I to speak of him. Lord Stanmore was a life-long Liberal and he entered this House as long ago as 1912. For many years he was Chief Whip of the Liberal Party, and in 1944 succeeded the late Lord Onslow as Chairman of Committees here. He held this office until 1946. Throughout all this time he acted on the countless Committees where his wisdom and his guidance could best serve the House. Your Lordships will wish to join with me in paying a grateful tribute to a long life so usefully spent in the public service.
§ 2.38 p.m.
§ VISCOUNT SAMUELMy Lords, my noble friend Lord Rea is attending the funeral of Lord Stanmore, and he has therefore asked me to speak on his behalf and on behalf of all our colleagues on these Benches. Lord Stanmore, as has been said by the noble Earl the Leader of the House, in the kind words which he has addressed to your 100 Lordships, entered this Assembly as long ago as 1912, and for more than twenty years from 1923 he was Chief Whip of the Liberal Party. Firm and staunch in his political convictions, he had a kindly and courteous temperament which gave him great influence in the House, and he was a unifying influence in a Party which has always taken pride in the personal independence of its individual members, and has not seldom suffered from it. He was one of the comparatively small group in the House—but more numerous, I think, then than now—who took a pride in regular attendance at all the Sittings. They could be relied upon to be seen here day after day, whenever the House sat, and Lord Stanmore was one of the most assiduous among them. That, however, did not prevent him from doing social work outside this House, particularly for the hospitals, and he was for very many years Treasurer and Chief Officer of the great hospital of St. Bartholomew, as well as helping in the work of the King Edward Fund.
In this House, as has been said, he took a most active part in the Committee work, and was happy to be appointed by the House in 1944 Chairman of Committees and Deputy Speaker. For all his services he had been appointed to the Privy Council in 1932. Because of old age he held the post of Lord Chairman of Committees for only two years, and a severe malady laid him under heavy disabilities during his later years. It is only a few weeks since I went to see him, and it was evident then that the end could not be far away. But he was still keenly interested in public affairs, and he asked many questions about recent events in your Lordships' House and about those Members of a younger generation who are now assuming the duties of leadership. The House has lost in him an old and faithful servant.
§ 2.41 p.m.
§ VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHMy Lords, I follow that very graceful tribute by the noble Viscount, Lord Samuel, with a desire to associate my colleagues and myself with what has been so ably expressed by both the noble Viscount and the noble Earl the Leader of the House. I felt that as most of us here did not know Lord Stan-more it was more appropriate that we 101 should give the noble Viscount, Lord Samuel, preference, so that he might pay the graceful tribute which he has just now paid. We are all aware, of course, of the general character of the work which Lord Stanmore did, and we know how it is being assiduously performed to-day by our noble friend who is present now. We feel that we must pay tribute to one who served the House so long in different rôles and who was so faithful in his official duties. I should like to associate my colleagues and myself in an expression of sympathy and condolences with Lord Stanmore's relatives.