John Eden, Baron Eden of Winton

John Benedict Eden, Baron Eden of Winton, PC (15 September 1925 – 23 May 2020), known as Sir John Eden, 9th Baronet, from 1963 to 1983, was a British Conservative Party politician who served as Member of Parliament for Bournemouth West from 1954 to 1983.

The Right Honourable The Lord Eden of Winton PC
Sir John Eden, Bt, in 1969
Minister of Posts and Telecommunications
In office 7 April 1972 – 8 March 1974
Prime Minister	Edward Heath
Preceded by	Christopher Chataway
Succeeded by	Office abolished
Minister of State for Industry
In office 15 October 1970 – 6 April 1972
Prime Minister	Edward Heath
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Tom Boardman
Minister of State for Technology
In office 23 June 1970 – 15 October 1970
Prime Minister	Edward Heath
Preceded by	Eric Varley
Succeeded by	Office abolished
Member of the House of Lords
Lord Temporal
Life peerage 3 October 1983 – 11 June 2015
Member of Parliament for Bournemouth West
In office 18 February 1954 – 13 May 1983
Preceded by	Robert Gascoyne-Cecil
Succeeded by	John Butterfill
Personal details
Born	John Benedict Eden (1925-09-15)15 September 1925 England
Died	23 May 2020(2020-05-23) (aged 94)
Political party	Conservative
Spouses	Belinda Jane Pascoe ​ ​ (m. 1954; div. 1974)​ Margaret Ann Gordon ​ ​ (m. 1977)​
Children	4
Education	Eton College St. Paul's School

Background

Eden was the son of Sir Timothy Calvert Eden and Edith Mary Prendergast. He was educated at Eton College and St Paul's School, New Hampshire, in the US. He served as a Lieutenant with the Rifle Brigade, 2nd Gurkha Rifles and the Gilgit Scouts during the Second World War. He was a nephew of Sir Anthony Eden (1897–1977), who served as prime minister from 1955 to 1957, and he succeeded his father Sir Timothy Calvert Eden to his baronetcies in 1963. He was the 9th Baronet of West Auckland and the 7th Baronet of Maryland.

Career

After unsuccessfully contesting the 1953 Paddington North by-election, Eden was first elected as a Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) for Bournemouth West at the 1954 Bournemouth West by-election, which he would continue to represent from 1954 until 1983. When first elected, he was the Baby of the House, the youngest member of the House of Commons. He was appointed to the Privy Council on 10 April 1972 and was created a life peer as Baron Eden of Winton, of Rushyford in the County of Durham on 3 October 1983, following his retirement from the House of Commons. He retired from the House of Lords on 11 June 2015 under the provisions of the House of Lords Reform Act 2014. Following the death of Lord Healey on 3 October 2015, Eden became the oldest surviving former MP with the earliest date of first election.

Appointments:

• Member of the House of Commons Estimates committee (1960–1964)
• Delegate to Council of Europe and West European Union (1960–1962)
• Delegate to NATO Technology (June–October 1970)
• Minister of State for Industry (1970–1972)
• Minister of Posts and Telecommunications (1972–1974)
• Member of the House of Commons Expenditure committee (1974–1976)
• Chairman of the Select Committee on EEC Legislation (1976–1979)
• Chairman of the Select Committee on Home Affairs (1980–1983)
• Chairman of the British Lebanese Association (1990–1998)
• Chairman of the Royal Armouries Association (1986–1994)
• Member of Timken Company International Advisory Board
• Chairman of Lady Eden's Schools Ltd

Family life

Eden was twice married:

• 1) Belinda Jane Pascoe (1954 – divorced 1974); four children
  • The Honourable Emily Rose Eden (born 1959)
  • The Honourable Arabella Charlotte Eden (born 1960)
  • The Honourable Sir Robert Frederick Calvert Eden (born 30 April 1964). The 10th Baronet of West Auckland and 8th Baronet of Maryland.
  • The Honourable John "Jack" Edward Morton Eden (born 1966). Heir presumptive to the baronetcies.
• 2) Margaret Ann Gordon (1977 – his death 2020). A former wife of the Earl of Perth.

Arms

Coat of arms of John Eden, Baron Eden of Winton

Coronet A Coronet of a Baron Crest A dexter Arm embowed in Armour couped at the shoulder proper and grasping a Garb fesswise as in the Arms banded Vert Escutcheon Gules on a Chevron Argent between three Garbs Or banded Vert as many Escallops Sable Supporters On either side a Lion rampant guardant Gules about the mane of each a Chain pendant therefrom a Portcullis Or that on the dexter side holding by the interior paw a Cross Patonce also Or and that on the sinister side holding by the interior paw a Rose Branch proper having three Double Roses Argent and Gules barbed and seeded proper, the Compartment comprising a Mount rising in the centre and growing therefrom Fir Trees and Beech Trees in the foreground a Bay with Cliffs proper and a Rivulet wavy Azure running across a Sandy Beach also proper into the Sea barry wavy of four Azure and Argent Motto Si Sit Prudentia ("If there be but prudence")

External links

• Portraits of John Eden, Baron Eden of Winton at the National Portrait Gallery, London