Sir John McEwen, 1st Baronet

Sir John Helias Finnie McEwen, 1st Baronet or Jock McEwen (21 June 1894 – 19 April 1962), was a Scottish Unionist politician who served in the House of Commons as Conservative Member of Parliament for Berwick and Haddington from 1931 until 1945.[1]

Sir John McEwen Bt
Member of Parliament for Berwick and Haddington
In office 1931–1945
Preceded by	George Sinkinson
Succeeded by	John Robertson
Lord Commissioner of the Treasury
In office 1942–1944
Prime Minister	Winston Churchill
Under-Secretary of State for Scotland
In office 1939–1940
Prime Minister	Neville Chamberlain
Preceded by	Henry Wedderburn
Succeeded by	Joseph Westwood
Personal details
Born	John Helias Finnie McEwen 21 June 1894
Died	19 March 1962 (aged 67)
Political party	Conservative
Spouse(s)	Brigid Mary Lindley ​ ​ (m. 1923; his death 1962)​
Children	7, including Rory, Mary
Parents	Robert Finnie McEwen Mary Frances Dundas
Residence	Marchmont House
Alma mater	Eton College Trinity College, Cambridge
Military service
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Rank	Captain
Battles/wars	World War I

Early life

Sir John McEwen was the son of Robert Finnie McEwen (1861–) of Marchmont, Berwickshire, and Bardrochat, F.S.A.Scot., Deputy Lieutenant and Justice of the Peace for Berwickshire, by Mary Frances, daughter of R.H.D. Dundas.[2] His sister, Katherine Isobel McEwen, married Roger Lumley, 11th Earl of Scarbrough on 12 July 1922 at St Margaret's, Westminster and had five children with him.[1]

He was educated at Eton College and Trinity College, Cambridge.[3]

Career

During the First World War, he served in the Cameron Highlanders, being promoted Captain in 1915. He transferred to the Royal Army Flying Corps and was later a prisoner of war.[2] After the war he joined the Diplomatic Service, and in 1920, was 3rd Secretary; 2nd Secretary in 1925, serving in the London Foreign Office, Athens and Rome.[3][4]

In the 1929 General Election, he contested the seat of Berwick-upon-Tweed and Haddington for the Unionist Party, but failed. However two years later he was elected to the House of Commons as Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) for Berwick and Haddington at the 1931 general election, and held the seat until 1945, when his attempt to be reelected failed.[5]

McEwen served under Neville Chamberlain as Assistant Government Whip 1938–39, Under-Secretary of State for Scotland from 1939 to 1940, and under Winston Churchill as a Lord of the Treasury from 1942 to 1944. He was Chairman of the Conservative Members' Committee in the House of Commons December 1944 – June 1945.[5]

Baronetcy

In 1953, he was created a Baronet by the Queen, of Marchmont in the County of Berwick and Bardrochat in the County of Ayr.[1][6] Upon his death in 1962, his title passed to his eldest son, Sir James. Upon Sir James' death in 1971, his title passed to his brother and Sir John's second son, Sir Robert, as Sir James had three daughters, but no sons. The current holder of the title is his grandson, Sir John Roderick Hugh McEwen, 5th Baronet (born 1965).[7]

Personal life

Marchmont House, the McEwan home

In 1923, McEwen married Brigid Mary Lindley (d. 1971), daughter of Sir Francis Oswald Lindley (1872–1950), the British diplomat, and granddaughter of botanist and illustrator John Lindley, who in 1840 was instrumental in saving The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew from destruction. The raised their family at Marchmont House on the east side of the small town of Greenlaw, Scotland.[8] Together they had seven children, including:[9]

• Sir James Napier Finnie McEwen of Marchmont and Bardrochat, 2nd Bt. (1924–1971), who married Clare Rosemary Sandars (b. 1934)
• Sir Robert Lindley McEwen of Marchmont and Bardrochat, 3rd Bt. (1926–1980), who married Brigid Cecilia Laver, daughter of James Laver and Veronica Turleigh
• Christian Mary McEwen (1929–2006), who married Frederick Fermor-Hesketh, 2nd Baron Hesketh (1916–1955).
• Roderick McEwen (1932–1982), a folk singer who married Romana von Hofmannsthal (1935–2014), daughter of Ava Alice Muriel Astor and her second husband, Raimund von Hofmannsthal.[10]
• Alexander Dundas McEwen (1935–2008), a musician who married Cecilia Gräfin von Weikersheim[10]
• David Fraser McEwen (1938–1976)
• John Sebastian McEwen (b. 1942)

He died in April 1962, aged 67, and was succeeded in the baronetcy by his eldest son James.

Notes

1. Britain), Queen Elizabeth (consort of George VI, King of Great (27 November 2012). Counting One's Blessings: The Selected Letters of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. Macmillan. ISBN 9780374185220. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
2. The Editors of The Gazetteer for Scotland. "Sir John Helias Finnie McEwen from The Gazetteer for Scotland". scottish-places.info. University of Edinburgh and The Royal Scottish Geographical Society. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
3. Black, A & C., Who's Who 1960 London, 1960, p.1896.
4. POLITICIANS | There are all sorts, but a few Liberals may hold power balance. Time Inc. 25 June 1945. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
5. "Captain John McEwen (Hansard)". hansard.millbanksystems.com. UK Parliament. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
6. Who's Who 1960 p.1896.
7. Ross, David (5 May 2014). "After 500 years the McEwens decide they need a clan chief". Herald Scotland.
8. Denham, James (17 March 2016). Duns – Burgh on the Merse. Lulu.com. ISBN 9781326559083. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
9. "Person Page – Sir John Helias Finnie McEwen of Marchmont and Bardrochat, 1st Bt". www.thepeerage.com. The Peerage. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
10. Goldman, Lawrence (7 March 2013). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography 2005–2008. OUP Oxford. ISBN 9780199671540. Retrieved 1 February 2017.

References

• Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990.
• Leigh Rayment's list of baronets
• Lundy, Darryl. "FAQ". The Peerage.

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Sir John McEwen