sociology - Maurice Macmillan

The Rt. Hon. Maurice Macmillan (1921-1984) was a Tory politician and member of Parliament. He was the son of Harold Macmillan and Dorothy Cavendish, daughter of the 9th Duke of Devonshire.

Macmillan was educated at Eton College and Balliol College, Oxford. He served with the Sussex Yeomanry in Europe in World War II. Like his father, he was Chairman of Macmillan Publishers, as well as a director of two news agencies.

Maurice Macmillan contested Seaham at the 1945 election, Lincoln in 1951 and Wakefield at a 1954 by-election. He served on Kensington Borough Council 1949-53. He was elected MP for Halifax at the 1955 election but lost this seat in 1964. He was then elected for Farnham at a 1966 by-election. This latter seat became South West Surrey at the UK general election, 1983. He served as Chief Secretary to the Treasury 1970-72, Secretary of State for Employment 1972-73 and Paymaster General 1973-74 under Edward Heath. He was made a Privy Counsellor in 1972.

Macmillan married Lady Katherine Ormsby-Gore, a daughter of William Ormsby-Gore, 4th Baron Harlech, on 22 August 1942. They had four sons and a daughter. He inherited the courtesy title of Viscount Macmillan of Ovenden upon his father's elevation to the peerage on 10 February 1984. He died suddenly on 12 March 1984, aged 63. His son, Alexander Macmillan succeeded as 2nd Earl of Stockton. He was for a time the owner of Highgrove.