Harold Tennant

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Harold John Tennant PC (18 November 1865 – 9 November 1935), often known as Jack Tennant, was a Scottish Liberal politician. He served as Secretary for Scotland under his brother-in-law H. H. Asquith between July and December 1916.

Background and education

Born at The Glen, Innerleithen, Peeblesshire,[1] Harold Tennant was a younger son of Sir Charles Tennant, 1st Baronet, by his first wife Emma, daughter of Richard Winsloe. He was the brother of Edward Tennant, 1st Baron Glenconner and Margot Asquith (and hence the brother-in-law of H. H. Asquith) and the half-brother of Baroness Elliot of Harwood.

Tennant was educated at Eton College and at Trinity College, Cambridge.[2]

Political career

File:Sir Harold John Tennant. Colour lithograph by Sir L. Ward (S Wellcome V0005756.jpg
Tennant caricatured by Spy for Vanity Fair, 1909

Tennant was Assistant Private Secretary to his brother-in-law H. H. Asquith while the latter was Home Secretary between 1892 and 1895.[3] In 1894 he was elected Member of Parliament for Berwickshire.[4] Asquith became Prime Minister in 1908 and in January 1909 he appointed Tennant Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade. Tennant remained in this office until 1911, and then served under Asquith as Financial Secretary to the War Office from 1911 to 1912 and as Under-Secretary of State for War from 1912 to 1916. In 1914 he was sworn of the Privy Council.[5] He entered the cabinet as Secretary for Scotland under Asquith in July 1916,[6] a post he held until Asquith was ousted as Prime Minister in December 1916. Tennant did not serve under David Lloyd George.

At the 1918 general election, the Berwickshire constituency was abolished, and Tennant contested the new Berwickshire and Haddingtonshire constituency. He faced two opponents: R. W. Foulis of the Labour Party, and the 1911–1918 Haddingtonshire MP John Deans Hope. With two incumbent Liberal MPs contesting one seat, Hope's receipt of the coalition coupon secured his victory, with 54% of the votes. Tennant came a poor third, with only 16% of the votes.[7]

Tennant also unsuccessfully contested Glasgow Central in 1923[8] but never returned to the House of Commons.

During his time in Parliament, Tennant supported a number of progressive measures such as worker's compensation,[9] minimum wage provisions,[10] school medical inspections,[11] factory inspections, and unemployment insurance.

Personal life

File:Harold Tennant.jpg
Harold Tennant c.1895

Tennant married factory inspector May Abraham in 1896. He bought Great Maytham Hall, Rolvenden, Kent, in 1910. He commissioned Edwin Lutyens to rebuild the hall at a cost of £24,000.[12] As leader of the war memorial committee, he also engaged Lutyens to design the Rolvenden War Memorial, erected in 1922.[13]

Tennant died in November 1935, aged 70.

References

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  • Torrance, David, The Scottish Secretaries (Birlinn 2006)

External links

Template:S-endTemplate:Secretaries of State for ScotlandTemplate:RolvendenTemplate:H. H. AsquithTemplate:Authority control
Template:Error
Preceded byTemplate:S-bef/check Member of Parliament for Berwickshire
1894–1918 Template:S-ttl/check 		Constituency renamed
Berwick and Haddington
Political offices
Preceded byTemplate:S-bef/checkTemplate:Succession box/check Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade
1909–1911 Template:S-ttl/check 		Template:S-aft/check Succeeded by
Preceded byTemplate:S-bef/checkTemplate:Succession box/check Financial Secretary to the War Office
1911–1912 Template:S-ttl/check 		Template:S-aft/check Succeeded by
Preceded byTemplate:S-bef/checkTemplate:Succession box/check Under-Secretary of State for War
1912–1916 Template:S-ttl/check 		Template:S-aft/check Succeeded by
Preceded byTemplate:S-bef/checkTemplate:Succession box/check Secretary for Scotland
July–December 1916 Template:S-ttl/check 		Template:S-aft/check Succeeded by
  1. ↑ Template:Cite ODNB
  2. ↑ Template:Acad
  3. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  4. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  5. ↑ Template:Usurped
  6. ↑ Template:London Gazette
  7. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  8. ↑ The Times, 8 December 1923
  9. ↑ Template:Hansard
  10. ↑ Template:Hansard
  11. ↑ Template:Hansard
  12. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  13. ↑ Template:National Heritage List for England
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