Rise of Neville Chamberlain

Neville Chamberlain
Chamberlain in 1921
Born
Arthur Neville Chamberlain

(1869-03-18)18 March 1869
Died9 November 1940(1940-11-09) (aged 71)
Resting placeWestminster Abbey
Alma materMason College
Occupations
  • Businessman
  • politician
Political partyConservative
Spouse
(m. 1911)
Children2
FatherJoseph Chamberlain
Member of Parliament
for Birmingham Edgbaston
In office
30 May 1929 – 9 November 1940
Preceded bySir Francis Lowe
Succeeded bySir Peter Bennett
Member of Parliament
for Birmingham Ladywood
In office
14 December 1918 – 30 May 1929
Preceded byConstituency created
Succeeded byWilfrid Whiteley
Political offices
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
In office
28 May 1937 – 10 May 1940
MonarchGeorge VI
Preceded byStanley Baldwin
Succeeded byWinston Churchill
Leader of the Conservative Party
In office
27 May 1937 – 9 October 1940
Preceded byStanley Baldwin
Succeeded byWinston Churchill
Chairman of the Conservative Party
In office
1930–1931
Preceded byJ. C. C. Davidson
Succeeded byThe Lord Stonehaven
Chancellor of the Exchequer
In office
5 November 1931 – 28 May 1937
Prime Minister
Preceded byPhilip Snowden
Succeeded bySir John Simon
In office
27 August 1923 – 22 January 1924
Prime MinisterStanley Baldwin
Preceded byStanley Baldwin
Succeeded byPhilip Snowden
Minister of Health
In office
25 August 1931 – 5 November 1931
Prime MinisterRamsay MacDonald
Preceded byArthur Greenwood
Succeeded byHilton Young
In office
6 November 1924 – 4 June 1929
Prime MinisterStanley Baldwin
Preceded byJohn Wheatley
Succeeded byArthur Greenwood
In office
7 March 1923 – 27 August 1923
Prime Minister
Preceded bySir Arthur Griffith-Boscawen
Succeeded byWilliam Joynson-Hicks
Paymaster General
In office
5 February 1923 – 7 March 1923
Prime MinisterBonar Law
Preceded byTudor Walters
Succeeded byWilliam Joynson-Hicks
Postmaster General
In office
31 October 1922 – 5 February 1923
Prime MinisterBonar Law
Preceded byFrederick Kellaway
Succeeded byWilliam Joynson-Hicks

The early life, business career and political rise of Neville Chamberlain culminated on 28 May 1937, when he was summoned to Buckingham Palace to "kiss hands" and accept the office of Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Chamberlain had long been regarded as Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin's political heir, and when Baldwin announced his retirement, Chamberlain was seen as the only possible successor.

Chamberlain was born in 1869; his father was the politician and future Cabinet minister, Joseph Chamberlain. He was educated at Rugby School and Mason College (now Birmingham University); at neither institution was he particularly successful. After a period in a firm of chartered accountants, the younger Chamberlain spent six years in the Bahamas managing a sisal plantation in a failed attempt to recoup the family fortunes.

After returning to England in 1897, Chamberlain became a successful businessman in his home city of Birmingham. He was interested in social affairs, and successfully stood for Birmingham City Council in 1911. He became Lord Mayor of Birmingham in 1915. His second term was interrupted in December 1916 when Prime Minister David Lloyd George asked him to become Director of National Service. Chamberlain received little support from Lloyd George in the post, and his eight-month tenure sparked a hatred between the two which lasted Chamberlain's lifetime.

In 1918, Chamberlain was elected to the House of Commons, at age 49 the oldest man to enter Parliament and later become prime minister. After four years on the backbenches, Chamberlain saw rapid promotion, briefly becoming Chancellor of the Exchequer after less than a year as a minister. Chamberlain subsequently spent five years as Minister of Health, securing the passage of many reforming acts. After two years in opposition, Chamberlain became part of Ramsay MacDonald's National Government, and spent five and a half years as chancellor, directing Britain's financial policies as the nation emerged from the Depression. When Baldwin (who had replaced MacDonald as prime minister in 1935) retired in 1937, Chamberlain succeeded him.