John Eden, Baron Eden Of Winton

John Benedict Eden, Baron Eden of Winton, was born on 15 September 1925 and died on 23 May 2020. He was a British Conservative Party politician who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Bournemouth West from 1954 until 1983.

Early Life and Education

Eden was the son of Sir Timothy Eden, 8th Baronet, and Edith Mary Prendergast. He was educated at Eton College in England and attended St Paul's School in New Hampshire, United States.

Military Service

During the Second World War, he served as a Lieutenant in multiple units, including the Rifle Brigade, the 2nd Gurkha Rifles, and the Gilgit Scouts.

Family Background and Titles

He was a nephew of Sir Anthony Eden (1897–1977), who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1955 to 1957. Eden succeeded his father, Sir Timothy Calvert Eden, in 1963 to become the 9th Baronet of West Auckland and the 7th Baronet of Maryland.

Political Career

Eden first contested the 1953 Paddington North by-election but was unsuccessful. The following year, he was elected as the Conservative MP for Bournemouth West in a by-election, beginning his parliamentary career in 1954. Upon his election, he was recognized as the "Baby of the House," being the youngest member of the House of Commons at that time.

Throughout his parliamentary tenure, Eden held various roles and appointments. He was appointed to the Privy Council on 10 April 1972. After retiring from the House of Commons, he was created a life peer as Baron Eden of Winton, of Rushyford in the County of Durham, on 3 October 1983. 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.

Eden's committee and delegation roles included membership in the House of Commons Estimates Committee (1960–1964), serving as a delegate to the Council of Europe and the Western European Union (1960–1962), and participation in NATO Technology discussions (June–October 1970). He served as Minister of State for Industry (1970–1972) and as Minister of Posts and Telecommunications (1972–1974).

He was a member of the House of Commons Expenditure Committee (1974–1976), chaired the Select Committee on EEC Legislation (1976–1979), and the Select Committee on Home Affairs (1980–1983). Additionally, he served as chairman of the British Lebanese Association (1990–1998), chairman of the Royal Armouries Association (1986–1994), and as a member of the Timken Company International Advisory Board. He also held the position of chairman of Lady Eden's Schools Ltd.

Family Life

Eden was married twice. His first marriage was to Belinda Jane Pascoe in 1954, and they divorced in 1974. They had four children:

- The Honourable Emily Rose Eden, born in 1959

- The Honourable Arabella Charlotte Eden, born in 1960

- The Honourable Sir Robert Frederick Calvert Eden, born on 30 April 1964, who became the 10th Baronet of West Auckland and the 8th Baronet of Maryland

- The Honourable John "Jack" Edward Morton Eden, born in 1966, who is the heir presumptive to the baronetcies

His second marriage was to Margaret Ann Gordon in 1977; she was a former wife of the Earl of Perth. She remained married to Eden until his death in 2020.

Additional Information

His arms and heraldic details are documented, and portraits of John Eden are held at the National Portrait Gallery, London.