Background
Herbert Stanley Morrison was born in London on 3 January 1888, the youngest of seven children of Henry, a police constable, and Priscilla (Lyon) Morrison.
Deputy Prime Minister politician statesman
Herbert Stanley Morrison was born in London on 3 January 1888, the youngest of seven children of Henry, a police constable, and Priscilla (Lyon) Morrison.
He worked for a time as a shop assistant before carving out a career in politics. He joined the quasi-Marxist Social Democratic Federation in 1907, but left and joined the Brixton branch of the Independent Labour Party (ILP) in 1910. From 1910 to 1913 he was chairman of the Brixton branch of the National Union of Clerks and became more deeply involved in local politics. During these years he developed a clear socialist perspective, advocating public works to deal with unemployment and supporting the women’s suffrage movement.
During World War I he adopted an antiwar stance and became closely involved in the ILP s peace activities. Although blind in his right eye—a physical condition that exempted him from military service—he nonetheless attended the Military Service Tribunal to determine whether or not his refusal to enlist was genuine, and agreed to work on the land as a substitute form of war work.
Morrison rose quickly in Labour circles, becoming a member of the Hackney borough council and mayor in 1920 and 1921, respectively. He joined the national executive committee of the Labour Party in 1920. He was also a member of the London county council from 1922 to 1945, becoming its leader in 1939 to 1940. But during these years, his parliamentary activities absorbed most of his attention.
Morrison served three stints as M.P. for South Hackney from 1923 to 1924, from 1929 to 1931, and from 1935 to 1945, before becoming M.P. for East Lewisham (1945-1950) and then for South Lewisham (1950—1959). He was appointed minister of transport in the Labour government of 1929 to 1931, and served as minister of supply for a few months in 1940 before becoming home secretary and minister for home security. He served in the latter post from 1940 to 1945, and as a member of Churchill’s war cabinet in 1942. Morrison’s finest hour came when he was Lord President of the Council, leader of the House of Commons, and deputy prime minister in Atdee’s Labour governments of 1945 to 1951. In 1951 he became foreign secretary; and following Labour’s defeat, he continued to act as a deputy leader of the Labour Party, from 1951 to 1955.
Nevertheless, there were many personal and political failures in Morrison’s life. Politically, his main setbacks occurred at the hands of Attlee, who defeated him for the Labour Party leadership in 1935, and thwarted his attempts to become leader in 1939 and 1945. Attlee delayed his own retirement long enough to enable Hugh Gaitskell to become leader in 1955. Morrison was disliked by some leading party figures. When someone once suggested that Morrison was “his own worst enemy,” Ernest Bevin allegedly retorted, “Not while I’m around.” Morrison was also considered by some members of the Labour Party to be out of his depth as foreign secretary.
Morrison stood down as M.P. in 1959, whereupon he was elevated to the House of Lords as Lord Morrison of Lambeth. He was appointed president of the board of film censors in 1960, a post he held until his death on 6 March 1965.
He married Margaret Kent, the daughter of a railway clerk, in 1919. The couple had one daughter.
His first marriage failed, and he appears to have had several flirtations, including one with Ellen Wilkinson. Margaret, his first wife, died of cancer in 1953, and he married Edith Meadowcroft in 1955.