Background
His father was Samuel Cunningham, and his elder brothers were Colonel James Glencairn Cunningham, Josias Cunningham stockbroker, Dunlop McCosh Cunningham owner of Murrays tobacco works, Belfast.
His father was Samuel Cunningham, and his elder brothers were Colonel James Glencairn Cunningham, Josias Cunningham stockbroker, Dunlop McCosh Cunningham owner of Murrays tobacco works, Belfast.
Later in the 1930s, Cunningham studied law and was called to the Bar by the Middle Temple in 1939.
As an Ulster Unionist politician at a time when the Unionists were part of the Conservative Party, he was also a significant figure in United Kingdom politics as ary Private Secretary to Harold Macmillan. Cunningham was from an Ulster family. He was sent to the Royal Belfast Academical Institution, and then to Fettes College in Edinburgh.
From 1931 Cunningham went into business in Northern Ireland.
During the Second World War he served in the Scots Guards although he continued his legal studies, and called to the Bar in Northern Ireland in 1942. He fought the Belfast West byelection in 1943 and the same seat in the 1945 general election.
After the war Cunningham mainly lived in Orpington, although he retained membership of the Ulster Unionist Council. His religious faith led him to be involved with the World Alliance of The Young Men's Christian Association from 1947, and he was Chairman of the National Council of the Young Men’s Christian Association in 1949.
In 1954 he was elected to Orpington Urban District Council.
In the 1955 general election, Cunningham was chosen as the new Ulster Unionist Member of Parliament for South Antrim. He was a delegate to the Council of Europe and Western European Union ary Assembly from 1956 to 1959. He also served as ary Private Secretary to Jocelyn Simon, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, from 1958.
In 1959 he was made a Queen"s Counsel.
After the 1959 general election, Cunningham was picked by Prime Minister Harold Macmillan as his ary Private Secretary, responsible for the Prime Minister"s relations with backbench Conservative MPs. He was Master of the Drapers Company in 1973-1974.
41st United Kingdom. 42nd United Kingdom. 43rd United Kingdom.
44th United Kingdom
He was also a member of the National Executive of the Conservative and Unionist Party. He was a member of the Apprentice boys Club in Londonderry and attended the 275th Anniversary of the shutting of the gates.