Clement Attlee

Clement Attlee - Former British Prime Minister, Facts and Facts

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Clement Attlee's Personal Details

Clement Richard Attlee was a British Labour Party politician and Britain’s first post-World War II Prime Minister

InformationDetail
BirthdayJanuary 3, 1883
Died onOctober 8, 1967
NationalityBritish
FamousLeaders, Political Leaders, Prime Ministers, Former British Prime Minister
SpousesCountess Attlee, Violet Attlee
SiblingsThomas Attlee
Known asClement Richard Attlee, 1st Earl Attlee, KG, OM, CH, PC, FRS
Childrens2nd Earl Attlee, Alison Elizabeth Attlee, Janet Helen Attlee, Lady Felicity Ann Attlee, Martin Attlee
Universities
  • Haileybury and Imperial Service College
  • 1904 - University College
  • Oxford
  • University of Oxford
Birth PlacePutney
Political IdeologyPolitical party - Labour
ReligionAnglicanism, Atheism, Church of England, Agnosticism
GenderMale
FatherHenry Attlee
MotherEllen Bravery Watson
Sun SignCapricorn
Born inPutney
Famous asFormer British Prime Minister
Died at Age84

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Clement Attlee's photo

Who is Clement Attlee?

Clement Attlee, was a British Labour Party politician and the country’s first post-World War II Prime Minister. He served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1945 to 1951 and the leader of the Labour Party from 1935 to 1955. After receiving his primary education from schools in London, he graduated from Oxford University with a BA in Modern History. Initially conservative in his political views, he underwent a change while working as a manager for the Haileybury House. After witnessing the poverty and misery prevailing in the society, he became more inclined towards Socialism. In order to make a difference in the local politics he joined the Independent Labour Party. Attlee was given a commission in the South Lancashire Regiment in 1914 and he served in Gallipoli, Mesopotamia and France during World War I. When the war ended, he held the rank of Major. He was first elected to the Parliament in 1922 as the MP for Limehouse. From there he gradually moved up the political ladder and became the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, eventually becoming the leader of the party itself. The Labour Party under him registered a landslide victory in the general elections after the World War II and he became the Prime Minister.

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Childhood & Early Life

Clement Attlee was born on January 3, 1883 in Putney, Surrey to Henry Attlee and Ellen Bravery Watson. His father was a solicitor.

Clement Attlee received his schooling from Northaw School and then went to the Haileybury College. In 1904, he graduated from University College, Oxford, with a Second Class Honors BA in Modern History. After completing his graduation, he trained as a lawyer.

Career

In 1906, he started working as manager of Haileybury House, a charitable club for working-class boys. There he witnessed the terrible living standards of the slum children which deeply affected his political views.

He developed a view that private charities would do no good for the poor people and income redistribution by the state was the only way out. Thus, he joined the Independent Labour Party in 1908 in order to become actively involved in the country’s politics.

In 1911, Clement Attlee was employed as the UK Government's official explainer. He toured Essex and Somerset on a bicycle, explaining Chancellor of the Exchequer David Lloyd George's National Insurance Act at public meetings..

He was a lecturer at the London School of Economics from 1912 to 1914 before being commissioned in the World War I. After the war he came back to the London School and held his position till 1923.

He became the mayor of the Metropolitan Borough of Stepney in 1919. The council issued and executed orders and directives against slum-lords who didn’t maintain habitable conditions in their slums. The council also appointed visitors and sanitary inspectors and dealt with the rising issue of infant mortality.

He became the Member of Parliament from Limehouse after the 1922 general elections and also served as Ramsay MacDonald’s parliamentary private secretary in the brief 1922 parliament.

In the 1924 first Labor government led by Ramsay MacDonald he served as the Under-Secretary of State for War.

In 1927, he became one of the members of the Simon Commission but found no ministerial post in the Second Labour Government.

In 1930 he became the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and the Postmaster-General in 1931.

In the 1931 general elections the Labour Party lost heavily and most of the senior leaders lost their seats. Attlee and George Lansbury were among the few who survived and then Lansbury was elected the Leader with Attlee as his deputy.

Lansbury resigned in 1935 and Attlee became the interim leader before the 1935 elections. Afterwards he won both the first and the second ballots and defeated Herbert Morrison and Arthur Greenwood to become the Leader of the Labour Party.

The Labour Party strongly discouraged the rearmament of UK or the neighbouring countries during the 1920s and the 1930s. But with the steady rise of Nazi Germany the party ditched the idea by 1937.

During the World War II the Labour Party and the Conservatives entered a coalition government led by Winston Churchill. In this period he became Britain’s first ever Deputy Prime Minister in 1942 and then also held the positions of Dominions Secretary and the Lord President of the Council.

After the World War II the coalition was broken and fresh elections were held. Churchill, the Conservative Party’s candidate, being the War-Hero was expected to win but shockingly the Labour Party won and for the first time had enough seats to claim majority in the house.

Attlee was appointed the Prime Minister by King George VI at the Buckingham Palace. He assumed office on 26 July 1945 and in the next three years the government passed over 200 public Acts of Parliament.

In the 1950 general elections the Labour Party won a majority of only five seats but he was re-elected. Although this term didn’t equal his first, still important legislations regarding air and water pollution and industries in urban area were passed.

The Attlee government began to flounder by 1951 and Attlee in order to revitalize the government, called for a snap election. The Labour Party lost the elections and Attlee tendered his resignation as PM the next day.

He continued leading the party as the Leader of Opposition and in the 1955 general election he lost to Anthony Eden. In November, he retired as the Leader of the Labour Party and was succeeded by Hugh Gaitskell.

Major Works

Clement Attlee and his government are accredited with the creation of a publicly funded healthcare system, the National Health Service and the nationalization of public utilities and major industries.

Under his tenure the British government finally granted British India, Burma and Ceylon their independence.

Awards & Achievements

Clement Attlee received the Order of the Garter, the Order of Merit and the Order of the Companions of Honour.

Personal Life & Legacy

Clement Attlee married Violet Millar on January 10, 1922 and together they had four children, namely, Lady Janet Helen, Lady Felicity Ann, Martin Richard and Lady Alison Elizabeth.

Clement succumbed to pneumonia on October 8, 1967 at the age of 84.

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Clement Attlee biography timelines

  • // 3rd Jan 1883
    Clement Attlee was born on January 3, 1883 in Putney, Surrey to Henry Attlee and Ellen Bravery Watson. His father was a solicitor.
  • // 1904
    Clement Attlee received his schooling from Northaw School and then went to the Haileybury College. In 1904, he graduated from University College, Oxford, with a Second Class Honors BA in Modern History. After completing his graduation, he trained as a lawyer.
  • // 1906
    In 1906, he started working as manager of Haileybury House, a charitable club for working-class boys. There he witnessed the terrible living standards of the slum children which deeply affected his political views.
  • // 1908
    He developed a view that private charities would do no good for the poor people and income redistribution by the state was the only way out. Thus, he joined the Independent Labour Party in 1908 in order to become actively involved in the country’s politics.
  • // 1911
    In 1911, Clement Attlee was employed as the UK Government's official explainer. He toured Essex and Somerset on a bicycle, explaining Chancellor of the Exchequer David Lloyd George's National Insurance Act at public meetings..
  • // 1912 To 1923
    He was a lecturer at the London School of Economics from 1912 to 1914 before being commissioned in the World War I. After the war he came back to the London School and held his position till 1923.
  • // 1919
    He became the mayor of the Metropolitan Borough of Stepney in 1919. The council issued and executed orders and directives against slum-lords who didn’t maintain habitable conditions in their slums. The council also appointed visitors and sanitary inspectors and dealt with the rising issue of infant mortality.
  • // 1922
    He became the Member of Parliament from Limehouse after the 1922 general elections and also served as Ramsay MacDonald’s parliamentary private secretary in the brief 1922 parliament.
  • // 10th Jan 1922
    Clement Attlee married Violet Millar on January 10, 1922 and together they had four children, namely, Lady Janet Helen, Lady Felicity Ann, Martin Richard and Lady Alison Elizabeth.
  • // 1924
    In the 1924 first Labor government led by Ramsay MacDonald he served as the Under-Secretary of State for War.
  • // 1927
    In 1927, he became one of the members of the Simon Commission but found no ministerial post in the Second Labour Government.
  • // 1930 To 1931
    In 1930 he became the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and the Postmaster-General in 1931.
  • // 1931
    In the 1931 general elections the Labour Party lost heavily and most of the senior leaders lost their seats. Attlee and George Lansbury were among the few who survived and then Lansbury was elected the Leader with Attlee as his deputy.
  • // 1935
    Lansbury resigned in 1935 and Attlee became the interim leader before the 1935 elections. Afterwards he won both the first and the second ballots and defeated Herbert Morrison and Arthur Greenwood to become the Leader of the Labour Party.
  • // 1937
    The Labour Party strongly discouraged the rearmament of UK or the neighbouring countries during the 1920s and the 1930s. But with the steady rise of Nazi Germany the party ditched the idea by 1937.
  • // 1942
    During the World War II the Labour Party and the Conservatives entered a coalition government led by Winston Churchill. In this period he became Britain’s first ever Deputy Prime Minister in 1942 and then also held the positions of Dominions Secretary and the Lord President of the Council.
  • // 26th Jul 1945
    Attlee was appointed the Prime Minister by King George VI at the Buckingham Palace. He assumed office on 26 July 1945 and in the next three years the government passed over 200 public Acts of Parliament.
  • // 1950
    In the 1950 general elections the Labour Party won a majority of only five seats but he was re-elected. Although this term didn’t equal his first, still important legislations regarding air and water pollution and industries in urban area were passed.
  • // 1951
    The Attlee government began to flounder by 1951 and Attlee in order to revitalize the government, called for a snap election. The Labour Party lost the elections and Attlee tendered his resignation as PM the next day.
  • // 1955
    He continued leading the party as the Leader of Opposition and in the 1955 general election he lost to Anthony Eden. In November, he retired as the Leader of the Labour Party and was succeeded by Hugh Gaitskell.
  • // 8th Oct 1967
    Clement succumbed to pneumonia on October 8, 1967 at the age of 84.

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Clement Attlee's FAQ

  • What is Clement Attlee birthday?

    Clement Attlee was born at 1883-01-03

  • When was Clement Attlee died?

    Clement Attlee was died at 1967-10-08

  • Where was Clement Attlee died?

    Clement Attlee was died in Westminster Hospital

  • Which age was Clement Attlee died?

    Clement Attlee was died at age 84

  • Where is Clement Attlee's birth place?

    Clement Attlee was born in Putney

  • What is Clement Attlee nationalities?

    Clement Attlee's nationalities is British

  • Who is Clement Attlee spouses?

    Clement Attlee's spouses is Countess Attlee, Violet Attlee

  • Who is Clement Attlee siblings?

    Clement Attlee's siblings is Thomas Attlee

  • Who is Clement Attlee childrens?

    Clement Attlee's childrens is 2nd Earl Attlee, Alison Elizabeth Attlee, Janet Helen Attlee, Lady Felicity Ann Attlee, Martin Attlee

  • What was Clement Attlee universities?

    Clement Attlee studied at Haileybury and Imperial Service College, 1904 - University College, Oxford, University of Oxford

  • What is Clement Attlee's political ideology?

    Clement Attlee's political ideology is Political party - Labour

  • What is Clement Attlee's religion?

    Clement Attlee's religion is Anglicanism, Atheism, Church of England, Agnosticism

  • Who is Clement Attlee's father?

    Clement Attlee's father is Henry Attlee

  • Who is Clement Attlee's mother?

    Clement Attlee's mother is Ellen Bravery Watson

  • What is Clement Attlee's sun sign?

    Clement Attlee is Capricorn

  • How famous is Clement Attlee?

    Clement Attlee is famouse as Former British Prime Minister