Stanley Baldwin

A memorial to Stanley Baldwin, 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley, was unveiled in the nave of Westminster Abbey on 18th December 1997 by Prime Minister Tony Blair. It lies just east of Lord Attlee's stone and was designed by Donald Buttress and carved by I. Rees. The inscription reads:

STANLEY BALDWIN 1867-1947 THREE TIMES PRIME MINISTER

Baldwin was born at Bewdley in Worcestershire on 3rd August 1867, the only child of Alfred Baldwin, industrialist, and his wife Louisa (Macdonald). He was educated at Harrow School and Trinity College Cambridge. He joined his father's firm and in 1902 became a managing director of Baldwins Ltd. On 12th September 1892 he married Lucy Ridsdale and they had six surviving children: Diana, Leonara (Lorna), Pamela Margaret, Oliver, Esther and Arthur Windham. His cousin was Rudyard Kipling.

Stanley stood as Conservative candidate for his late father's seat and entered Parliament in 1908. In Lloyd George's cabinet he was president of the Board of Trade and later Chancellor. After a short term as Prime Minister in the years 1923-1924 he resigned to allow for the first Labour administration under Ramsay MacDonald. But that lasted just a few months and he was back as Prime Minister until 1929. His radio appeal during the 1926 General Strike was credited with shortening that crisis. He was Prime Minister again 1935-1937. During the Abdication crisis of 1936 he sought, unsuccessfully, to persuade Edward VIII to renounce Mrs Simpson. In 1937 he retired and was made a peer. He died on 13th December 1947 and was buried in Worcester Cathedral. His son Oliver became 2nd Earl Baldwin.

Further reading for Alfred and Stanley

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography 2004

"Stanley Baldwin" by P. Williamson, 1999