World War II-dated DS, signed by the prime minister, "Winston S. Churchill," and the king, "App'd GRI," one page, 6.75 x 8.75, 10 Downing Street letterhead, May 25, 1945. In full: "Mr. Churchill, with his humble duty to The King, has the honour to recommend that the Earl of Rosebery, D.S.O., M.C., be sworn of Your Majesty’s most honourable Privy Council on his appointment as Secretary of State for Scotland.” Matted to an overall size of 11 x 14.25. In fine condition.
Harry Primrose, 6th Earl of Rosebery (1882-1974) was a British liberal politician and prominent cricketer, who in February 1941, during the Second World War, was appointed Regional Commissioner for Civil Defence in Scotland. When the wartime coalition government broke up in 1945, Winston Churchill formed a caretaker administration to hold office until the 1945 general election. One of the most unexpected appointments Churchill made was to install Rosebery as a member of the Privy Council and Secretary of State for Scotland—the caretaker Ministry was in office May to July 1945. So brief was his tenure at the Scottish Office that during the Royal Commission on Scottish Affairs he declined to give evidence on the grounds that he did not know what to say. Reputedly, his last words prior to his departing from the Scottish Office were ‘Well. I didn't make a bad job of this, did I? Didn't have the time.’
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