Douglas- Home, << hyoom, >> Sir Alec (1903-1995), served as prime minister of the United Kingdom from October 1963 to October 1964. A member of the Conservative Party, he succeeded Harold Macmillan. Douglas-Home served as foreign secretary from 1960 to 1963 and from 1970 to 1974.
Douglas-Home entered Parliament in 1931 as the Conservative representative of Lanarkshire in the House of Commons. In 1945, he became joint parliamentary undersecretary of state for foreign affairs. After his father’s death in 1951, Douglas-Home became the 14th Earl of Home. As a member of the nobility, he took his place in the House of Lords. Douglas-Home became secretary of state for Commonwealth relations in 1955 and leader of the House of Lords in 1957.
After Douglas-Home was named prime minister, some members of the Conservative Party protested his being selected. Traditionally, the prime minister must be a member of the House of Commons, and Douglas-Home was not a member. The protesters were also upset because party leaders had disregarded many members’ wishes by choosing Douglas-Home. However, after Douglas-Home became prime minister, he gave up his title and his seat in the House of Lords and was again elected to the Commons. In 1975, Queen Elizabeth II gave him the title Baron Home of the Hirsel, and he returned to the House of Lords.
Alexander Frederick Douglas-Home was born in London on July 2,1903. He was one of seven children born to Charles Douglas-Home, 13th Earl of Home, and Lady Lillian Lambton. Young Alec grew up at his ancestral home in Berwickshire in the Borders Region of Scotland. He was educated at Eton and Christ Church College, Oxford. In 1936, Douglas-Home married Elizabeth Hester Alington, with whom he had four children. He died on Oct. 9, 1995, in Berwickshire.
