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Maurice Victor Macmillan, Viscount Macmillan of Ovenden PC (27 January 1921 – 10 March 1984) was a British Conservative Party politician and Member of Parliament.
Background and education
Macmillan was the son of Harold Macmillan, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1957 to 1963, and Lady Dorothy Cavendish, daughter of Victor Cavendish, 9th Duke of Devonshire. He was educated at Eton and Balliol College, Oxford. He served with the Sussex Yeomanry in Europe in World War II. Like his father, he was Chairman of Macmillan Publishers, as well as a director of two news agencies.
Political career
Macmillan contested Seaham at the 1945 election, Lincoln in 1951 and Wakefield at a 1954 by-election. He served on Kensington Borough Council 1949–53. He was elected MP for Halifax at the 1955 election but lost this seat in 1964. He was then elected for Farnham in 1966. This latter seat became South West Surrey at the 1983 general election. He served as Chief Secretary to the Treasury 1970–72, Secretary of State for Employment 1972–73 and Paymaster General 1973–74 under Edward Heath. He was made a Privy Counsellor in 1972.
Family
Macmillan married the Honourable Katharine Ormsby-Gore, daughter of William Ormsby-Gore, 4th Baron Harlech, on 22 August 1942. They had four sons and a daughter:
- Alexander Daniel Alan Macmillan, 2nd Earl of Stockton (born 10 October 1943)
- Hon. Joshua Edward Andrew Macmillan (1945–1965)
- Hon. Adam Julian Robert Macmillan (1948–2016)
- Hon. Rachel Mary Georgia Macmillan (1955–1987)
- Hon. David Maurice Benjamin Macmillan (born 1957)
Macmillan was for a time the owner of Highgrove House, which now belongs to the Prince of Wales. Upon his father's elevation to the peerage on 10 February 1984 as Earl of Stockton, he acquired the courtesy title Viscount Macmillan of Ovenden. He died suddenly in Westminster, London, on 10 March 1984 following a heart operation, aged 63. His father outlived him by nearly three years, dying in December 1986 at the age of 92;
his son Alexander has held the title 2nd Earl of Stockton since the death of the first Earl.
Styles of address
- 1921-1955: Mr Maurice Macmillan
- 1955-1964: Mr Maurice Macmillan MP
- 1964-1966: Mr Maurice Macmillan
- 1966-1972: Mr Maurice Macmillan MP
- 1972-1984: The Right Honourable Maurice Macmillan MP
- 1984: The Right Honourable Viscount Macmillan of Ovenden MP