The Lord Godber of Willington PC | |
|---|---|
) Godber in 1970 | |
| Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food | |
| In office 5 November 1972 – 4 March 1974 | |
| Prime Minister | Edward Heath |
| Preceded by | James Prior |
| Succeeded by | Fred Peart |
| Minister of Labour | |
| In office 21 October 1963 – 16 October 1964 | |
| Prime Minister | Alec Douglas-Home |
| Preceded by | John Hare |
| Succeeded by | Ray Gunter |
| Secretary of State for War | |
| In office 27 June 1963 – 21 October 1963 | |
| Prime Minister | Harold Macmillan |
| Preceded by | John Profumo |
| Succeeded by | James Ramsden |
| Member of Parliament for Grantham | |
| In office 26 October 1951 – 4 May 1979 | |
| Preceded by | Eric Smith |
| Succeeded by | Douglas Hogg |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 17 March 1914 |
| Died | 25 August 1980 (aged 66) |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Conservative |
Joseph Bradshaw Godber, Baron Godber of Willington, PC (17 March 1914 – 25 August 1980) was a British Conservative Party politician and cabinet minister.
Background
Godber was educated at Bedford School, between 1922 and 1931, and became a nurseryman. He became chairman of the county glasshouse section of the National Farmers Union and of the publicity and parliamentary committee. He was a member of the Tomato and Cucumber Marketing Board.
Political career
Godber was a Bedfordshire County Councillor from 1946 until 1952.[1] He was elected Member of Parliament for Grantham in 1951, a seat he held until 1979. He served under Harold Macmillan as Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food from 1957 to 1960, as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs from 1960 to 1961, as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs from 1961 to 1963 and as Secretary of State for War in 1963, under Sir Alec Douglas-Home as Minister of Labour from 1963 to 1964 and under Edward Heath as Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs from 1970 to 1972 and as Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food from 1972–1974. Godber was appointed a Privy Counsellor in 1963 and in 1979 he was made a life peer as Baron Godber of Willington, of Willington in the County of Bedfordshire.[2]
Personal life
Lord Godber of Willington died in August 1980, aged 66. In 1936, he married Miriam Sanders in Bedford. They had two sons (including one born in 1938). He has 3 grandchildren (Amanda Varley, James R B Godber and Victoria Bell) and 5 great grandchildren (Lucy Varley, Emily Godber, Tom Godber, Edward Bell and Jack Bell)
References
- ^ The Times Guide to the House of Commons February 1974. London: Times Newspapers Ltd. 1974. p. 132. ISBN 0 7230 0115 4.
- ^ "No. 47907". The London Gazette. 17 July 1979. p. 9009.
External links
- Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Joseph Godber
- Portraits of Joseph Godber at the National Portrait Gallery, London
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Eric Smith | Member of Parliament for Grantham 1951–1979 | Succeeded by Hon. Douglas Hogg |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by John Profumo | Secretary of State for War 1963 | Succeeded by James Ramsden |
| Preceded by Hon. John Hare | Minister of Labour 1963-64 | Succeeded by Ray Gunter |
| Preceded by Jim Prior | Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 1972-74 | Succeeded by Fred Peart |