Clement Richard Attlee, 1st Earl Attlee (1883-1967)

Clement Richard Attlee, 1st Earl Attlee (3 January 1883 - 8 October 1967) was a British politician; who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1945 to 1951.

 Early Life and Family 

Clement Richard Attlee was born on the 3rd January 1883 at 18 Portinscale Road, Putney; the seventh child of Henry Attlee (1841-1908) and Ellen Bravery Watson (1847-1920). His siblings were: Robert Bravery Attlee (1871-1953), Bernard Henry Bravery Attlee (1873-1943), Mary Ann Bravery Attlee (1875-1956), Dorothy Janet Attlee (1877-1920), Margaret Ellen Attlee (1878-1964), Thomas Simons Attlee (1880-1961) and Lawrence Gillespie Attlee (1884-1969).

 Career 

After graduating from Oxford University in 1904, Attlee became a manager at Haileybury House, and as a result became a socialist and a member of the Independent Labour Party. Though while working as a lecturer during the early 1910's, Attlee enlisted in the army at the outbreak of the First World War; through which he achieved the rank of captain during the Gallipoli Campaign.

After the war, Attlee once again became involved in politics, and was subsequently elected Member of Parliament for Limehouse in 1922 - a position that he held until 1950. Nearly a decade later, he became Deputy Leader of the Labour Party in 1931; though he only held the position until 1935, when he became Leader of the Opposition. Attlee kept this position as Leader of the Labour Party until the outbreak of the Second World War; during which he was also elected to other offices such as Minister of Defence, Lord Privy Seal and Deputy Prime Minister (despite being of the opposite party to Churchill).

In 1945, Attlee became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the landslide election of the year, and stayed in the post for six years until 1951; when the Labour Party was replaced by the Conservative Party in government. Despite this, Attlee remained Leader of the Opposition until 1955; when he retired from politics.

 Marriage and Issue 

Attlee married Violet Helen Millar (1895-1964), the daughter of Henry Edward Millar (1856-1912) and Ada Margaret Prance (1857-1943), on 10th January 1922 at Christ Church, Hampstead, They had four children together: Lady Janet Helen Attlee (1923), Lady Felicity Ann Attlee (1925-2007), Martin Richard Attlee, 2nd Earl Attlee (1925-1991) and Lady Alison Elizabeth Attlee (1930).

 Death 

Attlee died on the 8th October 1967 at Westminster Hospital, Westminster; at the age of 84.