Robert Anthony Eden, 1st Earl of Avon (1897-1977)

Robert Anthony Eden, 1st Earl of Avon (12 June 1897 - 14 January 1977) was a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1955 to 1957.

 Early Life and Family 

Robert Anthony Eden was born on the 12th June 1897 at Windlestone Hall, Rushyford, the son of William Eden, 7th Baronet of West Auckland, 5th Baronet of Maryland (1849-1915) and Sybil Frances Grey (1867-1945). He had four siblings (one sister and three brothers): Elfrida Marjorie Eden (1887-1943), John Eden (1889-1914), Timothy Calvert Eden (1893-1963) and William Nicholas Eden (1900-1916.

 Career 

After graduating from Eton College, Eden enlisted in the 21st Battalion of the King's Royal Rifle Corps at the outbreak of the First World War; where he achieved the rank of Captain and received the Military Cross.

In 1923, Eden was elected Member of Parliament for Warwick and Leamington; which was followed by becoming the Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Home Secretary and also to the Foreign Secretary. After over a decade in Parliament, Eden was made Foreign Secretary in 1935, a position which he held for over two years until his resignation in 1938. Though despite this, Eden's political career continued with elections to several cabinet positions and parliamentary posts through to 1951.

In 1951, Eden was elected Deputy Prime Minister during Winston Churchill's second government; a post which he filled until 1955, when he was himself elected Prime Minister of the United Kingdom following Churchill's retirement. Eden then served for just under two years; in which time he endured the Suez Crisis and health problems - which ultimately led to his resignation in 1957.

 Marriage and Issue 

Eden married his first wife Beatrice Helen Beckett (1905-1957), the daughter of William Gervaise Beckett-Denison, 1st Baronet Beckett (1866-1937) and Mabel Theresa Duncombe (1877-1913), on the 5th November 1923 in St. George Hanover Square. The marriage produced three children: Simon Gascoigne Eden (1925-1945), Robert Eden (1928-1928) and Nicholas Eden, 2nd Earl of Avon (1930-1985). Though the couple divorced in 1950..

After his divorce, Eden married Anne Clarissa Spencer-Churchill (1920), the daughter of John Strange Spencer-Churchill (1880-1947) and Lady Gwendoline Theresa Mary Bertie (1885-1941) on the 14th August 1952 at Caxton Hall, Westminster. The marriage produced no issue.