William Joynson-Hicks, the son of Henry Hicks and Grace Lynn, was
born on 23rd June, 1865. After being educated at Merchant
Taylors' School he trained as a solicitor. In 1886 he assumed
the surname Joynson-Hicks.
A member of the Conservative Party,
Joynson-Hicks unsuccessfully contested the seat of North
Manchester in the 1900 General Election.
He also failed in the 1906 General Election
but eventually won at a by-election in April 1908. A keen motorist,
Joynson-Hicks was chairman of the Automobile Association (1908-1923).
In October 1922 Andrew Bonar Law appointed
Joynson-Hicks as his Postmaster-General. Following the 1924
General Election, Stanley Baldwin,
promoted Joynson-Hicks to the post of Home Secretary. During the General
Strike Joynson-Hicks worked closely with Baldwin, Arthur
Steel-Maitland (Minister of Labour) and Winston
Churchill (Chancellor of the Exchequer) to defeat the miners.
Granted the title Viscount Brentford, Joynson-Hicks retired from the
House of Commons before the 1929
General Election. William Joynson-Hicks died on 8th June 1932.
(1)
David Low, Autobiography (1956)
My personal contacts with the Tory Party were slight until
I became acquainted with the Home Secretary. Sir William Joynson-Hicks
(Jix for short) was a spectacular success as a 'red' hunter. He was
in his element rushing the police around to seize sinister documents
from some branch of the then insignificant Communist Party. Most of
the time it seemed to me, of all Baldwin's men, the most intolerant,
narrow-minded and dictatorial of anti-democrats. Week by week, I derided
his moments of triumph. A letter arrived from Jix inviting me to come
along to the Home Office if ever I wanted to bring my portrait up
to date. Jix's vanity and giggling goodwill were irresistible. I abhored
his politics but I liked him and he liked me. There he was at the
Home Office with a heap of reproductions of my bloodhound cartoons
of himself on his writing-table, obviously put there for my benefit.
I met him often after that, always with enjoyment. For years we exchanged
Christmas presents regularly, I a little drawing, he a box of cigars:
"With best wishes from your devoted assassin, Low": "With
all good wishes from your most loyal victim, Jix."
David Low,
Sir William Joynson-Hicks (1924)
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