A descendant of the British prime minister 4th Duke of Devonshire, Victor Christian William Cavendish was educated at Eton and carried on his studies at Trinity College, Cambridge. In 1891 he was returned for West Derbyshire becoming the youngest member of the House of Commons. In 1892 he married a daughter of Lord Lansdowne, Governor General of Canada (1883-1888). He served as Treasurer to His Majesty's Household (1900-1903) and Financial Secretary to the Treasury (1903-1905). Upon the death of his uncle, best known as Lord Hartington, Cavendish succeeded to the dukedom and entered the House of Lords. He was also Mayor of Eastbourne (1909-1910) and of Chesterfield (1911-1912), and a Civil Lord of the British Admiralty (1915-1916). The appointment of Devonshire as Governor General of Canada caused political tensions between the British Cabinet and the government of Canada, which had not been not consulted prior to the appointment. Devonshire encouraged reconciliation in the issue of conscription introduced by the Canadian government soon after his arrival. However, he was careful to consult with the Prime Minister Robert Borden and the opposition leaders, and to not interfere in political matters. As a result, there were none of the problems there had been with his predecessor, the Duke of Connaught. As one of Britain's great landowners, Devonshire took a particular interest in Canadian agriculture. In 1921, the Duke of Devonshire Trophy for the Ottawa Horticultural Society was established. One of his major projects was to encourage the establishment of experimental farms in Canada. After returning home, the Duke of Devonshire worked for the League of Nations. In 1924 he succeeded Winston Churchill as Secretary of State for the Colonies (25 Oct 1922 - 23 Jan 1924) in the Cabinets of Bonar Law and Stanley Baldwin. |
