John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley (8 July 1882 – 4 January 1958) was a British politician who served as Home Secretary, Lord President of the Council, and Chancellor of the Exchequer during World War II. He was nicknamed the "Home Front Prime Minister" for his role in managing the home front during the war, and he was also known for his unique career, as he held top civil service, proconsular, and ministerial offices.
Biography[]
John Anderson was born in Edinburgh, Scotland on 8 July 1882, and he studied at George Watson's School and Edinburgh University before entering the civil service in 1905. In 1912, he was involved with the implementation of National Health Insurance, and he served as Permanent Under-Secretary at the Home Office from 1922 to 1932 and Governor of Bengal from 1932 to 1937 as an independent politician. In 1938, he became an independent MP for the Scottish Universities, and he served as Lord Privy Seal under Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain. From 1939 to 1940, he served as Foreign Secretary and Minister of Home Security, going on to serve as Lord President of the Council from 1940 to 1943 and Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1943 to 1945. His seat in the House of Commons was abolished in 1950, and he died eight years later.