Herbert Dixon, 1st Baron Glentoran


Herbert Dixon, 1st Baron Glentoran, OBE, PC, DL was a Unionist politician from Northern Ireland.

Early life

Dixon was born in Belfast, the fourth son of Sir Daniel Dixon, 1st Baronet, and educated at Rugby School and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, before being commissioned into the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers as a second lieutenant on 20 January 1900. He was promoted to lieutenant on 14 May 1901, and served with the 6th Dragoons in the Second Boer War in South Africa in 1902. After the war he returned home in September 1902, and was posted at Curragh Camp. He later fought with the British Army in the First World War.

Political career

In 1918 Dixon was elected Unionist Member of Parliament for the seat of Belfast Pottinger, becoming representative for Belfast East four years later. He was also sent to the Northern Ireland House of Commons in 1921 as a member for Belfast East, being appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, and was finally elected member for the seat of Belfast Bloomfield in 1929.
Dixon was appointed OBE in 1919 and admitted to the Privy Council of Northern Ireland in 1923. In 1939 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Glentoran, of Ballyalloly in the County of Down. He served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Finance and Government Chief Whip from 1921–1942 and as Minister of Agriculture in the Parliament of Northern Ireland from 1941 to 1943. In May 1950 he succeeded his elder brother Sir Thomas Dixon as third baronet.
On 25 November 1905 Lord Glentoran married the Hon. Emily Ina Florence Bingham, daughter of John George Barry Bingham, 5th Baron Clanmorris. He died in July 1950, aged 70, and was succeeded in his titles by his son Daniel. Lady Glentoran died in 1957.

Arms