P. J. Grigg

Sir P. J. Grigg PC
Secretary of State for War
In office 22 February 1942 – 26 July 1945
Monarch	George VI
Prime Minister	Winston Churchill
Preceded by	David Margesson
Succeeded by	Jack Lawson
Personal details
Born	16 December 1890 (1890-12-16) Exmouth, Devon
Died	5 May 1964 (1964-05-06)
Nationality	British
Alma mater	St John's College, Cambridge

Sir Percy James Grigg PC (16 December 1890 – 5 May 1964), better known as Sir P. J. Grigg was a British civil servant who was surprisingly moved from being the Permanent Under-Secretary of State at the War Office to become Secretary of State for War, the political head of the same department during the Second World War.

Background and education

The son of a carpenter, Grigg was born in Exmouth and won a scholarship to Bournemouth School and St John's College, Cambridge where he studied mathematics.

Career in civil service

In 1913 he achieved a first in the civil service examination and he served in the Treasury. During the First World War he served in the Royal Garrison Artillery. After the war he returned to the Treasury and in 1921 he became Principal Private Secretary to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, serving several successive Chancellors including Winston Churchill. He held this post until 1930 when he became Chairman of the Board of Customs and Excise and Chairman of the Board of Inland Revenue. In 1939 Grigg became Permanent Under-Secretary of State for War and oversaw a turbulent department, which in 1940 witnessed no less than four different Secretaries of State (Leslie Hore-Belisha, Oliver Stanley, Anthony Eden and David Margesson).

Secretary of State for War

He proved an effective civil service head but it came as a great shock to many when in February 1942 Churchill dismissed Margesson and replaced him with Grigg – who had to convey the news to Margesson himself. Amongst the many Ministerial appointments made by Churchill from outside the sphere of Westminster politics, this was seen as one of the most unusual, but was a response to considerable military setbacks such as the loss of Singapore, and the need to appease critics by replacing some ministers. Grigg retained his post for the rest of the war, holding it also in Churchill's 1945 "Caretaker Government". In 1942 he was elected as Member of Parliament (MP) for Cardiff East, beating Fenner Brockway. However in the 1945 general election he lost his seat and left public life.

Later life

In his later years Grigg held many directorships, including those of the Imperial Tobacco Company, the Prudential Assurance Company, the National Provincial Bank and the Distillers Company. He died in May 1964, aged 73.

References

• Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by P. J. Grigg

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Owen Temple-Morris	Member of Parliament for Cardiff East 1942–1945	Succeeded by Hilary Marquand
Political offices
Preceded by Sir Herbert Creedy	Permanent Under-Secretary of State for War 1939–1942	Succeeded by Sir Frederick Bovenschen Sir Eric Speed
Preceded by David Margesson	Secretary of State for War 1942–1945	Succeeded by Jack Lawson

Persondata
Name	Grigg, Percy James
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	16 December 1890
Place of birth	Exmouth, Devon
Date of death	5 May 1964
Place of death