John William Dodson, 2nd Baron Monk Bretton

John William Dodson, 2nd Baron Monk Bretton, CB (March 27 1903), (September 22, 1869 - July 29, 1933), diplomat, sometime chairman of London County Council, and landowner.

The only son of the first Lord Monk Bretton, Dodson was educated at Eton (1883-1887), and New College, Oxford, (BA, 1891, 3rd class, Modern history).In 1894 he entered the Diplomatic Service.He was an Honorary Attache in Paris (from Feb. 1 1894) and Constantinople (from October 1, 1895) and returned to England after succeeding to the barony in May 1897. He resigned October 1, 1897.

From March 1899- November 1900 he was assistant Private Secretary to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Lord Salisbury, and then 1900-1903 he was Principal Private Secretary to Secretary of State for the Colonies, Joseph Chamberlain, in South Africa.Between 1912-1914 he was Alderman of the London County Council (LCC); after the war he represented Wandsworth (Clapham Division) from 1922; he was chairman of the Parliamentary Committee (1925-1929); and he was chairman of the Council itself, 1929-1930. This was a suitable peak as Joe Chamberlain had once said of him: 'Monk Bretton knows more about local government than any other man of my acquaintance'."The Times" obituary described him::'Throughout his life he showed an unflagging perseverance in every sphere to which he devoted himself, but he never allowed his industry to overwhelm him, as it does with some with his temperament'.

He was also a JP; Deputy Lieutenant (Sussex); in politics a Unionist; a subaltern in 1st Cinque Port Rifle Volunteers, and during the First World War he was a Major in the Sussex Yeomanry and was attached to the Naval Intelligence Department. He was a member of the Travellers' and Brooks's Clubs.

At Firle, on 19 August 1911, he married Ruth, daughter of the Hon. Charles Brand (4th son of Mr. Speaker Brand) of Little Dene, near Lewes, by Alice Emma Sturgis, daughter of Sylvain Van de Weyer.

In London he lived at 6 Seamore place, Mayfair (that whole street was demolished c1938), then at 16 Princes gardens, Knightsbridge SW7, and finally at 11 Vale Avenue (The Vale), SW3.He died in a nursing home in Brighton on July 29th and was buried in the family vault at Barcombe in East Sussex, August 1st 1933, aged 63.He was succeeded by his only son, John Charles Dodson.

ome Ancestors

References

* "The Times", July 31, 1933.
* "Gentleman's magazine", volume one, pages 129-132, February 1929, (on George Pearson).
* "Foreign Office List & Diplomatic & Consular Hand Book", 1905.
* Dod's Parliamentary Companion for 1932, Dod, London, 1932.