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was a Privy Councillor and member of the War Cabinet. He made a trip to Northern Russia and then in October 1918 to Washington where he discussed possible peace terms with President Wilson in the White House. In mid December 1918 Lloyd George requested him to co-ordinate the transport logistics for the remaining 3.75m members of the armed forces. He did not return to the navy as in February 1919 he was appointed as Britain’s first Minister of Transport and the key task of restructuring the nationalized railway companies was successfully completed when the Railway Act was passed in August 1921. Geddes left public life in February 1922 to become Chairman of Dunlop. In April 1924 he was requested to become the first Chairman of Imperial Airways on a part time basis. In 1937, the Short G class Flying Boats commenced the Empire Mail Service based in Southampton and with Durban as the South African terminus. It is worth remembering that during the 2nd World War, those same Empire Flying Boats flew the famous Horseshoe Route from Durban to Sydney via India, after the closure of the Mediterranean, and provided a valuable transport service.
Sir Eric Geddes died on 22 June 1937 and his ashes were scattered over the English channel from the Flying Boat Canopus. John Buchan ended his fascinating, and at times humorous talk, with an interesting thought on what might have happened to the career of this exceptional man if he had survived to the 2nd World War. As Chairman of Imperial Airways, his involvement in aircraft production and the RAF would have been a certainty and he would have attained high success and high command. This would have meant that this exceptional man would have reached high command in all 3 services, a unique achievement. Having listened to John’s talk, all present had no doubt that it would have been an achievement richly deserved.

Title The Papers of Sir Auckland Campbell Geddes Reference GBR/0014/GEDD Creator Geddes, Auckland Campbell, 1879-1954, 1st Baron Geddes, politician Covering Dates 1783-1991 Extent and Medium 29 boxes Repository Churchill Archives Centre Content and context
Auckland Geddes was born 21 June 1879, the son of Auckland Campbell Geddes. He married Isabella Gamble Ross in 1906 and they had four sons and one daughter. Geddes was a Lieutenant (3rd class) in the Highland Light Infantry, 1901-1902, and took part in the Boer War. 1906-1909, Geddes was Assistant Professor of Anatomy at Edinburgh University. 1909-1913 he was Professor of Anatomy at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and 1913-1914 he was Professor of Anatomy at McGill University, Montreal, Canada. 1914-1915 Geddes was a Major in the 17th Northumberland Fusiliers and 1916-1917 he was Director of Recruiting at the War Office. Geddes was MP (Unionist) for Basingstoke, 1917-1920, as well as Director General and Minister for National Service, 1917-1919. 1918-1919 he was President of the Local Government Board. January-May 1919 he was the Minister of Reconstruction. May 1919-March 1920 he was President of the Board of Trade with a seat in the Cabinet from October 1919. He was then the British Delegate in Washington to the Conference on Limitation of Armaments, 1917-1920. 1920-1924 Geddes was Ambassador Extraordinaire and Minister Plenipotentiary to the USA. 1939-1941 Geddes was the Regional Commander for Civil Defence South East Region and then Regional Commander for Civil Defence North West Region, 1941-1942. From 1924 until 1947 he was Chairman of the Rio Tinto Company and Rhokana Corporation as well as director of various companies. Sir Auckland Geddes died 8 June 1954.
Geddes’ book “The Forging of a Family” (Faber & Faber) was published in 1952.
This collection mainly consists of private papers and correspondence, 1885-1954, and family papers, 1783-1963. The material, especially the ministerial and ambassadorial papers, collected together by David Geddes provides an insight into the 1910s and 1920s. The collection also includes Geddes’ writings on medical, spiritual and military matters.