The Papers of Harold Harington Balfour, 1st Baron Balfour of Inchrye

Harold Harington Balfour was born in 1897. He joined the 60th Rifles, 1914; was attached to the RFC 1915; serving in the European War, 1914–18 (winning the MC and bar). He stayed in the RAF from 1918-23 and then pursued careers in journalism and business.

He contested the Stratford, West Ham, election in 1924; later being elected as the Conservative MP for the Isle of Thanet, 1929-45. He was Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Air, 1938-44, and Minister Resident in West Africa, 1944-45.

After World War Two he was President, Federation Chambers of Commerce of the British Empire, 1946-49; and President, Commonwealth and Empire Industries Association, 1956-60

Balfour published "An Airman Marches", 1935; "Wings over Westminster", 1973; and "Folk, Fish and Fun", 1978. He was created 1st Baron Balfour of Inchrye in 1945. He died in 1988.

Typescript note on Royal Flying Squadron, France, 1917 (compiled ca. 1988); photographs, including School of Special Flying, Fort Grange, 1917-18; correspondence relating to Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding, including letters from Sir John Colville and Marshal of the RAF Sir John Slessor, 1969-85; "From severity to affection", [Balfour's?] memorial to Dowding, March 1988; drafts of talks by Balfour, 1935, on various constitutional subjects; and correspondence with Harold Macmillan, 1984

These papers were presented to Churchill Archives centre by Lady Balfour in July 1992

This collection is owned by Churchill College

The collection is open for consultation by researchers using Churchill Archives Centre, Churchill College, Cambridge. Churchill Archives Centre is open from Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm. A prior appointment and two forms of identification are required.

Researchers wishing to publish excerpts from the papers must obtain prior permission from the copyright holders and should seek advice from Archives Centre staff.

Please cite as Churchill Archives Centre, The Papers of Harold Harington Balfour, 1st Baron Balfour of Inchrye, BLFR

Further correspondence and papers of Balfour, 1939-44, are held by The Parliamentary Archives (House of Lords Record Office): "The Balfour Papers"

This list and collection level description was prepared by Andrew Riley of Churchill Archives Centre in March 2003