THE STANDING COMMISSION OF THE RED CROSS AND RED CRESCENT AND ITS MEMBERS

despite food shortages and rationing, was named after him. 40 For twenty years, from 1943-
63, Lord Woolton was Chairman of the Executive Committee of the British Red Cross Society
(BRCS). At the same time he continued his non-party government appointments: he was a
member of the War Cabinet 1943-45, Minister of Reconstruction 1943-45, and then Lord
President of the Council 1945 (again in 1951-52). In 1945 he attended the first post-war
meeting of the Board of Governors of the League of Red Cross Societies in Paris.
Lord Woolton joined the Conservative party when appointed its chairman by Winston
Churchill in 1946. From September 1946 to May 1947 he served as Vice-Chairman of the War
Organization of the BRCS and the Order of St John of Jerusalem. He then became Chairman
of the Joint Committee of the Order of St John and the BRCS administering funds from joint
war-time activities. In 1948 Lord Woolton co-led (with Angela Limerick) the BRCS delegation
to the XVIIth International Red Cross Conference in Stockholm, where he was elected a
member of the Standing Commission. In the UK, Lord Woolton’s contacts as a cabinet
minister helped to facilitate the UK ratifying the 1949 Geneva Conventions in 1957. 41
Lord Woolton was born on August 23 rd , 1883 in Salford and died on December 14 th , 1964 in
Arundel. 42
40 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woolton_pie
41 British Red Cross
42 Standing Commission of the Red Cross and Red Crescent
28