Percy Herbert Mills, 1st Viscount Mills,KBE, PC (4 January 1890 – 10 September 1968), known asSir Percy Mills, Bt, between 1953 and 1957 and asThe Lord Mills between 1957 and 1962, was a British industrialist, public servant and politician.
Mills was born atThornaby and educated atBarnard Castle School.[1]
During theSecond World War Mills served as Controller-General of Machine Tools at theMinistry of Supply from 1940 to 1944.[2] He earnedHarold Macmillan's absolute confidence and was described by theOxford Dictionary of National Biography as "one of the most politically influential industrialists of his time."[1] He wasknighted in the1942 New Year Honours,[3][4] and was appointed to theOrder of the British Empire as a Knight Commander (KBE) in the1946 Birthday Honours.[5] He was created as a Baronet, of Alcester in the County of Warwick, in 1952[6] and was raised to the peerage as Baron Mills, ofStudley in the County of Warwick, in January 1957.[7] The same month newly appointed Prime Minister Macmillan made MillsMinister of Power, with a seat in the cabinet. He was sworn of thePrivy Council at the same time. In October 1959 he becamePaymaster General, which he remained until October 1961, when he was madeMinister without Portfolio. Following his departure from the Cabinet after the "Night of the Long Knives" he was made Viscount Mills, ofKensington in the County of London, in 1962.[8]
Lord Mills died in September 1968, aged 78, and was succeeded in the viscountcy by his son, Roger.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Minister of Power 1957–1958 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Paymaster General 1959–1961 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by – | Minister without Portfolio 1961–1962 | Succeeded by – |
| Peerage of the United Kingdom | ||
| New creation | Viscount Mills 1962–1968 | Succeeded by |
| Baron Mills 1957–1968 | ||
| Baronetage of the United Kingdom | ||
| New creation | Baronet (of Alcester) 1953–1968 | Succeeded by |
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