Sir Edward Archdale, 1st Baronet


Sir Edward Mervyn Archdale, 1st Baronet, PC, DL was a Northern Irish politician.
Archdale was born the son of Nicholas Montgomery Archdale and his wife Adelaide Mary in Rossfad, County Fermanagh. He entered the Royal Navy in 1867. He was promoted Lieutenant in 1875 and retired in 1881.
He was appointed High Sheriff of Fermanagh for 1884. In 1898 he was elected Conservative Member of Parliament for North Fermanagh. He resigned in 1903, but regained the seat in 1916. The seat was abolished in 1922.
In 1921 he stood for the new Parliament of Northern Ireland and was elected for Fermanagh and Tyrone. He held that seat until 1929, and was then elected for Enniskillen, retiring in 1937.
From 1921 to 1925, he served as Minister of Agriculture and Commerce in the Government of Northern Ireland and continued as Minister of Agriculture from 1925 to 1933. As a landowner and practical farmer he was well-qualified for the job.
Archdale was appointed to the Privy Council of Ireland in the 1921 New Year Honours, entitling him to the style "The Right Honourable", and was created a baronet in 1928. He was succeeded in the baronetcy by his eldest son, Vice-Admiral Sir Nicholas Edward Archdale.

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