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The Right Honourable
The Viscount Runciman
of Doxford
OBE, AFC
The Right Honourable The Viscount Runciman; of Doxford OBE, AFC
Member of the House of Lords
	Lord Temporal
	In office; 28 November 1949 – 1 September 1989
Preceded by	The 1st Viscount Runciman
Succeeded by	The 3rd Viscount Runciman
Personal details
Born	Walter Leslie Runciman; 26 August 1900
Died	1 November 1989 (aged 89)
Nationality	British
Political party	Conservative
Spouses	; Rosamond Nina Lehmann (m. 1923; div. 1928) ; Katherine Schuyler Garrison (m. 1932)
Children	Walter Garrison Runciman
Parent(s)	Walter Runciman, 1st Viscount Runciman of Doxford; Hilda Stevenson
Alma mater	Trinity College, Cambridge
Military career
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service	Royal Air Force
Years of service	1930–1939; 1943–1946
Rank	Squadron Leader
Commands	No. 607 (County of Durham) Squadron
Battles / wars	Second World War
Awards	Officer of the Order of the British Empire; Air Force Cross

Walter Leslie Runciman, 2nd Viscount Runciman of Doxford, OBE, AFC (26 August 1900 – 1 September 1989), was a prominent member of the Runcimans, a well-known Newcastle ship-owning and political family.

Background

Runciman was the eldest son of the politician Walter Runciman (later 1st Viscount Runciman of Doxford) and Hilda Stevenson. He was born in Newcastle upon Tyne and grew up at Doxford Hall. He was educated at Summer Fields School,^[1] Eton College and Trinity College, Cambridge. In 1937 he was awarded the Air Force Cross. He was awarded the OBE in 1946 for war service. On his father's death in 1949 he succeeded to the title Viscount Runciman of Doxford (created in 1937). The distinguished historian the Hon. Sir Steven Runciman was his younger brother.

Career

After graduating from Cambridge, Runciman joined the family shipping business, later becoming chairman of the company.^[2] He trained as a pilot and was Commanding Officer of No. 607 (County of Durham) Squadron of the Auxiliary Air Force from 1930 to 1939.^[3] He also partnered with Constance Leathart in forming Cramlington Aircraft Ltd, which ran Cramlington Aerodrome as well as producing a primary glider in the early 1930s. From 1940 to 1943, he was the first Director-General of the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC). From then until 1946, he was Air Attaché in Tehran. Post-war, Runciman served on many business and public organisations mainly related to shipping and air transport. He was a Trustee of the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich from 1955, acting as chairman from 1962 to 1972.^[4] A lifelong yachtsman, he was Commodore of the Royal Yacht Squadron from 1968 to 1974 and of Royal Northumberland Yacht Club from 1946 to 1976 when he was promoted Admiral for life.

Family

Runciman married novelist Rosamond Nina Lehmann in 1923. They were divorced in 1928 and he remarried Katherine Schuyler Garrison in 1932. Their only child, the Hon. Walter Garrison Runciman, later 3rd Viscount Runciman of Doxford, was born in 1934.^[5]

Honours

1937: Air Force Cross
1946: Officer of the Order of the British Empire
1949: Baronet, 3rd baronet, of Doxford (cr. 1906)

Honorary military appointments

1939–1957: Honorary Air Commodore, 607 (County of Durham) Squadron, RAuxAF

Arms

Coat of arms of Leslie Runciman, 2nd Viscount Runciman of Doxford^[6]
	Crest A seahorse erect gules, holding in the fore fins a thistle as in the arms. Escutcheon Per fess or and azure a lymphad oars in action, the sail charged with a thistle leaved and slipped proper, flags flying to the dexter gules. Supporters On either side a seahorse or gorged with a chain pendent therefrom a grappling iron azure. Motto By sea

References

^ Usborne, Richard (1964). A Century of Summer Fields. Methuen. p. 113.
^ "Runciman 3". Sclews.me.uk. Archived from the original on 2 April 2012. Retrieved 8 October 2011.
^ 607 Squadron Photo 1
^ "Walter Leslie Runciman, 1900–89,… (BHC2988) – National Maritime Museum". Nmm.ac.uk. 10 October 1917. Retrieved 8 October 2011.
^ "Runciman of Doxford, Viscount (UK, 1937)". Cracroftspeerage.co.uk. Archived from the original on 31 January 2011. Retrieved 8 October 2011.
^ Debrett's peerage and baronetage. Debrett's Peerage Ltd. 2002. p. 1392.

External links

Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by the Viscount Runciman of Doxford

Peerage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Walter Runciman	Viscount Runciman of Doxford 1949–1989 Member of the House of Lords (1949–1989)	Succeeded by Garry Runciman
Preceded by Walter Runciman	Baron Runciman 1949–1989	Succeeded by Garry Runciman
Baronetage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Walter Runciman	Baronet of Doxford 1949–1989	Succeeded by Garry Runciman