Loder worked as a clerk in the Foreign Office from 1919 to 1922 and then for two years at the League of Nations in Geneva. On 3 June 1920, he married Margaret "Peggy" Tennant, the daughter of prominent Liberal politician and businessman, Sir Charles Tennant, 1st Baronet. Together they had four children: three sons, Christopher, David and Robert, and a daughter, Henrietta. Indulging in his interest in Egyptology, Loder wrote his first book: The Truth about Mesopotamia, Syria and Palestine. (1923).[3]
John and Peggy Loder travelled on a world tour in 1924, including a visit to Australia. Although initially unimpressed, describing Sydney as "afflicted with so much Victorian architecture of the worst kind", by the end he had warmed to the country, writing that Australia was "a splendid country with splendid people" possessing a "democratic spirit". Returning to England, Loder was narrowly elected as the ConservativeMember of Parliament for Leicester East in 1924, a seat he held until being defeated in the 1929 General Election. Loder then made several visits to Bolshevik Russia, writing another book entitled: Bolshevism in Perspective (1931).[3] In 1931 he returned to the House of Commons as member for Lewes, and represented this constituency until succeeding his father on his death as the second Baron Wakehurst in 1936, who had been raised to peerage in 1934. Loder then entered the House of Lords.[2]
Wakehurst, aware of any potential criticism over his British Conservative background, arranged for their children to be schooled in Australia: Christopher Loder who attended Tudor House School, then left to attend a year at Eton College before returning to attend The King's School, Parramatta; David Loder to Tudor House before attending Geelong Grammar School; Robert Loder attended Cranbrook School, and Henrietta Loder returned to obtain a Diploma in Social Studies at the University of Sydney.[6]
Early on in their term, the Wakehursts engaged themselves in the typical Vice-regal duties, becoming involved in various sporting and community organisations, touring the state and fulfilling the social responsibilities required of the Vice-Regal Couple. They officiated at the celebrations for the coronation of King George VI in 1937 and at the Sesquicentenary of Australian settlement celebrations in January 1938.[7]
In August 1939, he handled a major political crisis brought about when the former Deputy Leader of the governing United Australia Party, Eric Spooner brought down Premier Stevens in a motion of no confidence. Wakehurst successfully asked the Treasurer, Alexander Mair, to form a government. While Wakehurst was well within his rights to exercise his discretion, the Leader of the Opposition, Jack Lang, criticised him for being biased towards the government. However, on 5 September Lang was deposed by his party and replaced by the more moderate William McKell, who became Premier at the May 1941 election and got on well with Wakehurst, extending his term past 1942.[1]
In January 1940 the Wakehursts helped fight bushfires near Moss Vale and heavily involved themselves towards the war effort following Australia's entry into the Second World War, giving regular speeches and rallying people to contribute towards the war effort.[2]
In 1945, the Wakehursts accompanied General Sir Thomas Blamey and his wife on a visit to troops in the South-West Pacific Area. Wakehurst's extended appointment ended on 8 January 1946, then the longest term for a New South Wales Governor, and returned to England, marking the end of 158 years of British Governors in New South Wales.[1]
Wakehurst was a keen amateur filmmaker and dozens of reels of his films survive in the National Film Archive including his colour recordings of the Coronation in 1953.[10]
To commemorate their service as Viceroys of NSW, the trustees of the Royal National Park named a major road through the park as "Lady Wakehurst Drive", which was dedicated by Lord Wakehurst and then Minister for Works, Joseph Cahill, at a ceremony on 14 May 1945.[13]
Lord Wakehurst married Margaret "Peggy" Tennant (4 November 1899 – 19 August 1994), the daughter of prominent Liberal politician and businessman, Sir Charles Tennant, 1st Baronet and Marguerite Agaranthe Miles, on 3 June 1920. Her great grandfather was the Scottish chemist and industrialist, Charles Tennant and her half-sister was Margot Asquith, Countess of Oxford and Asquith, the English socialite and wife of Prime Minister H. H. Asquith. They had four children:
Hon. Henrietta Marguerite Jean Loder (Mrs John Reader-Harris) (5 February 1922 – 16 December 1995)
Lady Wakehurst was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 1965. She was also a Dame of the Order of St John of Jerusalem (DStJ) from 1960 and received an honorary Doctor of Laws from Queen's University, Belfast (1957). Survived by their daughter and three sons, she died on 19 August 1994, aged 94.[18] Their youngest son Robert became a patron of the arts, particularly in Africa.
Arms
Coat of arms of John de Vere Loder, 2nd Baron Wakehurst, KG, KCMG, GCStJ
Coronet
A Baron's Coronet
Crest
Between two escallops Or a stag's head cabossed transfixed through the jaw by an arrow in bend proper.
Escutcheon
Azure on a fess between in chief a portcullis and in base a martlet Or three stags' heads cabossed proper.
^ abcdClune, David; Turner, Ken (2009). The Governors of New South Wales: 1788–2010. Sydney, NSW: Federation Press. pp. 513–521.
^ abcde"Second Baron Wakehurst (1895–1970)". Wakehurst, second Baron (1895–1970). Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. Retrieved 18 October 2008.
^ abClune, The Governors of New South Wales: 1788–2010, p. 514[ISBN missing]
^"AUSTRALIAN MILITARY FORCES". Commonwealth of Australia Gazette. No. 72. Australia. 6 December 1956. p. 3774. Retrieved 8 March 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
^"PERSONAL". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 31, 068. New South Wales, Australia. 30 July 1937. p. 10. Retrieved 8 March 2018 – via National Library of Australia.