Editing Hugh Gaitskell (section)

== Early life ==
Hugh Gaitskell was born in [[Kensington]], London, the third and youngest child of Arthur Gaitskell (1869–1915), of the [[Indian Civil Service]], and Adelaide Mary, ''née'' Jamieson (died 1956), whose father, [[George Jamieson (diplomat)|George Jamieson]], was [[Consul (representative)|consul-general]] in Shanghai and prior to that had been Judge of the [[British Supreme Court for China|British Supreme Court for China and Japan]].<ref name="Matthew 2004, p.287">Matthew 2004, p.287</ref> He was known as "Sam" as a child.<ref name="Matthew 2004, p.287" /> The Gaitskells had a long family connection with the Indian Army, and he spent his childhood in [[Myanmar|Burma]]. After his father's death, his mother soon remarried and returned to Burma, leaving him at boarding school.<ref>Campbell 2010, p197</ref>

Gaitskell was educated at the [[Dragon School]] from 1912 to 1919, where he was a friend of the future poet [[John Betjeman]].<ref name="Matthew 2004, p.290">Matthew 2004, p.290</ref> He then attended [[Winchester College]] from 1919 to 1924.<ref name="Matthew 2004, p.287" />

He attended [[New College, Oxford]], from 1924 to 1927. Studying under [[G. D. H. Cole]], Gaitskell became a [[Socialism|socialist]] and wrote a long essay on [[Chartism]], arguing that the working class needed middle class leadership. Gaitskell's first political involvement came about as a result of the [[1926 United Kingdom general strike|General Strike of 1926]].<ref name="Matthew 2004, p.287" /> Most students supported the government and many volunteered for civil defence duties, or helped to run essential services. Gaitskell, unusually, supported the strikers and acted as a driver for people like his Oxford contemporary [[Evan Durbin]] and Cole's wife [[Margaret Cole|Margaret]], who made speeches and delivered the trade union newspaper ''[[British Worker]]''. After the collapse of the General Strike, Gaitskell spent another six months raising funds for the miners, whose dispute (technically a [[Lockout (industry)|lockout]] rather than a strike) did not end until November.<ref>Williams 1985, p18-19</ref> He graduated with a [[first-class degree]] in [[Philosophy, politics and economics]] in 1927.<ref name="Matthew 2004, p.287" />