Bonar Law - Resignation and Death

Resignation and Death

Bonar Law was soon diagnosed with terminal throat cancer and, no longer physically able to speak in Parliament, resigned on 22 May 1923. George V sent for Baldwin, whom Bonar Law is rumoured to have favoured over Lord Curzon. However Law did not offer any advice to the King. Bonar Law died later that same year in London at the age of 65. His funeral was held at Westminster Abbey where later his ashes were interred.

Bonar Law's estate was probated at £35,736 (approximately £1,500,000 as of 2012).

Bonar Law was the shortest serving PM of the 20th century. He is often referred to as "the unknown Prime Minister", not least because of a biography of that title by Robert Blake; the name comes from a remark by Asquith at Bonar Law's funeral, that they were burying the Unknown Prime Minister next to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Sir Steven Runciman is reported to have said that he had known all British Prime Ministers in his lifetime, except Bonar Law whom no one knew.

A tiny hamlet (unincorporated village) in the municipality of Stirling-Rawdon, Ontario, Canada, is named Bonarlaw after the British Prime Minister. It had been known as "Big Springs" and then "Bellview". The high school in Bonar Law's birthplace, Rexton, New Brunswick, Canada, is also named in his honour.