 He had worked in the Scottish Office from 1929 until moving to the Home Office in 1957, and served as Secretary of the Scottish Home Department between 1948 and 1957.In the 1941 New Year Honours, Cunningham was appointed a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO).In the 1946 King's Birthday Honours, he was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in recognition of his service as Deputy Secretary of the Scottish Home Department.