Constituency : Dewsbury 1888-1902
Mark took over at Dewsbury after the resignation of Sir John Simon. He scored a huge majority in a seat which had usually produced rival Liberal candidates.
Mark was from Yorkshire and educated at Batley Grammar School. He initially trained as a minister at New College London but did not complete the course and went to work in the family woollen firm. The business greatly expanded in his hands. He also owned mines. He became Mayor of Dewsbury. He was a local philanthropist. He was a Nonconformist.
Mark's first parliamentary speech protested against the treatment of political prisoners in Ireland.
Mark supported manhood suffrage, payment of MPs and temperance reform. However he voted against the Eight Hour Day. in later contests he faced an ILP challenger.
In 1894 Mark came out in support of the living wage in a public lecture saying "A living wage must be sufficient to maintain the worker in the highest state of industrial efficiency , with decent surroundings and sufficient leisure ".
In 1902 Mark resigned his seat to concentrate on his business interests. He was also in poor health .He was knighted in 1909.
He died in 1927 aged 84.
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