1301 Francis Coldwells

Constituency : Lambeth  North  1892-5

Francis  took  Lambeth  North  from  the Tories  although  his  opponent  was  a  Liberal  Unionist.

Francis  was  educated  at  the  British  School  , Stoke  Newington. He  worked  as  a  harbourmaster  before  setting  up  a  tailoring  business. He  was  one  of  the  first  councillors  for  Croydon  Borough. He  was  a  temperance  activist.

Francis  was  a  director  of  Jabez  Balfour's  Liberator  Building  Society  and  as  such  was  pursued  for  large  sums  of  money  by  the  investors. He  described  himself  as  being  "slowly  killed  with  worry". He  decided  not  to  defend  his  seat  as  the  prospect  of  a  criminal  trial  loomed. The  exact  extent  of  his  culpability  has  not  been  established.

Francis  never  spoke  in  Parliament.

He  died  during  the  election  campaign. The  inquest  found  he  had  died   of  heart  failure  brought  on  by  stress  though  many  suspected  suicide. He  was  63.