Wednesday, 1 February 2017
1458 Henry Norman
Constituency : Wolverhampton South 1900-10, Blackburn 1910-23
Henry recaptured Charles Villiers ' old seat for the Liberals , defeating the Liberal Unionist candidate by 169 votes.
Henry was a merchant's son from Leicester. He was educated there and at Leipzig and Harvard Universities. He was a Unitarian who started out as a preacher but soon moved into journalism. He was instrumental in divining the truth behind the Dreyfus Affair.He became Assistant Editor of the News Chronicle in 1895 but gave it up four years later and travelled around the world. He wrote a number of books on his travels. He also held directorships in coal and iron companies.He founded a magazine The World's Work to promote his interest in technology.
In 1907 Henry married the daughter of his fellow MP Charles McLaren. She was a moderate suffragist and Henry himself supported the cause
Henry organised the Budget League in 1909.
Henry was appointed Assistant Postmaster-General in January 1910 but was narrowly defeated by the Tories a few days later. He returned for Blackburn in December.
Henry manifested an interest in wireless telegraphy which led to appointment to a couple of important committees on the subject in 1912 and 1920.
When World War One broke out Henry and his wife maintained a small voluntary hospital in Northern France.
Henry was created a baronet in 1915.
Henry sided with Lloyd George and was appointed to the Air Council where he pushed for saturation bombing of German cities.
Henry received the Coupon in 1918. He was chief propagandist for Lloyd George's National Election Committee. He topped the poll and was returned alongside a Unionist. In 1922 he stood as a National Liberal and was returned in second place.
Henry stood down in 1923.
Henry was a keen motorist and vice-president of the Wolverhampton Automobile Club.
He died in 1938 aged 80. He was the great -grandfather of Tory MP Jesse Norman.
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