Thursday, 31 May 2018
1926 Thomas Broad
Constituency : Clay Cross 1918-23
Thomas won the new seat of Clay Cross as a Coalition Liberal in a straight fight with Labour though it was fairly narrow.
In 1922 Charles Masterman entered the fray for the Asquithians and pushed Thomas into third place. However the Labour man had an absolute majority over both of them.
In 1923 Thomas stood for Leyton East coming third in a tight contest.
In 1924 Thomas published a popular pamphlet outlining his scheme for an "all in" social insurance scheme encompassing national insurance , old age pensions and medical benefits. He had previously submitted his ideas to Bonar Law but they were largely rejected by the civil service.
He died in 1935 aged 71.
Wednesday, 30 May 2018
1925 Norman Rae
Constituency : Shipley 1918-23
Norman took over from Oswald Partington at Shipley. He received the coupon and easily defeated Labour in a straight fight..
Norman was the son of a Congregationalist minister. He was educated at Batley Grammar School. He set up as a wool merchant, first in Harrogate then as a partner in a Bradford firm. From 1904 to 1913 he was a West Riding county councillor. He was a philanthropist who donated large sums of money for schools and hospitals in Yorkshire. He also donated land and purchased Oakwell Hall for the public. He stood in Ripon in December 1910.
Norman spoke at the Congregational Union's Assembly of 1919 in favour of industrial councils.
In 1922 Norman held on when the intervention of an Asquithan candidate made it a much tougher contest.
Norman was knighted in 1922.
Norman stood down in 1923.
He died of a heart attack in 1928 aged 68.
1924 Henry Stephenson
Constituency : Sheffield Park 1918-23
Henry won the new seat of Sheffield Park. He easily defeated Labour in a straight fight
Henry's father ran a typefounding business in the city. He was later chairman of Sheffield Gas University and the first Treasurer of Sheffield University. He was a Sheffield city councillor and twice lord mayor. In 1910 he became pro-Chancellor of the university. He served as a lieutenant-colonel in World War one and won the D.S.O.
In 1919 he served as Master Cutler, promoting industry in Sheffield.
In 1922, Henry held his seat as a National Liberal against Labour . In Parliament he accepted both Liberal whips.
The intervention of a Tory ( who won ) in 1923 pushed Henry into third place.
Henry was created a baronet in 1936.
He died in 1947 aged 82.
Monday, 28 May 2018
1923 Arthur Neal
Constituency : Sheffield Hillsborough 1918-22
Arthur claimed the new seat of Sheffield Hillsborough as a Coalition Liberal. He had a straight fight with a Co-Operative Party candidate.
Arthur was from Sheffield. He attended Wesley College and became a solicitor. He was a city councillor and sometime President of Sheffield Chamber of Commerce. He contested Sheffield Hallam at both elections in 1910 running the Conservative close on both occasions.
Arthur was Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport between 1919 and 1922. The Tory Earl Crawford who became Minister of Transport in 1922 described him as " a pushing little person".
In 1922 Arthur was beaten by Labour in a straight fight. In 1923 he contested Bassetlaw, coming second to the Conservative. In 1924 Arthur was persuaded to stand late in the day and came third with his vote more than halving. In 1929 he contested Gainsborough coming within 67 votes of victory.
He died in 1933 aged 70. His son John contested Barnsley in the 1920s.
1922 Thomas Casey
Constituency : Sheffield Attercliffe 1918-22
The coupon and William Anderson's opposition to the war enabled Thomas to take back Sheffield Attercliffe from Labour in a straight fight.
Thomas was the son of a colliery engineman from Sheffield. He was educated at Gleadless Church School. He started work on a farm then switched to collieries in South Yorkshire as a winding engineman. He was General Secretary of the National Winding and General Engineers Society for 25 years. He was a Methodist lay preacher and a district councillor for Mexborough.
Most of his parliamentary contributions were on mining issues.
In 1922 Thomas was resoundingly defeated in a straight fight with Labour.
Thomas contested Ilkeston in 1923 and Gloucester in 1929, both times coming third.
In 1935 he fought Rotherham as a Liberal National but made little impact.
He died in 1949 aged 80.
Thursday, 24 May 2018
1921 Algernon Moreing
Constituency : Buckrose 1918-22, Camborne 1922-23, 1924-9 ( elected as Constitutionalist then took Conservative whip )
Algernon was given the coupon at the last moment when the former MP Austin Taylor had been expecting it in succession to Sir Luke White. Algernon easily defeated him with an Independent Labour candidate coming second.
Algernon was the son of a mining engineer from Australia who had stood for Gainsborough as a Tory in 1906.. He was educated at Winchester and Oxford. He became a partner in his father's firm. He served in France during World War One, reaching the rank of captain.
Algernon was a strong advocate for fusion in 1920.
For the 1922 election, he switched to Camborne. As a National Liberal, he narrowly defeated the Asquithian, Leifchild Jones. In 1923 he received official endorsement as a Liberal following the reunion of the party but Jones wasn't having it and defeated him as an Independent Liberal.
Algernon was not happy with the Liberals letting in the Labour government and wrote to Churchill urging him to lead the anti-socialist Liberals.
In 1924 Algernon stood as a Constitutionalist and unseated Jones in turn. He took the Conservative whip in Parliament . In 1929 , Jones defeated him again.
Algernon's brother Adrian was a Conservative MP in the thirties.
He died in 1974 aged 85.
Wednesday, 23 May 2018
1920 Arthur Barrand
Constituency : Pudsey and Otley 1918-22
Arthur won Pudsey and Otley as a Coalition Liberal, scoring an easy victory over Labour.
In 1919, Arthur spoke in support of Simon at Spen Valley and moved over to the Asquithian camp.
Nearly all Arthur's parliamentary contributions concerned altering the boundaries of the Leeds and Bradford boroughs.
Arthur was pushed into second by the Conservatives in 1922.
He died in 1941 aged 79.
Tuesday, 22 May 2018
1919 John Murray
Constituency : Leeds West 1918-22
John took over at Leeds West after Edmund Harvey stood down. He eceived the coupon and defeated Labour and a couple of independents.
John was a fish curer's son from Aberdeenshire. He was educated at Robert Gordon's College and Oxford. From 1910 to 1915 , he was Censor at Christ Church, Oxford. In 1915 he joined the Ministry of Munitions and worked on labour relations.
From 1920 to 1921. John chaired a committee looking at pricing. He also worked for the Board of Education making university awards to former servicemen.
By 1922, John had moved over to the Asquithian camp and narrowly held his seat in a straight fight with Labour. The intervention of a unionist in 1923 pushed him into third place. In 1924, he switched to Kirkcaldy Burghs but failed to unseat the Labour incumbent in a straight fight. In 1925, he stood in the Ripon by-election. Despite distancing himself from Lloyd George's plans for nationalising land and coal, he trailed by over 5.000 votes behind the Tory in a straight fight.
John was a champion of family allowances and declared that the "true place for Liberalism is on the left". However in the 1940s he became associated with the free market Society for Individual Freedom.
After the by-election defeat, John left parliamentary politics and became Principal of the University College of the South West from 1926 to 1951. He was a governor at a number of schools and served on a Colonial Office committee looking at East African education in 1936-7. His opposition to secular education led to him writing a minority report.
He died in 1964 aged 85.
Monday, 21 May 2018
1918 Alexander Farquharson
Constituency : Leeds North 1918-22
Alexander took over from Rowland Barran as a Coalition Liberal, defeating Labour and a National Party candidate.
Alexander was from Aberdeen. He was educated at Petershead Academy and Glasgow University. He qualified as a doctor and started practising in County Durham. He later worked for the British Medical Association. During World War One, he served as a medical officer. He reached the rank of Major. He was also a Durham county councillor.
Alexander's maiden speech welcomed the creation of a Ministry of Health.
Alexander stood down in 1922 and returned to medicine.
Alexander published a number of medical works.
He died in 1951 aged 87.
Sunday, 20 May 2018
1917 Cyril Entwistle
Constituency : Hull South West 1918-24, Bolton 1931-45 ( Conservative )
Cyril took the new seat of Hull South West due to a split in the Labour vote between a couponed candidate and an official Labour man.
Cyril was a barrister who developed a business career.. He served in World War One as a Major.
Cyril was a supporter of the League of Nations.
Cyril held his seat in 1922 ( a National Liberal candidate received a derisory vote ) and 1923 but came second to a Conservative in 1924.
In 1926 Cyril defected to the Conservatives over Lloyd George's land policy. He contested Bolton in 1929 but came third. He topped the poll in 1931 and 1935 but came third in 1945.
Cyril was chairman of Decca Records in the 1940s.
Cyril was knighted in 1945.
He died in 1974 aged 86.
Friday, 18 May 2018
1916 Charles Sykes
Constituency : Huddersfield 1918-22
Charles received the coupon and defeated Labour and an Asquithian Liberal to replace Arthur Sherwell who stood down.
Charles went into the wool trade at a young age. During the First World War he was chairman of the Board of Control of the Worsted and Woollen Trades.
Charles was created a baronet in 1921.
In 1922 Charles came third behind the Asquithian Arthur Marshall and Labour.
He died in 1950 aged 82.
1915 Reginald Nicholson
Constituency : Doncaster 1918-22
Reginald was elected as a Coalition Liberal for Doncaster in a straight fight with Labour. He replaced Charles Nicholson.
Reginald was educated at Charterhouse and had interests in Indian railways. He was manager of The Times between 1911 and 1915.
Reginald was PPS to the Secretary of State for Air from 1919 to 1920. Reginald introduced a bill to legalise adoption in 1922 as he was executive chairman of the National Children Adoption Association.
In 1922, Reginald came third as Labour took the seat.
He died in 1946 aged 76.
Thursday, 17 May 2018
1914 Thomas Robinson
Constituency : Stretford 1918-31 ( from 1929 Independent )
Thomas received the coupon and defeated Labour in a straight fight.
Thomas was a farm labourer's son from Stretford. He became involved in the dyeing and textile industries. He is known for developing the lining fabric MORADA in collaboration with ICI. He was elected to Stretford UDC in 1894 and later became chairman. He was a Methodist.
Thomas told Christopher Addison in 1921 that 200 MPs including Carson were going to hold a dinner in support of him.
Thomas held his seat in 1922 as a National Liberal. He was helped by a local pact with the Conservatives ensuring a straight fight with Labour in 1922 , 1923 and 1924 when he stood as a Constitutionalist. He voted for the King's Speech in 1924 but did not join the Conservatives. In 1929 he declared himself an Independent but neither Liberal nor Tory opposed him. He declined the Liberal whip in the subsequent Parliament.
Thomas was Chairman of the Local Legislation Commission of the Commons from 1922 to 1931. He had a number of other public and academic appointments. He was knighted in 1920.
Thomas stood down in 1931. He was mayor of Stretford in 1934. He became president of Lancashire County Cricket Club in 1939.
He died in 1953 aged 89.
Wednesday, 16 May 2018
1913 Joseph Davies
Constituency : Crewe 1918-22
Sir Joseph won Crewe as a Coalition Liberal having received the coupon despite it being a Unionist-held seat .He defeated Labour in a straight fight.
Joseph was educated at Bristol Grammar School. He began his working life at Cardiff Docks but his flair for statistics led him to a partnership forming investment trusts. He built up interests in mining, oil and railways. He caught Lloyd George's attention while organising charity relief in Wales and was invited to join his secretariat, the "Garden Suburb". He had already been adopted as Liberal candidate for Crewe but when Thomas Roe resigned at Derby in December 1916 Joseph was touted as a replacement. The Liberal headquarters immediately vetoed this given Joseph's association with Lloyd George and Asquith's personal secretary went to Derby to enforce the ruling. Joseph went on a War Cabinet delegation to the U.S. in 1917. Joseph was knighted in 1918.
In 1922 a local pact in Cheshire ensured there was no Conservative opposition to Joseph in Crewe but he was still defeated by former Liberal Edward Hemmerde by 555 votes.
Joseph concentrated on business after his defeat. He was also keen on tennis and golf.
He died in 1954 aged 87.
Tuesday, 15 May 2018
1912 Theodore Carr
Constituency : Carlisle 1918-22
Theodore received the coupon and held Carlisle, succeeding Richard Denman, in a straight fight with Labour.
Theodore was educated at Old Hall School and Owens College, Manchester. His family owned a bakery and biscuit factory in Carlisle. He came to head the firm and is credited with building an innovative icing machine. During World War One, he represented the millers on the Millers Tribunal set up by the Ministry of Food. He also helped with transport as a keen motorist. He drove a steam-powered motor car in 1896.
Theodore supported the actions of the Liquor Control Board in Carlisle.
In 1922 Theodore was opposed by the Unionists. He stood as a National Liberal although the Carlisle Liberal Association remained neutral between Asquith and Lloyd George. He was narrowly pushed into third as Labour took the seat.
He died in 1931 aged 64.
Monday, 14 May 2018
1911 Harry Barnes
Constituency : Newcastle upon Tyne East 1918-22
Harry won the new seat of Newcastle-upon-Tyne as a Coalition Liberal, defeating Labour and an NFDDSS candidate.
Harry was an architect and town planner. He was District Valuer for the city between 1916 and 1918.
Harry's maiden speech called for moderation from the trade union movement.
In 1919 Harry decided to go into opposition with the Asquithians as a result of the decision to oppose John Simon at the Spen Valley by-election. Harry was a radical supporter of social reforms including the capital levy which put him at odds with Donald Maclean. Harry criticised Maclean at the NLF conference in 1919.He was Honorary Secretary of the Cobden Club from 1920 to 1924.
In 1922 , Harry was opposed by a National Liberal candidate which split the Liberal vote and allowed Labour to take the seat. Shortly afterwards the Labour winner died and Arthur Henderson stood at the by-election, Harry was able to stand as the sole Liberal candidate but there was a Unionist candidate and Henderson was able to increase the Labour majority.
In 1923 Harry stood at Tynemouth where he came a close second to the Conservative. He held on to second place there by 2 votes in 1924.
Harry was also a Progressive alderman in London in the 1920s
In 1928 Harry contested Halifax at a by-election but came second to Labour.
In the 1930s he joined Labour and was briefly a London councillor for them and chair of the LCC Town Planning Committee.
Harry published a number of long winded books on social questions.
He died in 1935 aged 64.
Friday, 11 May 2018
1910 Trevelyan Thomson
Constituency : Middlesbrough West 1918-28
Trevelyan was returned for Middlesbrough West having had no Conservative opposition . He was offered the coupon but repudiated it. He had an easy victory over Labour.
Trevelyan was the son of an iron founder from Stockton-on-Tees. He was educated as a Quaker and went into his father's business in Middlesbrough. He distanced himself from the Quakers over their opposition to the War and was involved in recruiting efforts. In 1917 he enlisted in the Royal Engineers and became a Sergeant. He was a councillor for Middlesbrough CBC from 1904 to 1928.
Although generally supportive of the Coalition, Trevelyan spoke against fusion in 1920.
In 1922 Trevelyan easily defeated a National Liberal opponent then in 1923 saw off a Labour challenge. In 1924 he was elected unopposed. There were rumours that he was then approached to stand down to give Asquith a route back into Parliament. If it happened he did not accede to the request.
Trevelyan was regarded as a right wing Liberal whom the Tories could tolerate but he did vote with Labour on occasion and supported letting them form a government in 1924. He supported smoke abatement measures.
In December 1924 Trevelyan was a founder of the Radical Group of Liberal MPs who were mistrustful of Lloyd George, the new leader. In 1926, he declined the post of assistant whip for health reasons and had an operation in 1927.
He died in 1928 aged 52.
Thursday, 10 May 2018
1909 Robert Thomas
Constituency : Wrexham 1918-22, Anglesey 1923-29
Sir Robert received the coupon and had an easy win over Labour in the new seat of Wrexham.
Robert was a Welsh businessman. He was educated at Bottle College and Tettenhall College. The family business was ship and insurance brokering. He became an underwriter at Lloyds. He was an Anglesy county councillor. He was created a baronet in 1918.
Robert was a supporter of Welsh devolution. He spoke Welsh and was a public benefactor
In 1922 Robert switched to Anglesey and was narrowly defeated by the sitting Labour MP who died not long afterwards. In the by-election, Robert had a surprisingly comfortable win over Edward John for Labour even though the Conservatives stood a candidate.
Robert was unopposed in 1923 and had an easy win in a straight fight with Labour in 1924.
Robert stood down in 1929 and was declared bankrupt a year later. He was discharged in 1935.
He died in 1951 aged 78.
Wednesday, 9 May 2018
1908 John Edwards
Constituency : Aberavon 1918-22
John received the coupon and easily defeated Labour for the new seat of Aberavon.
John was a Congregational minister's son from Aberystwyth. He was educated at University College of Wales, Aberystwyth and University of London. He became a scholmaster in Aberdare. He served in World War One, winning the D.S.O. and reaching the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. He later became a barrister.
John never spoke in Parliament.
In 1922 the Unionists stood a candidate after trying to persuade John to stand down. They said he was "lax in attendance" and "a poor constituency member" . John fell into third place with Labour's Ramsay MacDonald the winner.
In 1923 John contested the University of Wales seat as an Independent Liberal. His candidature split the Liberal vote allowing a Christian Pacifist to triumph.
John was a member of Court at the University of Wales.
John was interested in Welsh drama and wrote a play, The Call Of the Sea. He also played rugby.
He died in 1960 aged 78.
Tuesday, 8 May 2018
1907 Thomas Lewis
Constituency : Pontypridd 1918-22, University of Wales 1922-23
Thomas was elected as a Coalition Liberal defeating Labour and a rogue Conservative who barely scraped 1% of the poll.
Thomas was the son of a Baptist minister from Pembrokeshire. He was educated at the County School, Porth and University College, Cardiff. He worked as a school teacher but in 1910 he moved to London and became private secretary to Freddie Guest. While working for Guest, he studied law and became a barrister. He served in Salonika from 1916 to 1918 and reached the rank of lieutenant.
Thomas was a supporter of Welsh Home Rule. He supported profit-sharing and co-partnership but opposed state socialism and was a member of the Liberal Anti-Nationalisation Committee. He became PPS to Guest.
In 1922 Thomas had to fight a by-election in order to become a whip. He was defeated by Labour whose campaign portrayed him as a war profiteer.
Thomas moved to the University of Wales seat for the 1922 election where he had a narrow victory over an Asquithian and Labour. He had to fight the campaign from a nursing home due to poor health.
Thomas did not fully recover and died in 1923 aged 41.
Monday, 7 May 2018
1906 Sir Evan Jones
Constituency : Pembrokeshire 1918 -22
Sir Evan received the coupon and had a crushing victory over Labour and a Christian Socialist candidate.
Evan was the son of a sea captain. He was educated at the University of Bristol. He became a civil engineer, working on the Severn Tunnel and Manchester Ship Canal. He was a partner in the firm that worked on the Aswan Dam. He served in World War One as a major in the Royal Engineers. He then became Petrol Controller and Commissioner for Dyes at the Board of Trade. He was created a baronet in 1917. In 1918 he became chairman of the Road Transport Board.
In 1919 Evan was appointed Controller of Mines. Most of his parliamentary contributions were in connection with this.
In 1922 Evan stood down in favour of Gwilym Lloyd George. In 1926 he became chairman of Pembrokeshire County Council.
Evan collected Welsh bookplates as a hobby.
He died in 1949 aged 89.
Sunday, 6 May 2018
1905 David Davies
Constituency : Denbigh 1918-22
David won the new seat of Denbigh. He received the coupon and crushed the former Liberal MP Edward John in a straight fight with Labour.
David was educated at Llandovery College. He went into the textiles business in Manchester. He was a philanthropist and local landowner who gave land for the building of a tuberculosis sanatorium. He was a Denbighshire county councillor.
David was knighted in 1918.
David never spoke in the Commons.
David became proprietor of a Welsh language journal.
Having turned 70, David stood down in 1922.
He died in 1934 aged 81.
Saturday, 5 May 2018
1904 William Seager
Constituency : Cardiff East 1918-22
William was initially given the coupon but it was subsequently withdrawn. Nevertheless, he came out on top in a three-cornered contest.
William was born in Cardiff. He started work as a clerk but set up his own ship chandler's business in 1894. In 1904 he started buying ships. He also had interests in shipbuilding and collieries in the north east. When his son William was killed in 1916, he set up homes for retired seamen in his memory. He also gave on operating theatre to Cardiff Royal Infirmary.
William stood down in 1922 and was knighted.
He died in 1941 aged 78.
Friday, 4 May 2018
1903 Charles Breese
Constituency : Caernarvonshire 1918-22
Caernarvonshire witnessed one of the most fraught contests of the whole election. Charles was a friend of Lloyd George and stood as a Coalition Liberal. The MP for the former Eifion seat, Ellis Davies remained in the Asquithian camp and set up a new combined Liberal Association to nominate him. Many of the local Liberal clubs rejected this and set up a new adoption process deciding between Charles, Davies and R T Jones from the Quarrymen's Union. Charles came through that but all three men stood ( Jones as Independent Labour, Davies as Independent Liberal ) with Davies coming a poor third.
Charles was the son of a solicitor who became Lloyd George's first employer and introduced him to Liberal politics. From 1889 , Charles joined him in the office as a qualified solicitor. He fought in World War One and reached the rank of Major. He was an Anglican. He was a Caernarvonshire county councillor and secretary of the Welsh National Liberal Council.
Charles served on the pensions Advisory Committee and in 1922 became PPS to Herbert Fisher at Education.
In 1922 , Charles lost to Jones fairly narrowly in a straight fight.
Charles was a keen archaeologist and antiquarian. He wrote two books on nationality and religion in Wales.
He died of a heart attack while out grouse shooting in 1932 aged 65.
Thursday, 3 May 2018
1902 Dugald Cowan
Constituency : Combined Scottish Universities 1918-33
Dugald was one of three MPs elected for the new Combined Scottish Universities seat as a Coalition Liberal alongside two Tories. He came second in the poll.
Dugald was born in Glasgow. He was educated at Glasgow Free church Training College and Glasgow University. He became a schoolteacher and education academic. He wrote textbooks and journal articles. He was a champion for teachers' salaries and pensions. He was a supporter of female suffrage.
The trio were elected unopposed in 1922 ( when Dugald stood as a plain Liberal ) , 1923 and 1931. When there was a contest Dugald always came second.
Dugald died in 1933 aged 68 having suffered poor health for some time.
Wednesday, 2 May 2018
1901 Adam Rodger
Constituency : Rutherglen 1918-22
Adam became Coalitio Liberal MP for the new constituency of Rutherglen. He defeated Labour.
Adam was a fervent temperance advocate and at 27 started the Scottish Temperance Assurance Society.
Adam stood down in 1922.
He died in 1946 aged 91.
Tuesday, 1 May 2018
1900 John Taylor
Constituency : Dumbarton Burghs 1918-22
John was selected for the new seat of Dumbarton Burghs jointly by the Liberals and the National Democratic Party. He had a fairly narrow win over Labour.
John was soundly defeated by Labour in 1922 as a National Liberal.
He died in 1936 aged 78.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)