Champion of Liberalism Dr J
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For the study of Liberal, SDP and Issue 59 / Summer 2008 / £6.00 Liberal Democrat history Journal of LiberalHI ST O R Y Champion of Liberalism Dr J. Graham Jones Eliot Crawshay-Williams Biography of the Leicester Liberal MP, 1910–13 Professor Barry Doyle The rank and file and the Liberal government ‘crisis’ of 1912 A note York Membery Jeremy Thorpe Interview with the former Liberal leader Ian Ivatt The 1908 Hastings by-election Dr Philip MacDougall T. H. Green Forgotten Liberal? Liberal Democrat History Group other GLC Members to interesting personalities. In LETTERS resign in protest and fight Hampstead the group com- by-elections for their seats. prised two novelists and an The GLC Tories chose not ex-MP! One of the novelists Ireland’s Liberal MPs to participate in this piece was Ernest Raymond who As Berkley Farr implied, in Tyrone, as above, although of gesture politics but, for was charged with finding his article (‘James Wood: R. Glendinning, the Inde- all that we supported Liv- ‘paper’ candidates for the East Down’s Liberal MP, pendent Unionist MP ingstone in opposing abo- Town ward. He approached Journal of Liberal History elected in North Antrim, lition, we saw no reason a Liberal friend, Pamela 58, spring 2008), the first subsequently joined the Par- why he should have a free Frankau, who agreed to Irish Liberal MP since liamentary Liberal Party. run with the electorate. allow her name to go for- the defeat of all the Irish Dr Alexander (Sandy) S. We decided to contest all ward. As recounted in his Liberal candidates at the Waugh four by-elections. We did memoirs, Ernest had the 1885 general election was not come near to beating embarrassing task of tel- C. N. Semphill, elected in Livingstone in Padding- ephoning Pamela Frankau North Tyrone at the 1895 The London record (1) ton but we did win one of to tell her she had been general election. He held Unfortunately I missed the them – in Vauxhall where elected! Both of them faith- the seat until he was suc- History Group meeting in a very young Liberal called fully attended my councillor ceeded at a by-election in February on local govern- Mike Tuffrey stormed training sessions and were 1907 by Redmond Barry ment in London since the through to beat Labour. It assiduous councillors. (Liberal Solicitor-General 1970s; it sounded interest- was a minor triumph. In Stepney a famous and for Ireland from December ing. There is no greater long-serving local com- 1905) who was in turn suc- expert on the subject than It was a wonderful win by munity campaigner, Edith ceeded at a by-election in David Williams. That is Mike, and my comment Ramsay, was elected, car- 1911 by Thomas W. Russell why I was a little surprised was not half-hearted about rying with her another (a baronet from 1917) who to find in the report of his his personal achievement local noteworthy, Michael held the seat until 1918. T. talk absolutely no mention in any way, but in the great O’Leary. Edith was a very W. Russell had lost South of Richmond’s GLC win in scheme of things I fear that formidable woman, as her Tyrone at the first general 1981. I freely acknowledge it was only a minor triumph. biography demonstrates. She election in 1910. that the Richmond Liberals’ We were all abolished a year had been an independent T. W. Russell (1841–1920) experience of community later. councillor and would prob- was born, brought up and politics was instrumental Adrian Slade ably have been elected under educated in Scotland and in getting me elected in any label. moved to Ulster in 1859, the first place, but I would In Stoke Newington after being the unsuccessful like to think that my five- The London record (2) Joe Lobenstein was the sole Liberal candidate for Preston year presence on the GLC I read with the interest the Liberal to win in the three- at the 1885 general election. helped to contribute to the report of the meeting on member Lordship ward. A He was elected as Unionist Richmond Alliance group’s Liberals and local govern- very able politician, he later MP for South Tyrone at the massive victory over the ment in London ( Journal defected to the Conserva- 1886 election. He contin- Tories in the council elec- of Liberal History 58, spring tives – a somewhat contrary ued as a (sort of) Unionist tions of 1986. 2008). Although the meeting course of action in such an MP for South Tyrone until Your report also refers explicitly concentrated on area – and led the tiny Con- being re-elected as a Liberal to, and highlights, a remark the period from the 1970s, servative group for many MP at the 1906 election. In from my ‘memoir’. No the report notes references years. the mean time he served memoir of mine has ever to the period before that. Perhaps the oddest Lib- (1895–1900) as Unionist Par- been published and it has Though it is correct to state eral presence was that of liamentary Secretary to the only been read by six other that it was a fairly bleak pic- Edmund Hambly on the old Local Government Board. people. It remains private, ture, it is not entirely accu- London County Council. The successful candidates and I think it was therefore rate for Mike Tuffrey to state There had been no Liberal at the Ulster by-elections in unreasonable to quote it, that ‘the revival came first in LCC member since Sir 1902 and 1903 – James Wood particularly out of context. outer London’. Percy Harris and Edmund in East Down and Edward Re Mike Tuffrey’s splendid In 1962 Liberal council- Martell, who represented Mitchell in North Ferman- win in Vauxhall, the full lors were elected in four Bethnal Green from 1946 agh – did not stand as Liber- text of what I actually wrote inner London boroughs: to 1949. Edmund Hambly als and are best described as was: three in Battersea, three was first elected as one of ‘Russellites’. in Hampstead, two in the Labour representatives There were only two Curiously it [the campaign Stepney and four in Stoke for Lewisham South in 1946 MPs elected as Liberals in against GLC abolition] Newington. and was elected at every Ireland at the 1906 general included the decision of This mighty hand- election, in North and South Ken Livingstone and three ful contained a number of Continued on page 15 2 Journal of Liberal History 59 Summer 2008 Journal of Liberal History Issue 59: Summer 2008 The Journal of Liberal History is published quarterly by the Liberal Democrat History Group. ISSN 1479-9642 Letters to the Editor 2 Editor: Duncan Brack Ireland’s Liberal MPs (Dr Alexander S. Waugh); The London record (1) (Adrian Deputy Editor: Tom Kiehl Slade); The London record (2) (Michael Meadowcroft); Lloyd George and Hitler Assistant Editor: Lysianne Egan (Harry Davies) Biographies Editor: Robert Ingham Reviews Editor: Dr Eugenio Biagini Champion of Liberalism: Eliot Crawshay-Williams 4 Patrons Biography of the left-leaning Liberal MP for Leicester, 1910–13, Eliot Crawshay- Dr Eugenio Biagini; Professor Michael Freeden; Williams (1879–1962); by Dr J. Graham Jones Professor John Vincent The rank and file and the Liberal government 16 Editorial Board ‘crisis’ of 1912: A note Dr Malcolm Baines; Dr Roy Douglas; Dr Barry Doyle; Dr Professor Barry Doyle examines one activist’s reaction to the key issues facing David Dutton; Professor David Gowland; Dr Richard the Liberal government in 1912. Grayson; Dr Michael Hart; Peter Hellyer; Ian Hunter; Dr J. Graham Jones; Tony Little; Professor Ian Machin; Dr Mark Pack; Dr Ian Packer; Dr John Powell; Ed Randall; Interview: Jeremy Thorpe 23 Jaime Reynolds; Dr Andrew Russell; Iain Sharpe York Membery interviews the former Liberal leader. Editorial/Correspondence The 1908 Hastings by-election 26 Contributions to the Journal – letters, articles, and book reviews – are invited. The Journal is a refereed Ian Ivatt tells the story of the first by-election to be fought after the publication; all articles submitted will be reviewed. introduction of the Liberal government’s 1908 legislative programme Contributions should be sent to: 32 Duncan Brack (Editor) T. H. Green: Forgotten Liberal? 38 Salford Road, London SW2 4BQ Was T. H. Green the greatest British Liberal? Dr Philip MacDougall argues the email: [email protected] case. All articles copyright © Journal of Liberal History. 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