Albert McElroy
Encyclopedia
Albert Horatio McElroy was a minister of religion
and politician
in Northern Ireland
.
Born in Glasgow
, McElroy studied at Trinity College Dublin, then at Manchester College in Oxford
(since 1996 known as Harris Manchester College) .
McElroy joined the Northern Ireland Labour Party
(NILP), in which he acted as an ally of Harry Midgley
, and was elected as party Chair. He also became a local councillor
. In 1942, Midgley split away to form the Commonwealth Labour Party
. McElroy followed, and he stood for the party in Ards
at the Northern Ireland general election, 1945. He was one of the more successful candidates, taking 41.5% of the vote, but was not elected. In 1947, Midgley disbanded the party and joined the Ulster Unionists
. McElroy was the most prominent of a small group of members who instead returned to the NILP.
At the UK general election, 1950, McElroy stood for the NILP in North Down
, receiving 20.6% of the votes cast, taking him to a distant second place. He stood again in the 1951 UK general election, but fell back to 18.6%.
McElroy became the Minister of the 1st Non-subscribing Presbyterian Church
in Newtownards
in 1954, a post he held until his death.
In the 1950s, McElroy left the NILP, and founded the Ulster Liberal Party
, of which he became leader. He stood for his new party at the Northern Ireland general election, 1958
for the Queen's University Belfast seat, but was narrowly defeated, taking fifth place in the four-seat constituency. At the UK general election, 1964, he stood in North Down, but was unable to match his performances for the NILP, taking only 6.2% of the votes cast. At the 1965 Stormont election
, he was defeated in Enniskillen
.
McElroy's party colleague Sheelagh Murnaghan
was elected for Queen's University in 1961 and re-elected in 1965, so when a by-election arose the following year, McElroy stood. He was defeated in a close vote by the Ulster Unionist candidate.
McElroy was active in the civil rights
protests in the late 1960s, and spoke alongside Nationalist Party
politicians such as Eddie McAteer
and Austin Currie
.
Minister of religion
In Christian churches, a minister is someone who is authorized by a church or religious organization to perform functions such as teaching of beliefs; leading services such as weddings, baptisms or funerals; or otherwise providing spiritual guidance to the community...
and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
.
Born in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, McElroy studied at Trinity College Dublin, then at Manchester College in Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
(since 1996 known as Harris Manchester College) .
McElroy joined the Northern Ireland Labour Party
Northern Ireland Labour Party
The Northern Ireland Labour Party was an Irish political party which operated from 1924 until 1987.In 1913 the British Labour Party resolved to give the recently formed Irish Labour Party exclusive organising rights in Ireland...
(NILP), in which he acted as an ally of Harry Midgley
Harry Midgley
Henry Cassidy Midgley, PC , known as Harry Midgley was a prominent politician in Northern Ireland. Born to a unionist family in Belfast, he worked in the textile industry before joining the Royal Engineers during World War I....
, and was elected as party Chair. He also became a local councillor
Councillor
A councillor or councilor is a member of a local government council, such as a city council.Often in the United States, the title is councilman or councilwoman.-United Kingdom:...
. In 1942, Midgley split away to form the Commonwealth Labour Party
Commonwealth Labour Party
The Commonwealth Labour Party was a minor political party in Northern Ireland. The party was founded in 1942 by Harry Midgley, former leader of the Northern Ireland Labour Party , in order to pursue his brand of labour unionism....
. McElroy followed, and he stood for the party in Ards
Ards (Northern Ireland Parliament constituency)
Ards was a constituency of the Parliament of Northern Ireland.-Boundaries:Ards was a county constituency comprising the town of Newtownards, the Ards peninsula and the town of Donaghadee. It was created in 1929 when the House of Commons Act 1929 introduced first past the post elections...
at the Northern Ireland general election, 1945. He was one of the more successful candidates, taking 41.5% of the vote, but was not elected. In 1947, Midgley disbanded the party and joined the Ulster Unionists
Ulster Unionist Party
The Ulster Unionist Party – sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or, in a historic sense, simply the Unionist Party – is the more moderate of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland...
. McElroy was the most prominent of a small group of members who instead returned to the NILP.
At the UK general election, 1950, McElroy stood for the NILP in North Down
North Down (UK Parliament constituency)
North Down is a Parliamentary Constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons. The current MP is Sylvia Hermon, elected as an Independent in the 2010 General Election. -Boundaries:The county constituency was first created in 1885 from the northern part of Down...
, receiving 20.6% of the votes cast, taking him to a distant second place. He stood again in the 1951 UK general election, but fell back to 18.6%.
McElroy became the Minister of the 1st Non-subscribing Presbyterian Church
Non-subscribing Presbyterian Church of Ireland
The Non-subscribing Presbyterian Church of Ireland derives its name and its liberal and tolerant identity from early 18th century Presbyterian ministers who refused to subscribe at their ordination to the Westminster Confession, a standard Reformed statement of faith; and who formed, in 1725, the...
in Newtownards
Newtownards
Newtownards is a large town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies at the most northern tip of Strangford Lough, 10 miles east of Belfast, on the Ards Peninsula. Newtownards is the largest town in the Borough of Ards. According to the 2001 Census, it has a population of 27,821 people in...
in 1954, a post he held until his death.
In the 1950s, McElroy left the NILP, and founded the Ulster Liberal Party
Ulster Liberal Party
The Ulster Liberal Party was a liberal political party in Northern Ireland, supporting a unionist position and linked to the British Liberal Party....
, of which he became leader. He stood for his new party at the Northern Ireland general election, 1958
Northern Ireland general election, 1958
-References:*-See also:*MPs elected in the Northern Ireland general election, 1958...
for the Queen's University Belfast seat, but was narrowly defeated, taking fifth place in the four-seat constituency. At the UK general election, 1964, he stood in North Down, but was unable to match his performances for the NILP, taking only 6.2% of the votes cast. At the 1965 Stormont election
Northern Ireland general election, 1965
-Seats summary:-References:*...
, he was defeated in Enniskillen
Enniskillen (Northern Ireland Parliament constituency)
Enniskillen was a constituency of the Parliament of Northern Ireland.-Boundaries:Enniskillen was a county constituency comprising the northern part of County Fermanagh. It was created in 1929, when the House of Commons Act 1929 introduced first-past-the-post elections throughout Northern Ireland...
.
McElroy's party colleague Sheelagh Murnaghan
Sheelagh Murnaghan
Sheelagh Mary Murnaghan was an Ulster Liberal Party Member of Parliament in the House of Commons of Northern Ireland at Stormont....
was elected for Queen's University in 1961 and re-elected in 1965, so when a by-election arose the following year, McElroy stood. He was defeated in a close vote by the Ulster Unionist candidate.
McElroy was active in the civil rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
protests in the late 1960s, and spoke alongside Nationalist Party
Nationalist Party (Northern Ireland)
The Nationalist Party† - was the continuation of the Irish Parliamentary Party, and was formed after partition, by the Northern Ireland-based members of the IPP....
politicians such as Eddie McAteer
Eddie McAteer
Eddie McAteer was an nationalist politician in Northern Ireland.Born in Coatbridge, Scotland, McAteer's family moved to Derry in Northern Ireland while he was young. In 1930 he joined the Inland Revenue, where he worked until 1944. He then became an accountant and more actively involved in politics...
and Austin Currie
Austin Currie
Austin Currie is a former politician who was elected to the parliaments of both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland....
.