Alec Ewart Glassey
Encyclopedia
Alec Ewart Glassey was a British Liberal
politician. He was Member of Parliament
for East Dorset
from 1929 to 1931.
, Yorkshire
, the son of the Reverend William Glassey, a Congregational Minister. He was educated at Penistone Grammar School
. In 1910 he married Mary Longbottom. They had three daughters, Margaret, Gwen and Marianne. He served in the British Army
throughout the First World War as a subaltern in the Highland Light Infantry
and was mentioned in despatches.
at the 1924 general election
coming second behind the Conservative
. The Liberals were not well organised nationally in 1924 and no longer had the uniting issue of Free Trade to provide an anti-Conservative focus as they had in 1923
. One historian comments that ‘...except for individuals like Lloyd George
[the Liberals] fail[ed] to provide an inspiring programme for office...’ However he also identifies Glassey as a local exception to this poor showing, who against the regional and national trends raised the party’s share of the vote in a three-cornered contest. In contrast to many Liberal candidates, Glassey fought a vigorous and positive campaign. His election addresses concentrated on social issues and drew on Lloyd George’s plans to develop the coal and power industries. This foreshadowed the policy issues the Liberal Party would put forward in the 1929 general election
when Glassey fought the seat again, this time beating the sitting Tory
MP, G. R. Hall Caine, albeit by the narrow majority of 277. One of the political issues which Glassey supported was the unification of the three service ministries, the War Office
, the Admiralty
and the Air Ministry
into a single Ministry of Defence, although this did not come about until as late as 1964. Glassey saw unification as a positive step on the road to disarmament and to promnote economy.. In 1931 Glassey became a minister in the National Government, a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury in effect a government whip
.
group in Parliament to continue giving support to the National Government, Glassey decided at a late stage to come down on the Liberal National side, a fact that was surprising in the light of his earlier loyalty to the leadership of Sir Herbert Samuel
– indeed one historian describes Glassey as a Samuelite even at the time of the general election and in the face of his description of himself as “THE National Government candidate”. In fact Glassey proposed to stand as a candidate without reference to any party in 1931 and he received a message of support from Prime Minister Ramsay Macdonald
before the election. Glassey said he stood as a National Government candidate endorsing every word in the Prime Minister’s manifesto. The likely explanation for his choosing in the end actually to join the Liberal Nationals is that he realised his majority was vulnerable to the Conservative revival and was hoping the Unionists would stand aside for him as a supporter of the National Government. His wife spoke at election meetings on behalf of Samuelite candidates in other West Country constituencies and once the election was over, Glassey himself returned to the Liberals, becoming Chairman of the Western Counties Federation. In fact the decision of the Conservatives to oppose Glassey caused some dissension in local Tory ranks as the Conservative Party at national level had agreed to support National Government candidates but not enough to prevent the former MP Hall Caine standing against him. Against the trend for National successes in 1931 across the country and the West Country, Glassey lost his seat back to Hall Caine.
in Poole
, Dorset
.
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
politician. He was Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for East Dorset
East Dorset (UK Parliament constituency)
East Dorset is a former United Kingdom Parliamentary constituency. It was formally known as the Eastern Division of Dorset. It was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
from 1929 to 1931.
Early life
Glassey was born at NormantonNormanton, West Yorkshire
Normanton is a town and civil parish within the City of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England. It is northeast of Wakefield and southwest of Castleford, and at the time of the 2001 Census, the population was 19,949.-History:...
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, the son of the Reverend William Glassey, a Congregational Minister. He was educated at Penistone Grammar School
Penistone Grammar School
Penistone Grammar School is a comprehensive school and former grammar school in Penistone, in the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England. It was founded in 1392 and its most notable alumnus is Nicholas Saunderson, the probable inventor of Bayes theorem, in the eighteenth...
. In 1910 he married Mary Longbottom. They had three daughters, Margaret, Gwen and Marianne. He served in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
throughout the First World War as a subaltern in the Highland Light Infantry
Highland Light Infantry
The Highland Light Infantry was a regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1959. In 1923 the regimental title was expanded to the Highland Light Infantry ...
and was mentioned in despatches.
Liberal Member of Parliament
Glassey contested East DorsetEast Dorset (UK Parliament constituency)
East Dorset is a former United Kingdom Parliamentary constituency. It was formally known as the Eastern Division of Dorset. It was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
at the 1924 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1924
- Seats summary :- References :* F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* - External links :* * *...
coming second behind the Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
. The Liberals were not well organised nationally in 1924 and no longer had the uniting issue of Free Trade to provide an anti-Conservative focus as they had in 1923
United Kingdom general election, 1923
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
. One historian comments that ‘...except for individuals like Lloyd George
David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
[the Liberals] fail[ed] to provide an inspiring programme for office...’ However he also identifies Glassey as a local exception to this poor showing, who against the regional and national trends raised the party’s share of the vote in a three-cornered contest. In contrast to many Liberal candidates, Glassey fought a vigorous and positive campaign. His election addresses concentrated on social issues and drew on Lloyd George’s plans to develop the coal and power industries. This foreshadowed the policy issues the Liberal Party would put forward in the 1929 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1929
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
when Glassey fought the seat again, this time beating the sitting Tory
Tory
Toryism is a traditionalist and conservative political philosophy which grew out of the Cavalier faction in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It is a prominent ideology in the politics of the United Kingdom, but also features in parts of The Commonwealth, particularly in Canada...
MP, G. R. Hall Caine, albeit by the narrow majority of 277. One of the political issues which Glassey supported was the unification of the three service ministries, the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
, the Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
and the Air Ministry
Air Ministry
The Air Ministry was a department of the British Government with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Royal Air Force, that existed from 1918 to 1964...
into a single Ministry of Defence, although this did not come about until as late as 1964. Glassey saw unification as a positive step on the road to disarmament and to promnote economy.. In 1931 Glassey became a minister in the National Government, a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury in effect a government whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
.
Liberal National
In the Liberal split of September 1931, when Sir John Simon formed the Liberal NationalNational Liberal Party (UK, 1931)
The National Liberal Party, known until 1948 as the Liberal National Party, was a liberal political party in the United Kingdom from 1931 to 1968...
group in Parliament to continue giving support to the National Government, Glassey decided at a late stage to come down on the Liberal National side, a fact that was surprising in the light of his earlier loyalty to the leadership of Sir Herbert Samuel
Herbert Samuel, 1st Viscount Samuel
Herbert Louis Samuel, 1st Viscount Samuel GCB OM GBE PC was a British politician and diplomat.-Early years:...
– indeed one historian describes Glassey as a Samuelite even at the time of the general election and in the face of his description of himself as “THE National Government candidate”. In fact Glassey proposed to stand as a candidate without reference to any party in 1931 and he received a message of support from Prime Minister Ramsay Macdonald
Ramsay MacDonald
James Ramsay MacDonald, PC, FRS was a British politician who was the first ever Labour Prime Minister, leading a minority government for two terms....
before the election. Glassey said he stood as a National Government candidate endorsing every word in the Prime Minister’s manifesto. The likely explanation for his choosing in the end actually to join the Liberal Nationals is that he realised his majority was vulnerable to the Conservative revival and was hoping the Unionists would stand aside for him as a supporter of the National Government. His wife spoke at election meetings on behalf of Samuelite candidates in other West Country constituencies and once the election was over, Glassey himself returned to the Liberals, becoming Chairman of the Western Counties Federation. In fact the decision of the Conservatives to oppose Glassey caused some dissension in local Tory ranks as the Conservative Party at national level had agreed to support National Government candidates but not enough to prevent the former MP Hall Caine standing against him. Against the trend for National successes in 1931 across the country and the West Country, Glassey lost his seat back to Hall Caine.
Outside Parliament
Outside Parliament Glassey was an important figure in the Congregational Church. He was Chairman of the Congregational Union of England and Wales from 1941–42, Co-Treasurer from 1953–57 and a Member of the Church Council). He was a member of the Commonwealth Missionary Society from 1945–47. From 1961–62 he was Director of Congregational Insurance Co. Ltd and as part of his work for the Church he oversaw the collection of over £500,000 for re-building bombed churches. He also served as a Justice of the PeaceJustice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
in Poole
Poole
Poole is a large coastal town and seaport in the county of Dorset, on the south coast of England. The town is east of Dorchester, and Bournemouth adjoins Poole to the east. The Borough of Poole was made a unitary authority in 1997, gaining administrative independence from Dorset County Council...
, Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
.