Alfred Jephcott
Encyclopedia
Alfred Roger Jephcott JP
(14 February 1853 – 14 March 1932) was an English
engineer, trade union
ist and Conservative Party
politician from Birmingham
. He sat in the House of Commons from 1918 to 1929.
to working class
parents; his father was Thomas Jephcott. Having moved to Birmingham at an early age, he was educated at St Paul's School in Balsall Heath
.
In 1884 he married Lucy White, daughter of William White of Birmingham.
as an engineering mechanic. He joined the Amalgamated Society of Engineers
, and was twice president of the Birmingham Trades Council
.
He served for a time of the school board and 1895 was elected to Birmingham City Council
, of which he was the second-oldest member. He later became an alderman
, and was appointed in 1904 as a Justice of the Peace
(JP) in 1904.
at the December 1910 general election.
By 1918 he was regarded as a leader of working-class conservatives in Birmingham, and was selected as the Unionist candidate for the Yardley division of Birmingham. Four candidates were expected to contest the seat, all City Council members, of whom two were aldermen, but only three candidates actually stood. At the election in December 1918
Jephcott, who stood as a coalition Unionist
(i.e. a supporter of the coalition government
led the Liberal David Lloyd George
) won the seat with 56% of the votes, a majority of 18% over the Labour Party
candidate alderman George Shann, who died only three weeks after polling day.
Jephcott was returned at a further three general elections, on each occasion facing only a Labour Party opponent. Before the 1923 election
, The Times
newspaper reported that Jephcott "should have no difficulty in retaining the seat", but his majority was cut to 7%, down from 16% in 1922
. At the 1924 election
, The Times initially reported local doubts about Jephcott's ability to hold the seat, but later expressed confidence in his chances, and he held the seat with a majority only slightly reduced to 6.4%.
He was not a frequent participant in debates in the Commons. In May 1927, during a debate on the Trade Disputes and Trade Unions Bill, Jephcott stated that the difficulties faced by trade unions arose from the fact that they "gave up industrial action and took to political action". He said that he was ready to loyally support the Labour party in Parliament on industrial issues, but because he differed from the party on the disestablishment of the Church of England
and on other matters he had not been allowed to be a Labour Party candidate.
In November of the following year, Jephcott seconded the motion on the King's Speech to Parliament. He was described at the time as "a strong constitionalist" who had been a member of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers for over 40 years.
was dissolved
, stating that at the age of 75 he felt it was time to make way for a younger man. In November 1928 month he was knocked down by a motorcycle
while crossing the High Street in Birmingham, and suffered a broken ankle.
He did not contest the 1929 general election
, when the seat was won by the Labour candidate Archibald Gossling
.
Jephcott died in Birmingham on 14 March 1932, aged 79.
Justice 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...
(14 February 1853 – 14 March 1932) was an English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
engineer, trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
ist and Conservative Party
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...
politician from Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
. He sat in the House of Commons from 1918 to 1929.
Early life and family
Jephcott was born in CoventryCoventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
to working class
Working class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
parents; his father was Thomas Jephcott. Having moved to Birmingham at an early age, he was educated at St Paul's School in Balsall Heath
Balsall Heath
Balsall Heath is a working class, inner-city area of Birmingham, England. It is home to a diverse cultural mix of people and the location of the Balti Triangle.-History:...
.
In 1884 he married Lucy White, daughter of William White of Birmingham.
Career
After leaving school, Jephcott took up an apprenticeshipApprenticeship
Apprenticeship is a system of training a new generation of practitioners of a skill. Apprentices or protégés build their careers from apprenticeships...
as an engineering mechanic. He joined the Amalgamated Society of Engineers
Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union
The Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union was a British trade union. It merged with the MSF to form Amicus in 2001.The history of the union can be traced back to the formation of the "Old Mechanics" of 1826, which grew into the Amalgamated Society of Engineers in 1851...
, and was twice president of the Birmingham Trades Council
Birmingham Trades Council
Birmingham Trades Council is the trades council body which brings together trade unionists from across Birmingham, England. Its headquarters were formerly in Digbeth, with a huge mural above the canteen area depicting the 1972 Battle of Saltley Gate....
.
He served for a time of the school board and 1895 was elected to Birmingham City Council
Birmingham City Council
The Birmingham City Council is the body responsible for the governance of the City of Birmingham in England, which has been a metropolitan district since 1974. It is the most populated local authority in the United Kingdom with, following a reorganisation of boundaries in June 2004, 120 Birmingham...
, of which he was the second-oldest member. He later became an alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
, and was appointed in 1904 as a Justice of the Peace
Justice 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...
(JP) in 1904.
Parliament
He unsuccessfully contested PaisleyPaisley (UK Parliament constituency)
Paisley was a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1832 until 1983, when it was divided into Paisley North and Paisley South...
at the December 1910 general election.
By 1918 he was regarded as a leader of working-class conservatives in Birmingham, and was selected as the Unionist candidate for the Yardley division of Birmingham. Four candidates were expected to contest the seat, all City Council members, of whom two were aldermen, but only three candidates actually stood. At the election in December 1918
United Kingdom general election, 1918
The United Kingdom general election of 1918 was the first to be held after the Representation of the People Act 1918, which meant it was the first United Kingdom general election in which nearly all adult men and some women could vote. Polling was held on 14 December 1918, although the count did...
Jephcott, who stood as a coalition Unionist
Coalition Coupon
The ‘Coalition Coupon’, often referred to as ‘the coupon’, refers to the letter sent to parliamentary candidates at the United Kingdom general election, 1918 endorsing them as official representatives of the Coalition Government. The 1918 election took place in the heady atmosphere of victory in...
(i.e. a supporter of the coalition government
Coalition government
A coalition government is a cabinet of a parliamentary government in which several political parties cooperate. The usual reason given for this arrangement is that no party on its own can achieve a majority in the parliament...
led the Liberal David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
) won the seat with 56% of the votes, a majority of 18% over the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
candidate alderman George Shann, who died only three weeks after polling day.
Jephcott was returned at a further three general elections, on each occasion facing only a Labour Party opponent. Before the 1923 election
United Kingdom general election, 1923
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
, The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
newspaper reported that Jephcott "should have no difficulty in retaining the seat", but his majority was cut to 7%, down from 16% in 1922
United Kingdom general election, 1922
The United Kingdom general election of 1922 was held on 15 November 1922. It was the first election held after most of the Irish counties left the United Kingdom to form the Irish Free State, and was won by Andrew Bonar Law's Conservatives, who gained an overall majority over Labour, led by John...
. At the 1924 election
United Kingdom general election, 1924
- Seats summary :- References :* F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* - External links :* * *...
, The Times initially reported local doubts about Jephcott's ability to hold the seat, but later expressed confidence in his chances, and he held the seat with a majority only slightly reduced to 6.4%.
He was not a frequent participant in debates in the Commons. In May 1927, during a debate on the Trade Disputes and Trade Unions Bill, Jephcott stated that the difficulties faced by trade unions arose from the fact that they "gave up industrial action and took to political action". He said that he was ready to loyally support the Labour party in Parliament on industrial issues, but because he differed from the party on the disestablishment of the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
and on other matters he had not been allowed to be a Labour Party candidate.
In November of the following year, Jephcott seconded the motion on the King's Speech to Parliament. He was described at the time as "a strong constitionalist" who had been a member of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers for over 40 years.
Retirement
In July 1927 he announced his decision to retire when ParliamentParliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
was dissolved
Dissolution of parliament
In parliamentary systems, a dissolution of parliament is the dispersal of a legislature at the call of an election.Usually there is a maximum length of a legislature, and a dissolution must happen before the maximum time...
, stating that at the age of 75 he felt it was time to make way for a younger man. In November 1928 month he was knocked down by a motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
while crossing the High Street in Birmingham, and suffered a broken ankle.
He did not contest the 1929 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1929
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
, when the seat was won by the Labour candidate Archibald Gossling
Archibald Gossling
Archibald George Gossling was a British trade unionist and Labour politician.Gossling was a joiner by trade, and became a member of the executive of the National Federation of Building Trades Operatives and the Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers. In 1924 he was chosen to contest the parliamentary...
.
Jephcott died in Birmingham on 14 March 1932, aged 79.