Charles Ammon, 1st Baron Ammon
Encyclopedia
Charles George Ammon, 1st Baron Ammon PC
DL
JP
(22 April 1873 – 2 April 1960) was a British Labour Party
politician.
of the National Union of Docks, Wharves and Shipping Staffs, and the Organising Secretary of the Civil Service Union
.
lor for North Camberwell
from 1919-1925 and 1934-1946, and Chairman of London County Council in 1941-1942. He was an Alderman on Camberwell Borough Council from 1934-1953 and Mayor of Camberwell, 1950-1951. Freedom of Borough of Camberwell, 1951.
(MP) for Camberwell North
from 1922-1931 and 1935-1944, unsuccessfully contesting the seat in 1918 and 1931. He was Labour Party whip in 1923 and a member of the National Executive Committee
of the Labour Party, 1921-1926. He served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty in 1924 and again in 1929-1931 and was a member of the West African Mission of 1938-1939 and of the Select Committee on National Expenditure, 1939-1944. He was temporary Chairman of Committees in 1943 and the same year served as Chairman of a Parliamentary Commission to investigate the future of the dominion of Newfoundland
; the other members were A. P. Herbert
and Derrick Gunston.
He was raised to the peerage as Baron Ammon, of Camberwell in the County of Surrey, in 1944 and appointed a Privy Counsellor
in 1945. In the House of Lords he was Captain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms
(Chief Whip) from 1945-1949, and a Deputy Speaker of the House from 1945-1958. In 1947 he was Chairman of a Parliamentary Mission to China. He was first Chairman of the National Dock Labour Board
from 1944-1950. His political career was effectively ended when he clashed with the government over the 1949 London dock strike.
, a Governor of the London School of Economics
and Dulwich College
and Chairman of the Trustees of Crystal Palace
. He was a Member of the Channel Islands Commission in 1947.
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
DL
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
JP
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...
(22 April 1873 – 2 April 1960) was a British 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...
politician.
Background and education
The son of Charles George and Mary Ammon, he was educated at Public Elementary schools.Career
Ammon worked with the Post Office for twenty-four years. He was Secretary of the Union of Post Office Workers from 1920 to 1928, the first General SecretaryGeneral Secretary
The office of general secretary is staffed by the chief officer of:*The General Secretariat for Macedonia and Thrace, a government agency for the Greek regions of Macedonia and Thrace...
of the National Union of Docks, Wharves and Shipping Staffs, and the Organising Secretary of the Civil Service Union
Civil Service Union
The Civil Service Union was a trade union in the United Kingdom.The union was formed in 1944 from the Government Minor and Manipulative Grades Association.The union primarily worked in the Civil Service, but also in other public organisations...
.
Local politics
Ammon was London County CouncilLondon County Council
London County Council was the principal local government body for the County of London, throughout its 1889–1965 existence, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today known as Inner London and was replaced by the Greater London Council...
lor for North Camberwell
Camberwell
Camberwell is a district of south London, England, and forms part of the London Borough of Southwark. It is a built-up inner city district located southeast of Charing Cross. To the west it has a boundary with the London Borough of Lambeth.-Toponymy:...
from 1919-1925 and 1934-1946, and Chairman of London County Council in 1941-1942. He was an Alderman on Camberwell Borough Council from 1934-1953 and Mayor of Camberwell, 1950-1951. Freedom of Borough of Camberwell, 1951.
Parliament
Ammon was Member of ParliamentMember 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,...
(MP) for Camberwell North
Camberwell North (UK Parliament constituency)
Camberwell North was a borough constituency located in the Metropolitan Borough of Camberwell, in South London. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
from 1922-1931 and 1935-1944, unsuccessfully contesting the seat in 1918 and 1931. He was Labour Party whip in 1923 and a member of the National Executive Committee
National Executive Committee
The National Executive Committee or NEC is the chief administrative body of the UK Labour Party. Its composition has changed over the years, and includes representatives of affiliated trade unions, the Parliamentary Labour Party and European Parliamentary Labour Party, Constituency Labour Parties,...
of the Labour Party, 1921-1926. He served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty in 1924 and again in 1929-1931 and was a member of the West African Mission of 1938-1939 and of the Select Committee on National Expenditure, 1939-1944. He was temporary Chairman of Committees in 1943 and the same year served as Chairman of a Parliamentary Commission to investigate the future of the dominion of Newfoundland
Dominion of Newfoundland
The Dominion of Newfoundland was a British Dominion from 1907 to 1949 . The Dominion of Newfoundland was situated in northeastern North America along the Atlantic coast and comprised the island of Newfoundland and Labrador on the continental mainland...
; the other members were A. P. Herbert
A. P. Herbert
Sir Alan Patrick Herbert, CH was an English humorist, novelist, playwright and law reform activist...
and Derrick Gunston.
He was raised to the peerage as Baron Ammon, of Camberwell in the County of Surrey, in 1944 and appointed a Privy Counsellor
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
in 1945. In the House of Lords he was Captain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms
Captain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms
The Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms is a UK government post since 1945 held by the Government Chief Whip in the House of Lords. Prior to 17 March 1834, the Gentlemen-at-Arms were known as the Honourable Band of Gentlemen Pensioners....
(Chief Whip) from 1945-1949, and a Deputy Speaker of the House from 1945-1958. In 1947 he was Chairman of a Parliamentary Mission to China. He was first Chairman of the National Dock Labour Board
National Dock Labour Board
The National Dock Labour Board , which administered the National Dock Labour Scheme, was an administrative board for the operation of British docks.-Creation of National Dock Labour Board:...
from 1944-1950. His political career was effectively ended when he clashed with the government over the 1949 London dock strike.
Other public appointments
Outside Parliament, he was President of the UK Band of Hope Union and a Methodist Local Preacher. He was President of the International Arbitration League, Vice-President of the Royal National Lifeboat InstitutionRoyal National Lifeboat Institution
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution is a charity that saves lives at sea around the coasts of Great Britain, Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, as well as on selected inland waterways....
, a Governor of the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
and Dulwich College
Dulwich College
Dulwich College is an independent school for boys in Dulwich, southeast London, England. The college was founded in 1619 by Edward Alleyn, a successful Elizabethan actor, with the original purpose of educating 12 poor scholars as the foundation of "God's Gift". It currently has about 1,600 boys,...
and Chairman of the Trustees of Crystal Palace
The Crystal Palace
The Crystal Palace was a cast-iron and glass building originally erected in Hyde Park, London, England, to house the Great Exhibition of 1851. More than 14,000 exhibitors from around the world gathered in the Palace's of exhibition space to display examples of the latest technology developed in...
. He was a Member of the Channel Islands Commission in 1947.