Edward Parrott
Encyclopedia
Sir James Edward Parrott, MP, (1 June 1863 - 5 April 1921) was a British
teacher
and author
, who served as the Liberal
Member of Parliament
from Edinburgh South
for 1917-1918.
He was born in Marple, Cheshire, the eldest son of a schoolteacher. He was educated at St. Paul's College, Cheltenham and then became an elementary schoolteacher, studying for a MA degree at Trinity College, Dublin
at the same time. In 1891, he married Elizabeth Shirley, with whom he would have three daughters; she later became the Inspectress of Schools in Liverpool. He worked in education in Sheffield and then Liverpool for several years, during which time he began to write schoolbooks; as a result of this work, he was appointed educational editor at Thomas Nelson & Sons in 1898, and moved to Edinburgh
. In 1900, he was awarded the degree of LLD by Trinity College, Dublin, ranked at the head of the examination list.
He was elected chairman of the South Edinburgh Liberal Association in 1904 (until 1917), and the chair of Edinburgh United Liberal Committee in 1908 (until 1919). He was knighted in 1910 for services to the Liberal Party.
In 1917, the Member of Parliament for Edinburgh South
, Charles Henry Lyell
, stood down. Parrott was offered the candidacy by the local Liberal Association in April, and accepted it; it had previously been expected that the seat would be offered to Sir George Macrae. In the by-election on 12 May, he was returned unopposed. He did not contest the seat at the 1918 general election
, and instead stood for election in Edinburgh West
. He remained loyal to H. H. Asquith
in the post-war split of the Liberal Party, considering himself a "Gladstonian Liberal".
He was a Governor of Cheltenham Training College, and a Justice of the Peace
for the City of Edinburgh. For his work with Belgian and Serbian refugees during the First World War, he received the Belgian Order of the Crown with Palms in Gold
, and was an Officer of the Serbian Order of St. Sava
.
His publications included various books on the First World War and a large number of schoolbooks, and he edited Funk and Wagnall's Standard Encyclopaedia and Nelson's New Age Encyclopaedia.
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
and author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, who served as the Liberal
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...
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,...
from Edinburgh South
Edinburgh South (UK Parliament constituency)
Edinburgh South is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, first used in the general election of 1885. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
for 1917-1918.
He was born in Marple, Cheshire, the eldest son of a schoolteacher. He was educated at St. Paul's College, Cheltenham and then became an elementary schoolteacher, studying for a MA degree at Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
at the same time. In 1891, he married Elizabeth Shirley, with whom he would have three daughters; she later became the Inspectress of Schools in Liverpool. He worked in education in Sheffield and then Liverpool for several years, during which time he began to write schoolbooks; as a result of this work, he was appointed educational editor at Thomas Nelson & Sons in 1898, and moved to Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
. In 1900, he was awarded the degree of LLD by Trinity College, Dublin, ranked at the head of the examination list.
He was elected chairman of the South Edinburgh Liberal Association in 1904 (until 1917), and the chair of Edinburgh United Liberal Committee in 1908 (until 1919). He was knighted in 1910 for services to the Liberal Party.
In 1917, the Member of Parliament for Edinburgh South
Edinburgh South (UK Parliament constituency)
Edinburgh South is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, first used in the general election of 1885. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
, Charles Henry Lyell
Charles Henry Lyell
The Hon. Charles Henry Lyell was a British politician and Liberal Member of Parliament who died in the First World War.He was born in 1875, the only son of Leonard Lyell, and was educated at Eton and New College, Oxford...
, stood down. Parrott was offered the candidacy by the local Liberal Association in April, and accepted it; it had previously been expected that the seat would be offered to Sir George Macrae. In the by-election on 12 May, he was returned unopposed. He did not contest the seat at the 1918 general election
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...
, and instead stood for election in Edinburgh West
Edinburgh West (UK Parliament constituency)
Edinburgh West is a burgh constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom , first used in the 1885 general election...
. He remained loyal to H. H. Asquith
H. H. Asquith
Herbert Henry Asquith, 1st Earl of Oxford and Asquith, KG, PC, KC served as the Liberal Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1908 to 1916...
in the post-war split of the Liberal Party, considering himself a "Gladstonian Liberal".
He was a Governor of Cheltenham Training College, and 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...
for the City of Edinburgh. For his work with Belgian and Serbian refugees during the First World War, he received the Belgian Order of the Crown with Palms in Gold
Order of the Crown (Belgium)
The Order of the Crown is an Order of Belgium which was created on 15 October 1897 by King Leopold II in his capacity as ruler of the Congo Free State. The order was first intended to recognize heroic deeds and distinguished service achieved from service in the Congo Free State - many of which acts...
, and was an Officer of the Serbian Order of St. Sava
Order of St. Sava
The Order of St. Sava was a decoration instituted by the order King Milan I of Serbia in 1883. The Order of Saint Sava originally was established to recognize civilians for meritorious achievements in the arts and sciences. In 1914 a change was made permitting military personnel to receive the...
.
His publications included various books on the First World War and a large number of schoolbooks, and he edited Funk and Wagnall's Standard Encyclopaedia and Nelson's New Age Encyclopaedia.