George Edwards (British politician)
Encyclopedia
Sir George Edwards OBE
(5 October 1850 – 6 December 1933) was a trade union
ist and Labour Party
politician in the United Kingdom
.
, Norfolk
, the son of a poor ex-soldier who worked as an agricultural labourer. After the Crimean War
, when the family's income was threatened by rising prices, they had to enter the workhouse for a year. At the age of 6, Edwards went to work for one shilling (five pence) a week, scaring crows. Because of the need to work he never went to school, and only learnt to read and write in adult life, being taught by his wife.
He joined the Primitive Methodists, and married at the age of 22. In 1889 he became secretary of the Norfolk and Norwich Amalgamated Labour Union, which ceased to exist in 1896.
Ten years later (1906) he founded the Eastern Counties Agricultural Labourers & Small Holders Union later known as the National Union of Agricultural and Allied Workers
, and became its general secretary. He cycled over 6,000 miles to meetings in the first year, and built its membership to over 3,000.
In 1906 he was elected to Norfolk County Council, in 1914 he became a magistrate, and in 1918 he became a county alderman. During the war he served on various committees and was given the OBE.
He contested the South Norfolk
constituency at the 1918 general election. He won 26% of the votes, losing to the Liberal Party
candidate William Cozens-Hardy
.
When Cozens-Hardy succeeded to the peerage in 1920 as Baron Cozens-Hardy
, Edwards won then resulting by-election in July 1920
, with 46% of the votes, with Liberal vote split between pro- and anti-coalition candidates. Edwards was then nearly 70 years of age, one of the oldest ever by-election winners. At the 1922 general election
, the Liberals did not field a candidate, and he lost the seat to the Conservative
Thomas William Hay.
Edwards was returned to the House of Commons
at the 1923 general election
, when he beat Hay with a majority of only 861 votes, but lost again in 1924
, to the Conservative James Christie
. He did not stand for Parliament
again.
He was knighted in 1930. His wife died in 1912, and they had no children.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(5 October 1850 – 6 December 1933) was a 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 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 in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Life
Edwards was born in MarshamMarsham
Marsham might refer to:People* Joan Marsham* Robert Marsham, founder of phenology* Thomas Marsham, English entomologist* Charles Marsham, 4th Earl of Romney...
, Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, the son of a poor ex-soldier who worked as an agricultural labourer. After the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
, when the family's income was threatened by rising prices, they had to enter the workhouse for a year. At the age of 6, Edwards went to work for one shilling (five pence) a week, scaring crows. Because of the need to work he never went to school, and only learnt to read and write in adult life, being taught by his wife.
He joined the Primitive Methodists, and married at the age of 22. In 1889 he became secretary of the Norfolk and Norwich Amalgamated Labour Union, which ceased to exist in 1896.
Ten years later (1906) he founded the Eastern Counties Agricultural Labourers & Small Holders Union later known as the National Union of Agricultural and Allied Workers
National Union of Agricultural and Allied Workers
The National Union of Agricultural and Allied Workers was a trade union in the United Kingdom.It was established as the Eastern Counties Agricultural Labourers & Small Holders Union at a conference of Norfolk agricultural workers at the Angel Hotel, North Walsham on 20 July 1906...
, and became its general secretary. He cycled over 6,000 miles to meetings in the first year, and built its membership to over 3,000.
In 1906 he was elected to Norfolk County Council, in 1914 he became a magistrate, and in 1918 he became a county alderman. During the war he served on various committees and was given the OBE.
He contested the South Norfolk
South Norfolk (UK Parliament constituency)
South Norfolk is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. From 1868 until 1885 it returned two members but thereafter elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
constituency at the 1918 general election. He won 26% of the votes, losing to the Liberal Party
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...
candidate William Cozens-Hardy
William Cozens-Hardy, 2nd Baron Cozens-Hardy
William Hepburn Cozens-Hardy, 2nd Baron Cozens-Hardy was a British Liberal politician and lawyer.-Family:Cozens-Hardy was the eldest son of Herbert Cozens-Hardy, 1st Baron Cozens-Hardy and Maria Hepburn. Herbert Cozens-Hardy was a lawyer and Liberal Member of Parliament for North Norfolk from...
.
When Cozens-Hardy succeeded to the peerage in 1920 as Baron Cozens-Hardy
Baron Cozens-Hardy
Baron Cozens-Hardy, of Letheringsett in the County of Norfolk, was a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 1 July 1914 for Sir Herbert Cozens-Hardy, Master of the Rolls from 1907 to 1918. He was succeeded by his eldest son, the second Baron. He represented Norfolk South in...
, Edwards won then resulting by-election in July 1920
South Norfolk by-election, 1920
The South Norfolk by-election, 1920 was a by-election held on 27 July 1920 for the British House of Commons constituency of South Norfolk.The by-election was triggered by the succession to the peerage of the serving Coalition Liberal Member of Parliament , William Cozens-Hardy.South Norfolk had...
, with 46% of the votes, with Liberal vote split between pro- and anti-coalition candidates. Edwards was then nearly 70 years of age, one of the oldest ever by-election winners. At the 1922 general election
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...
, the Liberals did not field a candidate, and he lost the seat to 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...
Thomas William Hay.
Edwards was returned to the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
at the 1923 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1923
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
, when he beat Hay with a majority of only 861 votes, but lost again in 1924
United Kingdom general election, 1924
- Seats summary :- References :* F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* - External links :* * *...
, to the Conservative James Christie
James Christie (UK politician)
James Archibald Christie was a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom. He was Member of Parliament for South Norfolk from 1924 until he retired from the House of Commons at the 1945 general election....
. He did not stand for Parliament
Parliament 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...
again.
He was knighted in 1930. His wife died in 1912, and they had no children.
External links
- How the farmworkers got organised (The Socialist Party)
- Century-old pay struggle for 'brother to the ox' (The Scotsman)
- Start of the new norfolk union (EASF website)