Herbert Butler
Encyclopedia
Herbert William Butler JP
(30 January 1897 – 16 November 1971) was a British
Labour
politician.
Butler was the son of Frank Butler. He was educated at a London County Council
elementary school
, and served in the Royal Navy
during World War I
, from 1916 to 1919. as a stoker. Following the war he became involved in Labour politics, and in 1922 became agent for Herbert Morrison
who was elected Member of Parliament
(MP) for Hackney South
at the 1923 general election
. In the 1930s he was a leading opponent of Oswald Mosley
's Blackshirt
movement, which was active in the Hackney area.
He became a Justice of the Peace
(JP) for London in 1929, and in 1934 he was elected to Hackney Borough Council
. He was subsequently made an alderman
and Mayor
of Hackney in 1936/37. He remained a member of the borough council for more than thirty years, and was also a member of the North East Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board, chairman of the Hackney and Queen Elizabeth hospital group, and a freeman
of the Borough of Hackney
.
At the 1945 general election
he was elected to succeeded Herbert Morrison as MP for Hackney South, and held the seat until its abolition in 1955. From 1950 to 1951, Butler was Parliamentary Private Secretary
(PPS) to the Civil Lord of the Admiralty, Walter "Stoker" Edwards. the Hackney South constituency was abolished at the 1955 general election
, when Butler was elected as MP for the new constituency of Hackney Central
. He held that seat until his retirement at the 1970 general election
.
He died in St Leonard's Hospital, Shoreditch
in November 1971, aged 74.
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...
(30 January 1897 – 16 November 1971) was a British
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...
Labour
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.
Butler was the son of Frank Butler. He was educated at a London County Council
London 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...
elementary school
Elementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
, and served in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, from 1916 to 1919. as a stoker. Following the war he became involved in Labour politics, and in 1922 became agent for Herbert Morrison
Herbert Morrison
Herbert Stanley Morrison, Baron Morrison of Lambeth, CH, PC was a British Labour politician; he held a various number of senior positions in the Cabinet, including Home Secretary, Foreign Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister.-Early life:Morrison was the son of a police constable and was born in...
who was elected 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,...
(MP) for Hackney South
Hackney South (UK Parliament constituency)
Hackney South was a parliamentary constituency in "The Metropolis" . It was represented by nine Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, only two of whom, Horatio Bottomley and Herbert Morrison, were returned.- History :The constituency was created...
at the 1923 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1923
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
. In the 1930s he was a leading opponent of Oswald Mosley
Oswald Mosley
Sir Oswald Ernald Mosley, 6th Baronet, of Ancoats, was an English politician, known principally as the founder of the British Union of Fascists...
's Blackshirt
British Union of Fascists
The British Union was a political party in the United Kingdom formed in 1932 by Sir Oswald Mosley as the British Union of Fascists, in 1936 it changed its name to the British Union of Fascists and National Socialists and then in 1937 to simply the British Union...
movement, which was active in the Hackney area.
He became 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) for London in 1929, and in 1934 he was elected to Hackney Borough Council
Metropolitan Borough of Hackney
The Metropolitan Borough of Hackney was a Metropolitan borough of the County of London from 1900 to 1965. Its area became part of the London Borough of Hackney.-Formation and boundaries:...
. He was subsequently made 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 Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Hackney in 1936/37. He remained a member of the borough council for more than thirty years, and was also a member of the North East Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board, chairman of the Hackney and Queen Elizabeth hospital group, and a freeman
Freeman
- Things :* An individual not tied to land under medieval serfdom, unlike a villein or serf* A person who has been awarded Freedom of the City or "Freedom of the Company" in a Livery Company* Freeman * Freeman...
of the Borough of Hackney
Metropolitan Borough of Hackney
The Metropolitan Borough of Hackney was a Metropolitan borough of the County of London from 1900 to 1965. Its area became part of the London Borough of Hackney.-Formation and boundaries:...
.
At the 1945 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1945
The United Kingdom general election of 1945 was a general election held on 5 July 1945, with polls in some constituencies delayed until 12 July and in Nelson and Colne until 19 July, due to local wakes weeks. The results were counted and declared on 26 July, due in part to the time it took to...
he was elected to succeeded Herbert Morrison as MP for Hackney South, and held the seat until its abolition in 1955. From 1950 to 1951, Butler was Parliamentary Private Secretary
Parliamentary Private Secretary
A Parliamentary Private Secretary is a role given to a United Kingdom Member of Parliament by a senior minister in government or shadow minister to act as their contact for the House of Commons; this role is junior to that of Parliamentary Under-Secretary, which is a ministerial post, salaried by...
(PPS) to the Civil Lord of the Admiralty, Walter "Stoker" Edwards. the Hackney South constituency was abolished at the 1955 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1955
The 1955 United Kingdom general election was held on 26 May 1955, four years after the previous general election. It resulted in a substantially increased majority of 60 for the Conservative government under new leader and prime minister Sir Anthony Eden against Labour Party, now in their 20th year...
, when Butler was elected as MP for the new constituency of Hackney Central
Hackney Central (UK Parliament constituency)
Hackney Central was a borough constituency in what was then the Metropolitan Borough of Hackney, in London. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
. He held that seat until his retirement at the 1970 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1970
The United Kingdom general election of 1970 was held on 18 June 1970, and resulted in a surprise victory for the Conservative Party under leader Edward Heath, who defeated the Labour Party under Harold Wilson. The election also saw the Liberal Party and its new leader Jeremy Thorpe lose half their...
.
He died in St Leonard's Hospital, Shoreditch
Shoreditch
Shoreditch is an area of London within the London Borough of Hackney in England. It is a built-up part of the inner city immediately to the north of the City of London, located east-northeast of Charing Cross.-Etymology:...
in November 1971, aged 74.