Herbert Harvey Spencer
Encyclopedia
Herbert Harvey Spencer was an English stuff
manufacturer and trader and Liberal Party
politician.
manufacturer and in 1925 he gave evidence to the Board of Trade
safeguarding enquiry into the worsted trade. He was sometime secretary to the Bradford and District Manufacturers’ Association and connected to the Association of Chambers of Commerce Spencer also spent some time in Australia engaged in farming and land development.
and was a self-declared warrior against what he called the fallacies of socialism
. In 1901 he was elected as a member of Bradford Town Council. In 1913 he was adopted to fight the next election as Liberal candidate in Preston
. However come the 1918 general election
Spencer did not fight Preston. The two member constituency was fought and won by two Conservatives
for the Lloyd George
Coalition
, who had presumably received the Coalition Coupon
. Against them stood one Labour
and one Independent Asquithian candidate, Lieutenant J J O'Neill.
at the 1922 general election
as an Independent Liberal at Bradford South
. He faced no Lloyd George
National Liberal
opponent but was involved in a tight three-cornered contest with Labour
and Conservative
adversaries. He gained the seat from the Conservatives by the margin of 906 votes over Labour, with the Tories in third place. Spencer held his seat at the 1923 general election
in a similar three-party contest, despite being unwell and unable to campaign in person. This time he held on by 675 votes over Labour.
the tide was turning against the Liberals in the aftermath of the first Labour government. During the 1924 Parliament the Liberals had often been divided over support for the government of Ramsay MacDonald
. Even on the initial vote to bring down the government of Stanley Baldwin and install Labour’s minority administration, ten Liberal MPs voted with the Conservatives. Spencer also defied the party whip
in this period voting against the Labour government and with the Conservatives on the Evictions Bill (i.e. evictions under the Rent Restriction Act) and twice on the Housing (Financial Provisions) Bill. The sort of difficulties which beset the Liberal Party in Parliament were apparent nationally at the 1924 general election. The Liberals were finding it difficult to define their political position in relation to the Labour and Conservative parties and electorally, as the third party in a two party system, they were being targeted and squeezed by the others. These electoral currents proved too strong for Spencer and in another three-cornered fight in Bradford South he lost to Labour’s William Hirst, even falling to the bottom of the poll behind the Conservatives.
committee to look into bankruptcy law
. He was a strong adherent of Free Trade
and land value taxation.
Stuff (cloth)
In the context of materials Stuff can refer to any manufactured material. This is illustrated from a quote by Sir Francis Bacon in his 1658 publication New Atlantis:"Wee have also diverse Mechanicall Arts, which you have not; And Stuffes made by them; As Papers, Linnen, Silks, Tissues; dainty Works...
manufacturer and trader and 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...
politician.
Family
Spencer was married and had three sons. Tragically two died during the First World War and the third was killed in a mountaineering accident in Canada.Career
By profession Spencer was a cotton merchant and worstedWorsted
Worsted , is the name of a yarn, the cloth made from this yarn, and a yarn weight category. The name derives from the village of Worstead in the English county of Norfolk...
manufacturer and in 1925 he gave evidence to the Board of Trade
Board of Trade
The Board of Trade is a committee of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, originating as a committee of inquiry in the 17th century and evolving gradually into a government department with a diverse range of functions...
safeguarding enquiry into the worsted trade. He was sometime secretary to the Bradford and District Manufacturers’ Association and connected to the Association of Chambers of Commerce Spencer also spent some time in Australia engaged in farming and land development.
1901-1918
Spencer was described as a fierce defender of LiberalismLiberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
and was a self-declared warrior against what he called the fallacies of socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
. In 1901 he was elected as a member of Bradford Town Council. In 1913 he was adopted to fight the next election as Liberal candidate in Preston
Preston (UK Parliament constituency)
Preston is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
. However come 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...
Spencer did not fight Preston. The two member constituency was fought and won by two Conservatives
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...
for the Lloyd George
David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
Coalition
Coalition Government 1916-1922
The Coalition Government of David Lloyd George came to power in the United Kingdom in December 1916, replacing the earlier wartime coalition under H.H. Asquith, which had been held responsible for reverses during the Great War. Those Liberals who continued to support Asquith served as the Opposition...
, who had presumably received the Coalition Coupon
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...
. Against them stood one 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...
and one Independent Asquithian candidate, Lieutenant J J O'Neill.
1922-1923
Spencer was however elected to the House of CommonsBritish 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 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...
as an Independent Liberal at Bradford South
Bradford South (UK Parliament constituency)
Bradford South is a borough constituency in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire. It elects one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
. He faced no Lloyd George
David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
National Liberal
National Liberal Party (UK, 1922)
The National Liberal Party was a liberal political party in the United Kingdom from 1922 to 1923. It was led by David Lloyd George and was, at the time, separate to the original Liberal Party.-History:...
opponent but was involved in a tight three-cornered contest with 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...
and 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...
adversaries. He gained the seat from the Conservatives by the margin of 906 votes over Labour, with the Tories in third place. Spencer held his seat 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 a similar three-party contest, despite being unwell and unable to campaign in person. This time he held on by 675 votes over Labour.
1924
By the timem of the 1924 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 1924
- Seats summary :- References :* F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* - External links :* * *...
the tide was turning against the Liberals in the aftermath of the first Labour government. During the 1924 Parliament the Liberals had often been divided over support for the government of Ramsay MacDonald
Ramsay MacDonald
James Ramsay MacDonald, PC, FRS was a British politician who was the first ever Labour Prime Minister, leading a minority government for two terms....
. Even on the initial vote to bring down the government of Stanley Baldwin and install Labour’s minority administration, ten Liberal MPs voted with the Conservatives. Spencer also defied the party whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
in this period voting against the Labour government and with the Conservatives on the Evictions Bill (i.e. evictions under the Rent Restriction Act) and twice on the Housing (Financial Provisions) Bill. The sort of difficulties which beset the Liberal Party in Parliament were apparent nationally at the 1924 general election. The Liberals were finding it difficult to define their political position in relation to the Labour and Conservative parties and electorally, as the third party in a two party system, they were being targeted and squeezed by the others. These electoral currents proved too strong for Spencer and in another three-cornered fight in Bradford South he lost to Labour’s William Hirst, even falling to the bottom of the poll behind the Conservatives.
Appointments
In 1924, Spencer was appointed to sit on a Board of TradeBoard of Trade
The Board of Trade is a committee of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, originating as a committee of inquiry in the 17th century and evolving gradually into a government department with a diverse range of functions...
committee to look into bankruptcy law
Bankruptcy in the United Kingdom
Bankruptcy in the United Kingdom does not have a singular law. There is one system for England and Wales, one for Northern Ireland and one for Scotland.Across the United Kingdom, bankruptcy refers only to insolvency of individuals and partnerships...
. He was a strong adherent of Free Trade
Free trade
Under a free trade policy, prices emerge from supply and demand, and are the sole determinant of resource allocation. 'Free' trade differs from other forms of trade policy where the allocation of goods and services among trading countries are determined by price strategies that may differ from...
and land value taxation.