Hyacinth Morgan
Encyclopedia
Hyacinth Bernard Wenceslaus Morgan (11 September 1885 – 7 May 1956) was a Labour Party
politician in the United Kingdom
. He was a Member of Parliament
(MP) from 1929 to 1931, and 1940 to 1955.
He was born in Grenada
, West Indies and came to the United Kingdom
to study medicine at Glasgow University in 1904. while at University he was active in the Fabian Society
and founded the students' Irish Nationalist Club. After qualifying, he worked in a number of Glasgow mental hospitals and then served as a doctor in France during World War I
, and then entered general practice in London
, initially at Greenwich
, later Camberwell
and finally at Paddington
.
constituency of the Camberwell North West
at the 1922 general election
, but lost by a wide margin to the National Liberal
MP Edward Taswell Campbell. He stood again at the 1923 election
, when Taswell had re-joined the Liberal Party
, and lost by only 80 votes. In 1924
, Taswell held on by only 194 votes, and Morgan finally won the seat at the 1929 general election
.
However, the Labour Party split at the 1931 general election
over fiscal policy; Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald
had left the party to form a National Government
with the support of the Conservative Party and some Liberals, and Labour's national share of the vote fell disastrously from 37% to 31%. In most seats, Liberal and Conservative candidates agreed a single candidate to stand against Labour, and as a result Labour retained only 52 of the 287 seats which it had won in 1929. Morgan's Camberwell seat was one of those lost.
He did not stand for Parliament
again until 1940, when the Labour MP William Kelly resigned his Rochdale
seat. At the by-election in July 1940
, Morgan was elected unopposed.
He was re-elected in 1945
, but with a majority of only 10%, he moved at the 1950 general election
to the safer Warrington
seat, which he won with a comfortable 19% majority. He was re-elected in Warrington in 1951
(when the Conservatives won Rochdale), and retired from the British House of Commons
at the 1955 general election
.
He served as a member of the Confederation of Health Service Employees
(COHSE) union National Executive Committee and COHSE's Medical Guild from 1946-1951. Morgan died in 1956, aged 70.
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...
. He was a 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) from 1929 to 1931, and 1940 to 1955.
He was born in Grenada
Grenada
Grenada is an island country and Commonwealth Realm consisting of the island of Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea...
, West Indies and came to 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...
to study medicine at Glasgow University in 1904. while at University he was active in the Fabian Society
Fabian Society
The Fabian Society is a British socialist movement, whose purpose is to advance the principles of democratic socialism via gradualist and reformist, rather than revolutionary, means. It is best known for its initial ground-breaking work beginning late in the 19th century and continuing up to World...
and founded the students' Irish Nationalist Club. After qualifying, he worked in a number of Glasgow mental hospitals and then served as a doctor in France 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...
, and then entered general practice in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, initially at Greenwich
Greenwich
Greenwich is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.Greenwich is best known for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time...
, later 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:...
and finally at Paddington
Paddington
Paddington is a district within the City of Westminster, in central London, England. Formerly a metropolitan borough, it was integrated with Westminster and Greater London in 1965...
.
Political career
Morgan contested the South LondonSouth London
South London is the southern part of London, England, United Kingdom.According to the 2011 official Boundary Commission for England definition, South London includes the London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Southwark, Sutton and...
constituency of the Camberwell North West
Camberwell North West (UK Parliament constituency)
Camberwell North West 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, elected by the first-past-the-post voting system.The constituency was created...
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...
, but lost by a wide margin to the 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:...
MP Edward Taswell Campbell. He stood again at the 1923 election
United Kingdom general election, 1923
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
, when Taswell had re-joined 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...
, and lost by only 80 votes. In 1924
United Kingdom general election, 1924
- Seats summary :- References :* F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* - External links :* * *...
, Taswell held on by only 194 votes, and Morgan finally won the seat at the 1929 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1929
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
.
However, the Labour Party split at the 1931 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1931
The United Kingdom general election on Tuesday 27 October 1931 was the last in the United Kingdom not held on a Thursday. It was also the last election, and the only one under universal suffrage, where one party received an absolute majority of the votes cast.The 1931 general election was the...
over fiscal policy; Prime Minister 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....
had left the party to form a National Government
National Government 1931-1935
See also First National MinistryThe United Kingdom's National Government was composed of members of the following parties:*National Labour*Conservative Party*Liberal Party*Liberal Nationals...
with the support of the Conservative Party and some Liberals, and Labour's national share of the vote fell disastrously from 37% to 31%. In most seats, Liberal and Conservative candidates agreed a single candidate to stand against Labour, and as a result Labour retained only 52 of the 287 seats which it had won in 1929. Morgan's Camberwell seat was one of those lost.
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 until 1940, when the Labour MP William Kelly resigned his Rochdale
Rochdale (UK Parliament constituency)
Rochdale is a county 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:...
seat. At the by-election in July 1940
Rochdale by-election, 1940
The Rochdale by-election, 1940 was a by-election held for the British House of Commons constituency of Rochdale in Lancashire on 20 July 1940.- Vacancy :...
, Morgan was elected unopposed.
He was re-elected in 1945
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...
, but with a majority of only 10%, he moved at the 1950 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1950
The 1950 United Kingdom general election was the first general election ever after a full term of a Labour government. Despite polling over one and a half million votes more than the Conservatives, the election, held on 23 February 1950 resulted in Labour receiving a slim majority of just five...
to the safer Warrington
Warrington (UK Parliament constituency)
Warrington was a parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom. From 1832 to 1983 it returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.-History:...
seat, which he won with a comfortable 19% majority. He was re-elected in Warrington in 1951
United Kingdom general election, 1951
The 1951 United Kingdom general election was held eighteen months after the 1950 general election, which the Labour Party had won with a slim majority of just five seats...
(when the Conservatives won Rochdale), and retired from the British 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 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...
.
He served as a member of the Confederation of Health Service Employees
Confederation of Health Service Employees
The Confederation of Health Service Employees was a United Kingdom trade union representing workers primarily in the National Health Service...
(COHSE) union National Executive Committee and COHSE's Medical Guild from 1946-1951. Morgan died in 1956, aged 70.