James John Hamlyn Moses
Encyclopedia
James John Hamlyn Moses was an English politician who served as mayor and later MP
for Plymouth
.
, the son of James J. H. Moses, a shipwright, and Susannah L. Peek.
He was educated at the Board School, Dartmouth and started work part time at the age of nine as a newspaper boy. He became a full time errand boy at the age of thirteen. He took an apprenticeship in the trade of shipbuilding at fifteen. He entered HM Dockyard
, Devonport
in 1895. He married Agnes Ferris in 1897. He lived at 95 Alexandra Road, Devonport. He was a temperance
worker and local preacher. He was Methodist from 1891.
in 1921. He then became Borough Magistrate
in 1918, Mayor of Plymouth in 1926–27 and Devon County Magistrate in 1927. He was Member of the Executive Committee of the Ship Constructive and Shipwrights' Association.
Moses was originally a Liberal
but joined the Labour party
in 1918 and became a local leader. He contested the Plymouth Drake
constituency in the elections of 1923
and 1924
, before defeating Arthur Shirley Benn and H. Pratt in the 1929 election
. He was the first royal dockyard worker to be elected to Parliament, serving till 1931
. After being elected a petition was presented against him alleging bribery and corruption on the part of his agent during the election. He was cleared of all charges and awarded £3,000 costs.
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,...
for Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
.
Personal life
Moses was born in Dartmouth, DevonDartmouth, Devon
Dartmouth is a town and civil parish in the English county of Devon. It is a tourist destination set on the banks of the estuary of the River Dart, which is a long narrow tidal ria that runs inland as far as Totnes...
, the son of James J. H. Moses, a shipwright, and Susannah L. Peek.
He was educated at the Board School, Dartmouth and started work part time at the age of nine as a newspaper boy. He became a full time errand boy at the age of thirteen. He took an apprenticeship in the trade of shipbuilding at fifteen. He entered HM Dockyard
HMNB Devonport
Her Majesty's Naval Base Devonport , is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy . HMNB Devonport is located in Devonport, in the west of the city of Plymouth in Devon, England...
, Devonport
Devonport, Devon
Devonport, formerly named Plymouth Dock or just Dock, is a district of Plymouth in the English county of Devon, although it was, at one time, the more important settlement. It became a county borough in 1889...
in 1895. He married Agnes Ferris in 1897. He lived at 95 Alexandra Road, Devonport. He was a temperance
Temperance movement
A temperance movement is a social movement urging reduced use of alcoholic beverages. Temperance movements may criticize excessive alcohol use, promote complete abstinence , or pressure the government to enact anti-alcohol legislation or complete prohibition of alcohol.-Temperance movement by...
worker and local preacher. He was Methodist from 1891.
Political career
Moses became a Member of the Devonport Borough Council in 1911, the Council of Greater Plymouth in 1914, and an AldermanAlderman
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...
in 1921. He then became Borough Magistrate
Magistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
in 1918, Mayor of Plymouth in 1926–27 and Devon County Magistrate in 1927. He was Member of the Executive Committee of the Ship Constructive and Shipwrights' Association.
Moses was originally a 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...
but joined the 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...
in 1918 and became a local leader. He contested the Plymouth Drake
Plymouth Drake (UK Parliament constituency)
Plymouth Drake was a borough constituency in the city of Plymouth, in Devon. It elected one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom by the first past the post system of election.-History:...
constituency in the elections of 1923
United Kingdom general election, 1923
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
and 1924
United Kingdom general election, 1924
- Seats summary :- References :* F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* - External links :* * *...
, before defeating Arthur Shirley Benn and H. Pratt in the 1929 election
United Kingdom general election, 1929
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
. He was the first royal dockyard worker to be elected to Parliament, serving till 1931
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...
. After being elected a petition was presented against him alleging bribery and corruption on the part of his agent during the election. He was cleared of all charges and awarded £3,000 costs.