James Marley
Encyclopedia
James Marley was a schoolmaster and a Labour
politician who sat in the House of Commons between December 1923 and October 1924 and, again, between May 1929 and October 1931. He was the 7th and 9th M.P. for St Pancras (North). The constituency was created in 1885 and abolished in 1983, when it became part of the new constituency of Holborn and St Pancras.
In the General Election of 6 December 1923, James Marley won his first seat in Parliament with a 2872 gain for Labour over the previous Conservative
incumbent, John William Lorden, in what was to become the first Labour Government (1924). It was a short-lived victory for him and, in a hung parliament
, his seat was taken, on 29 October 1924 in the General Election by his Conservative
successor, Ian Fraser
(later Baron Fraser of Lonsdale). He remained in politics, however, and was re-elected to the St Pancras (North) seat once again in May 1929, holding the seat until 27 October 1931, when he fell prey to again to a hung parliament, the seat being retrieved by Ian Fraser for the Conservatives.
, Lanarkshire, Scotland and moved to London in 1917 to take up a teaching post at St Dominic's Boys' School in Hampstead (1917–19). During this time, he met and married his wife Alice Louise Pilgrim (1880–1945) the daughter of William Pilgrim, (1845–1922) an Inspector for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
and a former London Metropolitan policeman. The marriage between James Marley and Alice Louise Pilgrim took place in Shotts, Lanarkshire, Scotland on 16 May 1920. Marley died in Bromley, Kent in April 1954, aged 60.
Marley worked at the following schools in Scotland and London:
was refused entry to a London hotel. He wrote to Marley complaining about his treatment and the letter was made public, causing uproar in the UK and the US. The matter led to a debate in Parliament later that year (October 1929) into racial discrimination by English hotels.
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 who sat in the House of Commons between December 1923 and October 1924 and, again, between May 1929 and October 1931. He was the 7th and 9th M.P. for St Pancras (North). The constituency was created in 1885 and abolished in 1983, when it became part of the new constituency of Holborn and St Pancras.
In the General Election of 6 December 1923, James Marley won his first seat in Parliament with a 2872 gain for Labour over the previous 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...
incumbent, John William Lorden, in what was to become the first Labour Government (1924). It was a short-lived victory for him and, in a hung parliament
Hung parliament
In a two-party parliamentary system of government, a hung parliament occurs when neither major political party has an absolute majority of seats in the parliament . It is also less commonly known as a balanced parliament or a legislature under no overall control...
, his seat was taken, on 29 October 1924 in the General Election by his 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...
successor, Ian Fraser
Ian Fraser, Baron Fraser of Lonsdale
William Jocelyn Ian Fraser, Baron Fraser of Lonsdale CH CBE, , known as Ian Fraser, was a British Conservative Party politician, a Governor of the BBC, a successful businessman and the first person to be awarded a life peerage under the Life Peerages Act 1958.Fraser was blinded in World War I and...
(later Baron Fraser of Lonsdale). He remained in politics, however, and was re-elected to the St Pancras (North) seat once again in May 1929, holding the seat until 27 October 1931, when he fell prey to again to a hung parliament, the seat being retrieved by Ian Fraser for the Conservatives.
Biography
James was the son of William Marley (1869–1948) and Margaret Shannon (1874–1922). He was born in ShottsShotts
Shotts is a small rural town in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is located almost halfway between Glasgow and Edinburgh . As of the 2001 census, the population was 8,235...
, Lanarkshire, Scotland and moved to London in 1917 to take up a teaching post at St Dominic's Boys' School in Hampstead (1917–19). During this time, he met and married his wife Alice Louise Pilgrim (1880–1945) the daughter of William Pilgrim, (1845–1922) an Inspector for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is a non-profit animal welfare organization originally founded in England in 1824 to pass laws protecting carriage horses from abuse. SPCA groups are now found in many nations, where they campaign for animal welfare, assist in cruelty to animals...
and a former London Metropolitan policeman. The marriage between James Marley and Alice Louise Pilgrim took place in Shotts, Lanarkshire, Scotland on 16 May 1920. Marley died in Bromley, Kent in April 1954, aged 60.
Marley worked at the following schools in Scotland and London:
- 1915-1916 St Francis Xavier's School, Carfin, Motherwell, Scotland
- 1917-1919 St Dominic's Boys' School, Hampstead, London
- 1919 :::::: St Peter's Italian R.C. School, Herbal Hill, Holborn, London
- 1919-1923 St Dominic's Boys' School, Hampstead, London
- 1925-1929 St Francis Boys' School, North Kensington, London
Education
- St Aloysius College, Glasgow
- St Mungo's Academy, Glasgow
- St Mary's Training College, Hammersmith (now in Twickenham)
- London School of EconomicsLondon School of EconomicsThe London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
, University of LondonUniversity of London-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
Gandhi's visit to the UK
In September 1931, Marley was amongst those who welcomed Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi at Folkstone when he visited the United Kingdom for the second Round Table conference.Robeson Affair
In April 1929, the African-American concert singer Paul RobesonPaul Robeson
Paul Leroy Robeson was an American concert singer , recording artist, actor, athlete, scholar who was an advocate for the Civil Rights Movement in the first half of the twentieth century...
was refused entry to a London hotel. He wrote to Marley complaining about his treatment and the letter was made public, causing uproar in the UK and the US. The matter led to a debate in Parliament later that year (October 1929) into racial discrimination by English hotels.