John Benn
Encyclopedia
Sir John Williams Benn, 1st Baronet, DL
(13 November 1850 – 10 April 1922) was a British
politician, particularly associated with London
politics, and noted as the grandfather of Tony Benn
.
Benn was born in Manchester
, to a middle class family, the eldest son of Revd Julius Benn (c.1826-1883) but his parents moved the family to east London
the following year, where they opened an institute for homeless boys. Benn was largely taught at home and at the age of 17 joined a furniture
company. He later (1880) established a trade journal, The Cabinet Maker, which eventually became the furniture trade's leading publication: when politics became his main interest, the family's publishing business were taken over by his eldest son Ernest Benn
(1875–1954). His niece was actress Dame Margaret Rutherford.
When the London County Council
was established in January 1889, Benn accepted an invitation to stand as a Progressive Party
candidate for East Finsbury and was elected. Like his contemporary Will Crooks
, Benn was active in the 1889 London docks strike, and, as an increasingly prominent local politician, was invited to stand for Parliament in 1891 as the Liberal Party candidate for St George Division of Tower Hamlets
.
He was later narrowly defeated at the general election in 1895
but he concentrated on his continuing work as a London councillor, helping introduce electric tram
s to London's streets in 1903. A year later, he returned to Parliament after winning a by-election
at Devonport, a seat he retained until defeated in 1910. In the meantime his son, 28-year-old William Wedgwood Benn
, had also been elected to Parliament, winning Benn's former seat at St George in 1906.
For his work as an MP, he was knighted in 1906 and created a baronet
in 1914. John Benn remained a member of the London County Council until his death in 1922, leading the Progressive Party until ill health forced him to relinquish that role in 1918.
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
(13 November 1850 – 10 April 1922) 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...
politician, particularly associated with 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...
politics, and noted as the grandfather of Tony Benn
Tony Benn
Anthony Neil Wedgwood "Tony" Benn, PC is a British Labour Party politician and a former MP and Cabinet Minister.His successful campaign to renounce his hereditary peerage was instrumental in the creation of the Peerage Act 1963...
.
Benn was born in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, to a middle class family, the eldest son of Revd Julius Benn (c.1826-1883) but his parents moved the family to east 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...
the following year, where they opened an institute for homeless boys. Benn was largely taught at home and at the age of 17 joined a furniture
Furniture
Furniture is the mass noun for the movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating and sleeping in beds, to hold objects at a convenient height for work using horizontal surfaces above the ground, or to store things...
company. He later (1880) established a trade journal, The Cabinet Maker, which eventually became the furniture trade's leading publication: when politics became his main interest, the family's publishing business were taken over by his eldest son Ernest Benn
Ernest Benn
Sir Ernest John Pickstone Benn, 2nd Baronet was a British publisher, writer and political publicist. His father, John Benn, was a politician, who had been made a baronet in 1914. He was an uncle of the Labour politician Tony Benn.-Biography:Benn was born in Oxted, Surrey...
(1875–1954). His niece was actress Dame Margaret Rutherford.
When the 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...
was established in January 1889, Benn accepted an invitation to stand as a Progressive Party
Progressive Party (London)
The Progressive Party was a political party based around the Liberal Party that contested municipal elections in the County of London.It was founded in 1888 by a group of Liberals and leaders of the labour movement. It was also supported by the Fabian Society, and Sidney Webb was one of its...
candidate for East Finsbury and was elected. Like his contemporary Will Crooks
Will Crooks
William Crooks was a noted trade unionist and politician from Poplar, London, and a member of the Fabian Society...
, Benn was active in the 1889 London docks strike, and, as an increasingly prominent local politician, was invited to stand for Parliament in 1891 as the Liberal Party candidate for St George Division of Tower Hamlets
St George (UK Parliament constituency)
St George was a parliamentary constituency in what is now the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It was part of the Parliamentary borough of Tower Hamlets and returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
.
He was later narrowly defeated at the general election in 1895
United Kingdom general election, 1895
The United Kingdom general election of 1895 was held from 13 July - 7 August 1895. It was won by the Conservatives led by Lord Salisbury who formed an alliance with the Liberal Unionist Party and had a large majority over the Liberals, led by Lord Rosebery...
but he concentrated on his continuing work as a London councillor, helping introduce electric tram
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
s to London's streets in 1903. A year later, he returned to Parliament after winning a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
at Devonport, a seat he retained until defeated in 1910. In the meantime his son, 28-year-old William Wedgwood Benn
William Wedgwood Benn, 1st Viscount Stansgate
Air Commodore William Wedgwood Benn, 1st Viscount Stansgate PC, DSO, DFC was a British Liberal politician who later joined the Labour Party. He was Secretary of State for India between 1929 and 1931 and Secretary of State for Air between 1945 and 1946...
, had also been elected to Parliament, winning Benn's former seat at St George in 1906.
For his work as an MP, he was knighted in 1906 and created a baronet
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
in 1914. John Benn remained a member of the London County Council until his death in 1922, leading the Progressive Party until ill health forced him to relinquish that role in 1918.