John George (politician)
Encyclopedia
Sir John Clarke George, KBE
, CStJ
(16 October 1901 14 October 1972) was a British
coalminer and politician. He was one of a very small band of Conservative
Members of Parliament
to have been working miners.
. After attending Ballingry Public School until the age of 14, George began work in the coal mines. However he later trained for management, and rose through the ranks; by 1938 he was appointed Manager of New Cumnock Collieries.
and in 1949 he was elected to Clackmannanshire
County Council. He was an unsuccessful Parliamentary candidate in South Ayrshire
in the 1950 general election
, but was elected to Alloa
Town Council in 1951. He was awarded the CBE
in 1952.
, George was elected to Parliament as a Unionist for Glasgow Pollok
(the Scottish Unionists took the Conservative whip). Almost immediately he was the trigger for a minor constitutional crisis when it was noted that he was a Director of Scottish Slate Industries, a nationalised industry, having been appointed by the Ministry of Works in February 1947. Although George had not received any remuneration, it was possible that it might be an 'office of profit under the Crown' which would disqualify him from election.
The matter was referred to a Select Committee, while the government rushed through a Bill to change the law. The Committee found that, under the law as it stood, George was disqualified. A bill to indemnify George from the consequences of having acted as an MP while disqualified, and validate his election, was also passed.
and appointed Chairman of the Unionist Party in Scotland.
He stood down from Parliament at the 1964 general election
, and retired from his party posts in 1965, returning to business as Chairman of Scottish Rexco Ltd and Preswick Precision Products Ltd.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, CStJ
Venerable Order of Saint John
The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem , is a royal order of chivalry established in 1831 and found today throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Hong Kong, Ireland and the United States of America, with the world-wide mission "to prevent and relieve sickness and...
(16 October 1901 14 October 1972) 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...
coalminer and politician. He was one of a very small band of 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...
Members 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,...
to have been working miners.
Early life
George's father, also called John Clarke George, was a miner from FifeFife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
. After attending Ballingry Public School until the age of 14, George began work in the coal mines. However he later trained for management, and rose through the ranks; by 1938 he was appointed Manager of New Cumnock Collieries.
Business life
In 1946 he left the mining industry which was on the verge of nationalisation, and became manager of Alloa Glass Works. At this point he became active in politics as a UnionistConservative 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...
and in 1949 he was elected to Clackmannanshire
Clackmannanshire
Clackmannanshire, often abbreviated to Clacks is a local government council area in Scotland, and a lieutenancy area, bordering Perth and Kinross, Stirling and Fife.As Scotland's smallest historic county, it is often nicknamed 'The Wee County'....
County Council. He was an unsuccessful Parliamentary candidate in South Ayrshire
South Ayrshire (UK Parliament constituency)
South Ayrshire was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1868 until 1983, when it was abolished...
in 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...
, but was elected to Alloa
Alloa
Alloa is a town and former burgh in Clackmannanshire, set in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies on on the north bank of the Firth of Forth close to the foot of the Ochil Hills, east of Stirling and north of Falkirk....
Town Council in 1951. He was awarded the CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1952.
Constitutional problem
At the 1955 general electionUnited 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...
, George was elected to Parliament as a Unionist for Glasgow Pollok
Glasgow Pollok (UK Parliament constituency)
Glasgow Pollok was a burgh constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 until 2005, when it was replaced by Glasgow South West...
(the Scottish Unionists took the Conservative whip). Almost immediately he was the trigger for a minor constitutional crisis when it was noted that he was a Director of Scottish Slate Industries, a nationalised industry, having been appointed by the Ministry of Works in February 1947. Although George had not received any remuneration, it was possible that it might be an 'office of profit under the Crown' which would disqualify him from election.
The matter was referred to a Select Committee, while the government rushed through a Bill to change the law. The Committee found that, under the law as it stood, George was disqualified. A bill to indemnify George from the consequences of having acted as an MP while disqualified, and validate his election, was also passed.
Parliamentary career
George often spoke about the mining industry in Parliament. In 1957 he opposed the decontrol of rents which had been brought in by the Conservative government. However, this did not harm his career and in October 1959 he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Power with responsibility for the coal industry, a job he held until June 1962. In 1963 he was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the British EmpireOrder of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
and appointed Chairman of the Unionist Party in Scotland.
He stood down from Parliament at the 1964 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1964
The United Kingdom general election of 1964 was held on 15 October 1964, more than five years after the preceding election, and thirteen years after the Conservative Party had retaken power...
, and retired from his party posts in 1965, returning to business as Chairman of Scottish Rexco Ltd and Preswick Precision Products Ltd.