John Kerr (British politician)
Encyclopedia
John Kerr was a British businessman and a Conservative Party
politician. He was the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Preston
in Lancashire from 1903 to 1906.
Kerr, who lived in East Lothian
, was the principal owner of Dick, Kerr, and Company Ltd
, which carried out large contracts for the construction of tram and cable lines in London, Edinburgh and other cities.
He unsuccessfully contested the 1900 general election
in his home area of Haddingtonshire
. In April 1903 Robert William Hanbury
, the Conservative MP for Preston, died aged 58. In the preceding years, Kerr's company had opened extensive tram and electrical equipment factories in Preston, employing nearly 2,000 people, and he was selected as the Conservative candidate for the resulting by-election in May 1903. The Times
newspaper reported that he described himself as a firm supporter of the government and as "a thorough Imperialist, believing the maintenance of the Empire as a whole to be essential to the prosperity, if not continued existence, of Britain as an independent Power". The Liberal Party
backed the Labour candidate, trade unionist John Hodge, who had the support of the local temperance movement and reported the defection of many local working-class Conservatives to the Labour cause. However, Kerr won the seat with a majority of 14% of the votes over Hodge, his sole opponent.
Kerr held the Preston seat until his defeat at the 1906 general election
, after which he did not stand for Parliament
again.
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...
politician. He was the 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) for Preston
Preston (UK Parliament constituency)
Preston is a borough 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:...
in Lancashire from 1903 to 1906.
Kerr, who lived in East Lothian
East Lothian
East Lothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy Area. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Scottish Borders and Midlothian. Its administrative centre is Haddington, although its largest town is Musselburgh....
, was the principal owner of Dick, Kerr, and Company Ltd
Dick, Kerr & Co.
Dick, Kerr and Company was a locomotive and tramcar manufacturer based in Kilmarnock, Scotland and Preston, England.-Early history:Having previously been known as W.B.Dick and Company the company had built all kinds of tramway equipment and rolling stock. From 1883 the company joined with John Kerr...
, which carried out large contracts for the construction of tram and cable lines in London, Edinburgh and other cities.
He unsuccessfully contested the 1900 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1900
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1900*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-External links:***-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
in his home area of Haddingtonshire
Haddingtonshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Haddingtonshire was a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1708 until 1918.-Boundaries:...
. In April 1903 Robert William Hanbury
Robert William Hanbury
Robert William Hanbury PC was a British Conservative politician. He served as President of the Board of Agriculture from 1900 to 1903.-Background and education:...
, the Conservative MP for Preston, died aged 58. In the preceding years, Kerr's company had opened extensive tram and electrical equipment factories in Preston, employing nearly 2,000 people, and he was selected as the Conservative candidate for the resulting by-election in May 1903. The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
newspaper reported that he described himself as a firm supporter of the government and as "a thorough Imperialist, believing the maintenance of the Empire as a whole to be essential to the prosperity, if not continued existence, of Britain as an independent Power". 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...
backed the Labour candidate, trade unionist John Hodge, who had the support of the local temperance movement and reported the defection of many local working-class Conservatives to the Labour cause. However, Kerr won the seat with a majority of 14% of the votes over Hodge, his sole opponent.
Kerr held the Preston seat until his defeat at the 1906 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1906
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1906*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-External links:***-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
, after which 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.