Joseph Montague Kenworthy, 10th Baron Strabolgi
Encyclopedia
Joseph Montague Kenworthy, 10th Baron Strabolgi (7 March 1886 - 8 October 1953), was a Liberal
Member of Parliament
and later a Labour Party
politician in the United Kingdom
.
and educated at the Eastman's Naval Academy, Winchester
, joined the Royal Navy
in 1902 and left the service in 1920 with the rank of lieutenant-commander, after serving in the Admiralty
war staff in London
. However, during the Second World War he went out to Gibraltar
as Assistant Chief of Naval Staff.
fighting Rotherham
as a Liberal but came third. He was soon given another chance though when he was selected to contest Central Hull
at a by-election in 1919. Anti-Coalition government sentiment was riding high and he was duly elected Member of Parliament
for the Liberals
. Kenworthy was one of the more energetic supporters of H H Asquith in Parliament and never lost his hostility to Lloyd George
. When Lloyd George became leader of the Liberal Party in 1926, Kenworthy resigned from the party and joined Labour
. He also resigned his Parliamentary seat and fought and won a by-election in Central Hull standing for Labour. He held the seat for Labour Labour Party
until 1931. In 1934, he succeeded his father as Lord Strabolgi
, and was the opposition (that is, Labour Party
) chief whip in the House of Lords
from 1938 to 1942.
He was disappointed not to be given a position in the post-war Labour government (1945-51).
When he died in 1953, he was succeeded by David Montague de Burgh Kenworthy, 11th Baron Strabolgi
, another left-wing politician and member of the Labour Party
.
, and during the Second World War, he wrote numerous articles on the war, especially the war at sea. These include Secret Weapons in Modern World (27 April 1940) and What’s Wrong with the British Army? in Colliers magazine (22 August 1942).
Entry by Eric J Grove in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, OUP 2004-08
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...
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,...
and later a 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...
politician in the United Kingdom
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...
.
Education and Naval Service
Strabolgi was born at Leamington in WarwickshireWarwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
and educated at the Eastman's Naval Academy, Winchester
Winchester
Winchester is a historic cathedral city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of...
, joined the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
in 1902 and left the service in 1920 with the rank of lieutenant-commander, after serving in the Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
war staff in 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...
. However, during the Second World War he went out to Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
as Assistant Chief of Naval Staff.
Politician
Kenworthy first tried to enter Parliament at the 1918 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 1918
The United Kingdom general election of 1918 was the first to be held after the Representation of the People Act 1918, which meant it was the first United Kingdom general election in which nearly all adult men and some women could vote. Polling was held on 14 December 1918, although the count did...
fighting Rotherham
Rotherham (UK Parliament constituency)
Rotherham is a borough constituency covering the town of Rotherham in South Yorkshire. It returns one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system....
as a Liberal but came third. He was soon given another chance though when he was selected to contest Central Hull
Kingston upon Hull Central (UK Parliament constituency)
Kingston upon Hull Central was a parliamentary constituency in the city of Kingston upon Hull in East Yorkshire. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
at a by-election in 1919. Anti-Coalition government sentiment was riding high and he was duly elected 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,...
for the Liberals
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...
. Kenworthy was one of the more energetic supporters of H H Asquith in Parliament and never lost his hostility to Lloyd George
David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
. When Lloyd George became leader of the Liberal Party in 1926, Kenworthy resigned from the party and joined Labour
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...
. He also resigned his Parliamentary seat and fought and won a by-election in Central Hull standing for Labour. He held the seat for Labour 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...
until 1931. In 1934, he succeeded his father as Lord Strabolgi
Baron Strabolgi
The title Baron Strabolgi in the Peerage of England was drawn out of abeyance in 1916; whether it ever existed before then is open to serious dispute. Complete Peerage declines to list it, on the grounds that it did not exist before the twentieth century; their coverage ends with the death of Queen...
, and was the opposition (that is, 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...
) chief whip in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
from 1938 to 1942.
He was disappointed not to be given a position in the post-war Labour government (1945-51).
When he died in 1953, he was succeeded by David Montague de Burgh Kenworthy, 11th Baron Strabolgi
David Montague de Burgh Kenworthy, 11th Baron Strabolgi
David Montague de Burgh Kenworthy, 11th Baron Strabolgi was a Labour Party peer and the holder of one of Scotland's most ancient titles of nobility.-Education:...
, another left-wing politician and member of 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...
.
Writer
Lord Strabolgi was an active supporter of the movement for the independence of IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, and during the Second World War, he wrote numerous articles on the war, especially the war at sea. These include Secret Weapons in Modern World (27 April 1940) and What’s Wrong with the British Army? in Colliers magazine (22 August 1942).
Books by Lord Strabolgi
His books include -- Peace or war? (with a foreword by H.G. Wells, Boni & Liveright, New York, 1927)
- India, A Warning (E. Mathews & Marrot, London, 1931)
- The Campaign in the Low Countries: the first full-length account of the epic struggle in Holland and Belgium (London 1940)
- The Battle of the River Plate (Hutchinson & Co., London, 1940)
- Freedom of the Seas (jointly with Sir George Young)
- Our Daily Pay: the Economics of Plenty
- Sailors, Statesmen and Others: an Autobiography
- The Real Navy
- Narvik and After
- From Gibraltar to Suez: a study of the Italian Campaign
- Singapore and After
- Sea Power in the Second World War
Appointments
- Chairman of the English-Speaking UnionEnglish-Speaking UnionThe English-Speaking Union is an international educational charity which was founded by the journalist Evelyn Wrench in 1918. The ESU aims to "bring together and empower people of different languages and cultures," by building skills and confidence in communication, such that individuals realize...
- Vice-President of The Air League of The British Empire
Sources
- Strabolgi at thepeerage.com
- Obituary in The Hindu - 10 October 1953
- Speech at the Empire Club of Canada, 1947
Entry by Eric J Grove in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, OUP 2004-08