Joseph Symonds
Encyclopedia
Joseph Bede Symonds was a Labour Party
politician in the United Kingdom
. He was the Member of Parliament
(MP) for the Whitehaven constituency
in Cumberland
from 1959 until he stood down at the 1970 general election
. He was an organiser of the Jarrow March
and the first signatory of the petition handed to Parliament
.
One of 21 children, Joe served with The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) in India, reaching the rank of Sergeant Major
. He married Mary Lavinia Harrison with whom he had 13 children. From 1946 onwards the family lived at Hedworth View in a three-bedroomed council house.
As well his elected status, Joe held many other offices during his lifetime, including Councillor and Mayor
of Jarrow
, and Chair of the National Housing Committee. He was awarded the O.B.E. for services to the disabled and was a strong influence in the building of the Tyne Tunnel
crossing in preference to a bridge, the construction of which would have required the demolition of many good quality council houses.
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...
. 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 the Whitehaven constituency
Whitehaven (UK Parliament constituency)
Whitehaven was a constituency centred on the town of Whitehaven in Cumberland , which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.It was created in 1832 and renamed Copeland at the 1983 general election....
in Cumberland
Cumberland
Cumberland is a historic county of North West England, on the border with Scotland, from the 12th century until 1974. It formed an administrative county from 1889 to 1974 and now forms part of Cumbria....
from 1959 until he stood down at the 1970 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1970
The United Kingdom general election of 1970 was held on 18 June 1970, and resulted in a surprise victory for the Conservative Party under leader Edward Heath, who defeated the Labour Party under Harold Wilson. The election also saw the Liberal Party and its new leader Jeremy Thorpe lose half their...
. He was an organiser of the Jarrow March
Jarrow March
The Jarrow March , was an October 1936 protest march against unemployment and extreme poverty suffered in North East England. The 207 marchers travelled from the town of Jarrow to the Palace of Westminster in London, a distance of almost , to lobby Parliament...
and the first signatory of the petition handed to Parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
.
One of 21 children, Joe served with The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) in India, reaching the rank of Sergeant Major
Sergeant Major
Sergeants major is a senior non-commissioned rank or appointment in many militaries around the world. In Commonwealth countries, Sergeants Major are usually appointments held by senior non-commissioned officers or warrant officers...
. He married Mary Lavinia Harrison with whom he had 13 children. From 1946 onwards the family lived at Hedworth View in a three-bedroomed council house.
As well his elected status, Joe held many other offices during his lifetime, including Councillor and Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Jarrow
Jarrow
Jarrow is a town in Tyne and Wear, England, located on the River Tyne, with a population of 27,526. From the middle of the 19th century until 1935, Jarrow was a centre for shipbuilding, and was the starting point of the Jarrow March against unemployment in 1936.-Foundation:The Angles re-occupied...
, and Chair of the National Housing Committee. He was awarded the O.B.E. for services to the disabled and was a strong influence in the building of the Tyne Tunnel
Tyne Tunnel
The Tyne Tunnel is a the name given to two two-lane toll vehicular tunnels under the River Tyne in North East England. Completed in 1967 and 2011 respectively, they connect the town of Jarrow on the south bank of the river with North Shields and Howdon on the north...
crossing in preference to a bridge, the construction of which would have required the demolition of many good quality council houses.