Lewis Haslam
Encyclopedia
Lewis Haslam was a Liberal Party
Member of Parliament
(MP) in Wales
, representing Monmouth Boroughs
from 1906 to 1918 and then Newport
from 1918 until his death in 1922. The Monmouth constituency which has existed since the Reform Act of 1918 is largely identical to the former constituency of South Monmouthshire.
in Lancashire
. He was educated at University College School
and University College, London. In 1893 he married Helen Norma Dixon of Watlington
, Oxfordshire
.
for the county of Lancaster.
he contested the Westhoughton Division
of Lancashire, in opposition to Lord Stanley
reducing the Conservative
majority by 500 votes. He does not appear to have been a candidate in 1895
but in 1900
he stood in Stamford
in Lincolnshire
, again without success.
He was eventually returned to the House of Commons at the 1906 Liberal landslide
at Monmouth. He was a supporter of the coalition government of David Lloyd George
and at the 1918
was a recipient of the government coupon, gaining the support of the local Conservative and Liberal Associations.
Along with fellow Coalition Liberal Edgar Rees Jones
of the Merthyr constituency
, Haslam played a minor role in the discussions behind the Government of Ireland Bill
. Haslam in particular was strongly opposed to giving the Irish Parliament control of its own taxes.
The 1922 Newport by-election
held after his death marked the end of the Lloyd George Coalition Government.
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,...
(MP) in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, representing Monmouth Boroughs
Monmouth Boroughs (UK Parliament constituency)
Monmouth Boroughs was a parliamentary constituency consisting of several towns in Monmouthshire...
from 1906 to 1918 and then Newport
Newport (Monmouthshire) (UK Parliament constituency)
Newport was a borough constituency in Monmouthshire from 1918 to 1983. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system....
from 1918 until his death in 1922. The Monmouth constituency which has existed since the Reform Act of 1918 is largely identical to the former constituency of South Monmouthshire.
Family and education
Haslam was the son of John Haslam of Gilnow House in BoltonBolton
Bolton is a town in Greater Manchester, in the North West of England. Close to the West Pennine Moors, it is north west of the city of Manchester. Bolton is surrounded by several smaller towns and villages which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, of which Bolton is the...
in Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
. He was educated at University College School
University College School
University College School, generally known as UCS, is an Independent school charity situated in Hampstead, north west London, England. The school was founded in 1830 by University College London and inherited many of that institution's progressive and secular views...
and University College, London. In 1893 he married Helen Norma Dixon of Watlington
Watlington, Oxfordshire
Watlington is a market town and civil parish about south of Thame in Oxfordshire. The parish includes the hamlets of Christmas Common and Greenfield, both of which are in the Chiltern Hills. The M40 motorway is from Watlington.-History:...
, Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
.
Career
Haslam was the director of cotton spinning and manufacturing companies. He has been classified as a genuinely second generation self-made man and was among the most wealthy MPs of his time. He also served as a Justice of the PeaceJustice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
for the county of Lancaster.
Politics
At the 1892 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 1892
The 1892 United Kingdom general election was held from 4 July to 26 July 1892. It saw the Conservatives, led by Lord Salisbury, win the greatest number of seats, but not enough for an overall majority as William Ewart Gladstone's Liberals won many more seats than in the 1886 general election...
he contested the Westhoughton Division
Westhoughton (UK Parliament constituency)
Westhoughton was a parliamentary constituency in Lancashire, England. Centred on the former mining and cotton town of Westhoughton, it returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
of Lancashire, in opposition to Lord Stanley
Edward Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby
Edward George Villiers Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby KG, GCB, GCVO, TD, PC, KGStJ, JP , known as Lord Stanley from 1893 to 1908, was a British soldier, Conservative politician, diplomat and racehorse owner. He was twice Secretary of State for War and also served as British Ambassador to...
reducing the 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...
majority by 500 votes. He does not appear to have been a candidate 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 in 1900
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**...
he stood in Stamford
Stamford (UK Parliament constituency)
Stamford was a constituency in the county of Lincolnshire of the House of Commons for the Parliament of England to 1706 then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1918...
in Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
, again without success.
He was eventually returned to the House of Commons at the 1906 Liberal landslide
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**...
at Monmouth. He was a supporter of the coalition government of David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
and at the 1918
United 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...
was a recipient of the government coupon, gaining the support of the local Conservative and Liberal Associations.
Along with fellow Coalition Liberal Edgar Rees Jones
Edgar Rees Jones
Sir Edgar Rees Jones was a Welsh barrister and Liberal Party politician. He was the Member of Parliament for Merthyr Tydfil from 1910 to 1918, and then for Merthyr from 1918 to 1922...
of the Merthyr constituency
Merthyr (UK Parliament constituency)
Merthyr was a borough constituency centred on the town of Merthyr Tydfil in Wales. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
, Haslam played a minor role in the discussions behind the Government of Ireland Bill
Government of Ireland Act 1920
The Government of Ireland Act 1920 was the Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which partitioned Ireland. The Act's long title was "An Act to provide for the better government of Ireland"; it is also known as the Fourth Home Rule Bill or as the Fourth Home Rule Act.The Act was intended...
. Haslam in particular was strongly opposed to giving the Irish Parliament control of its own taxes.
The 1922 Newport by-election
Newport by-election, 1922
The Newport by-election, 1922 was by-election held in the parliamentary constituency of Newport on 18 October 1922. The by-election attracted especial attention, both at the time and since, as it was seen as a crucial electoral test of the viability of the Lloyd George Coalition Government,...
held after his death marked the end of the Lloyd George Coalition Government.