Robert Alstead
Encyclopedia
Robert Alstead was a self-made businessman in the clothing trade and Liberal Party
politician in the United Kingdom
.
, Lancashire
, the son of a joiner and carpenter. He was educated at Wigan
Elementary School and Wigan Mining Technical College. In 1896, he married Sarah Ann Deakin of Wigan. He and his wife had 7 children, 6 boys and a girl.
of Wigan
in 1926–27. He was a governor of Wigan Grammar School and a governor of the Wigan Mining Technical College between 1913–1932. He also served as a Justice of the Peace
.
at the 1918 general election
. He next contested Altrincham
in Cheshire
at the 1922 general election
when he finished second to the sitting Conservative
MP Sir George Hamilton
but ahead of the Labour Party
candidate.
Alstead stood again in Altrincham at the 1923 general election
, this time defeating Sir George Hamilton in a straight fight but he lost the seat at the 1924 general election
when the Conservative candidate was Cyril Atkinson
.
Alstead tried to regain Altrincham at the 1929 general election
, but without success. He did not contest the 1931 general election
, when Atkinson was returned unopposed and did not stand for Parliament again. He was prospective Liberal candidate for Preston
in 1934-1935, but pulled out the month before the 1935 election
.
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...
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...
.
Family and education
Alstead was born in UphollandUpholland
Upholland is a civil parish and village in West Lancashire, England. It is situated approximately 3 miles east of Skelmersdale, also in West Lancashire, and 4½ miles west of Wigan in Greater Manchester.-Geography:...
, 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...
, the son of a joiner and carpenter. He was educated at Wigan
Wigan
Wigan is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Douglas, south-west of Bolton, north of Warrington and west-northwest of Manchester. Wigan is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is its administrative centre. The town of Wigan had a total...
Elementary School and Wigan Mining Technical College. In 1896, he married Sarah Ann Deakin of Wigan. He and his wife had 7 children, 6 boys and a girl.
Career
Alstead started life as a newsboy on a railway book stall at the age of 10. He became a self-made businessman. He was a sauce and pickle manufacturer in the 1890s, then moved into the clothing trade, eventually owning a chain of shops tailoring for men in the Wigan area and founding Robert Alstead, Ltd, woollen manufacturers and clothing manufacturers.Local politics
Alstead was an elected member of Wigan Town Council from 1913–1929 and was MayorMayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Wigan
Wigan
Wigan is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Douglas, south-west of Bolton, north of Warrington and west-northwest of Manchester. Wigan is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is its administrative centre. The town of Wigan had a total...
in 1926–27. He was a governor of Wigan Grammar School and a governor of the Wigan Mining Technical College between 1913–1932. He also served as a Justice of the Peace
Justice 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...
.
Parliament
Alstead unsuccessfully contested the Wigan parliamentary constituencyWigan (UK Parliament constituency)
Wigan is a county 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...
at the 1918 general election
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...
. He next contested Altrincham
Altrincham (UK Parliament constituency)
Altrincham was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 to 1945. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...
in Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
at the 1922 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1922
The United Kingdom general election of 1922 was held on 15 November 1922. It was the first election held after most of the Irish counties left the United Kingdom to form the Irish Free State, and was won by Andrew Bonar Law's Conservatives, who gained an overall majority over Labour, led by John...
when he finished second to the sitting 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...
MP Sir George Hamilton
Sir George Hamilton, 1st Baronet
Sir George Clements Hamilton, 1st Baronet was an English electrical engineer and Conservative Party politician....
but ahead 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...
candidate.
Alstead stood again in Altrincham at the 1923 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1923
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
, this time defeating Sir George Hamilton in a straight fight but he lost the seat at the 1924 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1924
- Seats summary :- References :* F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* - External links :* * *...
when the Conservative candidate was Cyril Atkinson
Cyril Atkinson
Cyril Atkinson was a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom who served as Member of Parliament for Altrincham in Cheshire from 1924 general election to 1933, when he was appointed as a High Court judge....
.
Alstead tried to regain Altrincham at the 1929 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1929
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
, but without success. He did not contest the 1931 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1931
The United Kingdom general election on Tuesday 27 October 1931 was the last in the United Kingdom not held on a Thursday. It was also the last election, and the only one under universal suffrage, where one party received an absolute majority of the votes cast.The 1931 general election was the...
, when Atkinson was returned unopposed and did not stand for Parliament again. He was prospective Liberal candidate 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 1934-1935, but pulled out the month before the 1935 election
United Kingdom general election, 1935
The United Kingdom general election held on 14 November 1935 resulted in a large, though reduced, majority for the National Government now led by Conservative Stanley Baldwin. The greatest number of MPs, as before, were Conservative, while the National Liberal vote held steady...
.