Sidney Dye
Encyclopedia
Sidney Dye, JP
( 1900–9 December 1958) was a British
Labour Party
politician.
Born at Wells-next-the-Sea
, Norfolk
, Sidney Dye was educated at Wells Elementary School and Ruskin College, Oxford
.
A farmer, he was elected to Norfolk County Council in 1934 and Swaffham Rural District Council in 1935.
He contested South West Norfolk unsuccessfully in 1935, but in the 1945 election
he snatched the seat by only 53 votes. In 1950, his majority increased to 260, but he was defeated in the 1951 election.
In 1955, Dye regained the seat with a majority of 193, securing Labour's only gain of that election.
The circumstances of his death were as follows. On Sunday, 7 December 1958, Dye joined protesters blockading the airbase, at Swaffham, in his constituency - the intended site of intermediate range nuclear missiles. On Monday, 8 December, he travelled to the House of Commons
to table a question regarding the protests.
On the morning of Tuesday, 9 December 1958 Sidney Dye was killed in a head-on collision with another vehicle near his home in Swaffham
.
On 18 December, an inquest recorded a verdict of accidental death, after hearing that the brakes on the MP's car, which was less than three years old, were "completely ineffective."
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...
( 1900–9 December 1958) was a British
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...
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.
Born at Wells-next-the-Sea
Wells-next-the-Sea
Wells-next-the-Sea, known locally simply as Wells, is a town, civil parish and seaport situated on the North Norfolk coast in England.The civil parish has an area of and in the 2001 census had a population of 2,451 in 1,205 households...
, Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, Sidney Dye was educated at Wells Elementary School and Ruskin College, Oxford
Ruskin College, Oxford
Ruskin College is an independent educational institution in Oxford, England. It is named after the essayist and social critic John Ruskin and specialises in providing educational opportunities for adults with few or no qualifications...
.
A farmer, he was elected to Norfolk County Council in 1934 and Swaffham Rural District Council in 1935.
He contested South West Norfolk unsuccessfully in 1935, but in the 1945 election
United Kingdom general election, 1945
The United Kingdom general election of 1945 was a general election held on 5 July 1945, with polls in some constituencies delayed until 12 July and in Nelson and Colne until 19 July, due to local wakes weeks. The results were counted and declared on 26 July, due in part to the time it took to...
he snatched the seat by only 53 votes. In 1950, his majority increased to 260, but he was defeated in the 1951 election.
In 1955, Dye regained the seat with a majority of 193, securing Labour's only gain of that election.
The circumstances of his death were as follows. On Sunday, 7 December 1958, Dye joined protesters blockading the airbase, at Swaffham, in his constituency - the intended site of intermediate range nuclear missiles. On Monday, 8 December, he travelled to the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
to table a question regarding the protests.
On the morning of Tuesday, 9 December 1958 Sidney Dye was killed in a head-on collision with another vehicle near his home in Swaffham
Swaffham
Swaffham is a market town and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The town is situated east of King's Lynn and west of Norwich.The civil parish has an area of and in the 2001 census had a population of 6,935 in 3,130 households...
.
On 18 December, an inquest recorded a verdict of accidental death, after hearing that the brakes on the MP's car, which was less than three years old, were "completely ineffective."