Sir Joseph Walton, 1st Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir Joseph Walton, 1st Baronet DL
, JP
(19 March 1849 – 8 February 1923) was an English coalowner and Liberal Party
politician.
, the second son of John Walton from Frosterley
, a colliery owner. He did not attend school and received his education privately. In 1880 he married Faith Gill the daughter of a Middlesbrough
solicitor. They had a son, Joe, who was a barrister
but who died of Erysipelas
unmarried in 1913 and two daughters. Their home was at Saltburn-by-the-Sea
in Cleveland
. In religion Walton was an active Wesleyan Methodist
all his life.
in the West Riding of Yorkshire
at the 1895 general election
. Doncaster was a Liberal seat but the national mood was swinging to the Conservatives
and Walton could not hold the constituency for the Liberals against the trend.
when a vacancy occurred at another West Riding seat, Barnsley
in 1897. The sitting Liberal MP, William Compton
who held the courtesy title
of Earl Compton, succeeded to the marquessate on the death in September 1897 of his father. Walton was adopted as the Liberal candidate for the resulting by-election
. Despite the unanticipated intervention of an Independent Labour Party
candidate, Pete Curran, the chief organizer of the Gasworkers and General Labourers’ Union
, who was expected to receive the votes of the mineworking districts of Hemsworth
and Kinsley as well as those of other working men, Walton retained the seat for the Liberals with a majority of 3,290 over the Unionist
Mr J Blyth, with Curran in last place.
in a straight fight against the Unionists by a majority of 3,193. In 1906
he was returned unopposed. He held again in January 1910 by a majority of 7,372 over the Unionists and was again unopposed at the December 1910 general election. It was clear that by this time Walton had the respect of the working-class community and in 1914 even the Barnsley Trades Council
was able to announce that Walton was ‘not a bad representative’. At the 1918 general election
, Walton stood again, this time as a Coalition Liberal (having presumably received the Coalition coupon
) and was again without opposition.
He did not stand for re-election at the 1922 general election
when the seat was won for the first time by the Labour Party
.
tradition of late 19th century Liberalism. He was in favour of Irish Home Rule and of other forms of devolution
, or ‘Home Rule All Round’. He also took a deep interest in foreign affairs
and in the development of the British Empire
. He travelled extensively in India, Burma, Africa, America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, various British Protectorates, as well as visiting China, Japan, Persia, Mesopotamia, Russia and the Balkans. As a result of his interest in the Far East
, Walton gained the soubriquet “The Member for China” in Parliament. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society
and a founder member of the Royal Central Asian Society
.
for Middlesbrough and the North Riding of Yorkshire
and a Deputy Lieutenant
of the North Riding.
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
, JP
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...
(19 March 1849 – 8 February 1923) was an English coalowner and Liberal Party
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.
Family and education
Walton was born at Bollihope, County DurhamCounty Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
, the second son of John Walton from Frosterley
Frosterley
Frosterley is a village in County Durham, in England. It is situated in Weardale, on the River Wear close to its confluence with Bollihope Burn; between Wolsingham and Stanhope; 18 miles west of Durham City and 26 miles southwest of Newcastle-upon-Tyne....
, a colliery owner. He did not attend school and received his education privately. In 1880 he married Faith Gill the daughter of a Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough is a large town situated on the south bank of the River Tees in north east England, that sits within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire...
solicitor. They had a son, Joe, who was a barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
but who died of Erysipelas
Erysipelas
Erysipelas is an acute streptococcus bacterial infection of the deep epidermis with lymphatic spread.-Risk factors:...
unmarried in 1913 and two daughters. Their home was at Saltburn-by-the-Sea
Saltburn-by-the-Sea
Saltburn-by-the-Sea is a seaside resort in the unitary authority of Redcar and Cleveland and the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England. The town is around east of Middlesbrough, and had a population of 5,912 at the 2001 Census.-Old Saltburn:...
in Cleveland
Cleveland, England
Cleveland is an area in the north east of England. Its name means literally "cliff-land", referring to its hilly southern areas, which rise to nearly...
. In religion Walton was an active Wesleyan Methodist
Methodist Church of Great Britain
The Methodist Church of Great Britain is the largest Wesleyan Methodist body in the United Kingdom, with congregations across Great Britain . It is the United Kingdom's fourth largest Christian denomination, with around 300,000 members and 6,000 churches...
all his life.
Career
Walton began his commercial career in Middlesbrough in 1870 in the coal industry and allied trades. He recognised the great expansion in the coal industry which was continuing to take place at that time and the key place of Middlesbrough in its development. He eventually built up a large business of coal and coke related merchants and colliery ownership.Doncaster
Walton’s success in business enabled him to devote his time to political activity. He first contested the Doncaster DivisionDoncaster (UK Parliament constituency)
Doncaster was a Parliamentary constituency covering the town of Doncaster in England. The constituency was created in 1885 and abolished in 1983.- Boundaries :...
in the West Riding of Yorkshire
West Riding of Yorkshire
The West Riding of Yorkshire is one of the three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county, County of York, West Riding , was based closely on the historic boundaries...
at the 1895 general election
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...
. Doncaster was a Liberal seat but the national mood was swinging to the Conservatives
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...
and Walton could not hold the constituency for the Liberals against the trend.
Barnsley, by-election
Walton soon got another opportunity to enter the House of CommonsBritish 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...
when a vacancy occurred at another West Riding seat, Barnsley
Barnsley (UK Parliament constituency)
Barnsley was a Parliamentary constituency covering the town of Barnsley in England. 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 voting system.-History:...
in 1897. The sitting Liberal MP, William Compton
William Compton, 5th Marquess of Northampton
William George Spencer Scott Compton, 5th Marquess of Northampton, KG , known as Lord William Compton from 1877 to 1887 and as Earl Compton from 1887 to 1897, was a British peer and Liberal politician....
who held the courtesy title
Courtesy title
A courtesy title is a form of address in systems of nobility used for children, former wives and other close relatives of a peer. These styles are used 'by courtesy' in the sense that the relatives do not themselves hold substantive titles...
of Earl Compton, succeeded to the marquessate on the death in September 1897 of his father. Walton was adopted as the Liberal candidate for the resulting by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
. Despite the unanticipated intervention of an Independent Labour Party
Independent Labour Party
The Independent Labour Party was a socialist political party in Britain established in 1893. The ILP was affiliated to the Labour Party from 1906 to 1932, when it voted to leave...
candidate, Pete Curran, the chief organizer of the Gasworkers and General Labourers’ Union
National Union of General Workers (UK)
The National Union of General Workers was an early general union in the United Kingdom.The union was founded in 1889 as the National Union of Gas Workers and General Labourers by Will Thorne, Ben Tillett and William Byford, following lay offs at Beckton gas works...
, who was expected to receive the votes of the mineworking districts of Hemsworth
Hemsworth
Hemsworth is a small town and civil parish on the edge of West Yorkshire, England. It forms part of the City of Wakefield, and has a population of 13,311....
and Kinsley as well as those of other working men, Walton retained the seat for the Liberals with a majority of 3,290 over the Unionist
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...
Mr J Blyth, with Curran in last place.
1900-1922
Walton held his seat at the 1900 general electionUnited 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**...
in a straight fight against the Unionists by a majority of 3,193. In 1906
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**...
he was returned unopposed. He held again in January 1910 by a majority of 7,372 over the Unionists and was again unopposed at the December 1910 general election. It was clear that by this time Walton had the respect of the working-class community and in 1914 even the Barnsley Trades Council
Labour council
A labour council, trades council or industrial council is an association of labour unions or union branches in a given area. Most commonly, they represent unions in a given geographical area, whether at the district, city, region, or provincial or state level...
was able to announce that Walton was ‘not a bad representative’. 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...
, Walton stood again, this time as a Coalition Liberal (having presumably received the Coalition coupon
Coalition Coupon
The ‘Coalition Coupon’, often referred to as ‘the coupon’, refers to the letter sent to parliamentary candidates at the United Kingdom general election, 1918 endorsing them as official representatives of the Coalition Government. The 1918 election took place in the heady atmosphere of victory in...
) and was again without opposition.
He did not stand for re-election 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 the seat was won for the first time by 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...
.
Political stance
Walton was described as being in the RadicalRadicalism (historical)
The term Radical was used during the late 18th century for proponents of the Radical Movement. It later became a general pejorative term for those favoring or seeking political reforms which include dramatic changes to the social order...
tradition of late 19th century Liberalism. He was in favour of Irish Home Rule and of other forms of devolution
Devolution
Devolution is the statutory granting of powers from the central government of a sovereign state to government at a subnational level, such as a regional, local, or state level. Devolution can be mainly financial, e.g. giving areas a budget which was formerly administered by central government...
, or ‘Home Rule All Round’. He also took a deep interest in foreign affairs
International relations
International relations is the study of relationships between countries, including the roles of states, inter-governmental organizations , international nongovernmental organizations , non-governmental organizations and multinational corporations...
and in the development of the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
. He travelled extensively in India, Burma, Africa, America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, various British Protectorates, as well as visiting China, Japan, Persia, Mesopotamia, Russia and the Balkans. As a result of his interest in the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
, Walton gained the soubriquet “The Member for China” in Parliament. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society
Royal Geographical Society
The Royal Geographical Society is a British learned society founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical sciences...
and a founder member of the Royal Central Asian Society
Royal Society for Asian Affairs
The Royal Society for Asian Affairs is a learned society based in the United Kingdom, founded in 1901 to "promote greater knowledge and understanding of Central Asia and surrounding countries". The geographical extent of the Society's interest has since expanded to include the whole of Asia...
.
Honours and appointments
Walton was created a Baronet, of Rushpool, in the County of York, in 1910. He was 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 Middlesbrough and the North Riding of Yorkshire
North Riding of Yorkshire
The North Riding of Yorkshire was one of the three historic subdivisions of the English county of Yorkshire, alongside the East and West Ridings. From the Restoration it was used as a Lieutenancy area. The three ridings were treated as three counties for many purposes, such as having separate...
and a Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
of the North Riding.