Stanley Johnson (London politician)
Encyclopedia
Sir Stanley Johnson (11 October 1869 – 30 November 1937) was an English solicitor and Conservative Party
politician.
Johnson was the son of Edward Johnson, of Hackney. He was educated privately and admitted as a solicitor in 1899, becoming a partner in the firm of Downer and Johnson, based in 426 Salisbury House, London Wall
. (The partnership was dissolved in 1928, when Johnson formed a new partnership known as Stanley Johnson & Allen).
He stood for Parliament
, twice in 1910, in the Walthamstow division of Essex
. At the January 1910 general election he lost to the Liberal
MP Sir John Simon
. When Simon faced a by-election in November 1910 after being appointed as Solicitor General
, Johnson again failed to unseat him.
Johnson did not contest the general election in December 1910, but in 1914 he became Mayor of Hackney, a position he held until 1919. He finally entered the House of Commons
at the 1918 general election
when he was elected as the first Member of Parliament
(MP) for the newly-created Walthamstow East
(a division of the Municipal Borough of Walthamstow
. Johnson had stood as a Coalition Unionist, and with the assistance of the "coalition coupon
", he won nearly twice as many votes as his old adversary, John Simon. He was re-elected in 1922
and in 1923
, and stood down from Parliament at the 1924 general election
.
He was Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel of the London Regiment
, and was knighted
in 1920.
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...
politician.
Johnson was the son of Edward Johnson, of Hackney. He was educated privately and admitted as a solicitor in 1899, becoming a partner in the firm of Downer and Johnson, based in 426 Salisbury House, London Wall
London Wall
London Wall was the defensive wall first built by the Romans around Londinium, their strategically important port town on the River Thames in what is now the United Kingdom, and subsequently maintained until the 18th century. It is now the name of a road in the City of London running along part of...
. (The partnership was dissolved in 1928, when Johnson formed a new partnership known as Stanley Johnson & Allen).
He stood for Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
, twice in 1910, in the Walthamstow division of Essex
Walthamstow (UK Parliament constituency)
Walthamstow 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.- 1885–1918 :...
. At the January 1910 general election he lost to the Liberal
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...
MP Sir John Simon
John Simon, 1st Viscount Simon
John Allsebrook Simon, 1st Viscount Simon GCSI GCVO OBE PC was a British politician who held senior Cabinet posts from the beginning of the First World War to the end of the Second. He is one of only three people to have served as Home Secretary, Foreign Secretary and Chancellor of the Exchequer,...
. When Simon faced a by-election in November 1910 after being appointed as Solicitor General
Solicitor General for England and Wales
Her Majesty's Solicitor General for England and Wales, often known as the Solicitor General, is one of the Law Officers of the Crown, and the deputy of the Attorney General, whose duty is to advise the Crown and Cabinet on the law...
, Johnson again failed to unseat him.
Johnson did not contest the general election in December 1910, but in 1914 he became Mayor of Hackney, a position he held until 1919. He finally entered 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...
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...
when he was elected as the first 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 newly-created Walthamstow East
Walthamstow East (UK Parliament constituency)
Walthamstow East was a parliamentary constituency in what was then the Municipal Borough of Walthamstow in east London. 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.The constituency was...
(a division of the Municipal Borough of Walthamstow
Municipal Borough of Walthamstow
Walthamstow was a local government district in south west Essex, England from 1894 to 1965, around the town of Walthamstow. It was within the London suburbs, forming part of the London postal district and Metropolitan Police District...
. Johnson had stood as a Coalition Unionist, and with the assistance of 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...
", he won nearly twice as many votes as his old adversary, John Simon. He was re-elected in 1922
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...
and in 1923
United Kingdom general election, 1923
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
, and stood down from Parliament at the 1924 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1924
- Seats summary :- References :* F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* - External links :* * *...
.
He was Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel of the London Regiment
London Regiment
The London Regiment is a Territorial Army regiment in the British Army. It was first formed in 1908 in order to regiment the various Volunteer Force battalions in the newly formed County of London, each battalion having a distinctive uniform. The Volunteer Force was merged with the Yeomanry in 1908...
, and was knighted
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
in 1920.