Thomas James Brown
Encyclopedia
Thomas James Brown was a British
coal miner and Labour Party
politician. During a 22-year career in Parliament
he became known as the "miner's champion", fighting for compensation for those suffering from industrial diseases, and to improve state pensions.
, in the centre of the Lancashire
coalfield. He went to the Brunswick School and Leigh Technical School, but as with most of the local men, he began work in the coal mines at the age of 12 in 1898. He joined the Lancashire Miners' Federation and the Labour Representation Committee in 1903.
Urban District Council, of which he was twice Chairman before standing down in 1945. He also became a Justice of the Peace
for Lancashire
in 1922; he held this appointment for forty years before going off the active list. He was on the Executive Committee of the Miners' Federation of Great Britain from 1922 to 1938. In 1937 he received a promotion at the mine and became a Miners' Agent instead of working underground; he was an exchange delegate to the French Miners' Congress in 1938.
, Brown won the Miners' Federation nomination for the vacated seat of Ince
where the sitting Member of Parliament
(MP) was made a Regional Controller for the Ministry of Fuel and Power. Browne was elected unopposed.
He concentrated on the problems of the mining industry and miners, calling for the abolition of the means test for retired miners. Along with the majority of Labour backbenchers, Brown voted against the wartime government's decision to postpone implementation of the Beveridge report. He called for increases in the level of the state pension.
. He especially campaigned for compensation to ex-miners suffering from lung diseases, and welcomed moves by the government in 1954 to institute a compensation scheme. In 1956 he argued strongly against a Bill which would allow licensed premises at airports to sell alcohol, saying that there was much evidence of aircraft being endangered by drink-sodden passengers. Brown was specifically concerned with protecting pensioners from increases in the price of cigarettes, and moved an amendment to the 1956 budget to exempt pensioners from the rise in cigarette duty.
In 1958 Brown, then chairman of the Lancashire and Cheshire group of Labour MPs, organised a delegation to the government calling for a complete prohibition of textile imports from Hong Kong
, Pakistan
and India
. The group argued that these goods were produced by sweated labour, and that the Lancashire textile industry needed protection. A strong supporter of state ownership of the mining industry, Brown rejected moves to restrict the borrowing power of the National Coal Board
.
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...
coal miner and 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. During a 22-year career in 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...
he became known as the "miner's champion", fighting for compensation for those suffering from industrial diseases, and to improve state pensions.
Miner
Brown was born in LeighLeigh, Greater Manchester
Leigh is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England. It is southeast of Wigan, and west of Manchester. Leigh is situated on low lying land to the north west of Chat Moss....
, in the centre of the 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...
coalfield. He went to the Brunswick School and Leigh Technical School, but as with most of the local men, he began work in the coal mines at the age of 12 in 1898. He joined the Lancashire Miners' Federation and the Labour Representation Committee in 1903.
Political career
In 1919 Brown was elected to HindleyHindley, Greater Manchester
Hindley is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan in Greater Manchester, England. Lying three miles east of Wigan it covers an area of 1044 hectares. Historically a part of Lancashire, Hindley which includes Hindley Green borders the towns of Ince-in-Makerfield and Leigh within Wigan...
Urban District Council, of which he was twice Chairman before standing down in 1945. He also became 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...
for 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...
in 1922; he held this appointment for forty years before going off the active list. He was on the Executive Committee of the Miners' Federation of Great Britain from 1922 to 1938. In 1937 he received a promotion at the mine and became a Miners' Agent instead of working underground; he was an exchange delegate to the French Miners' Congress in 1938.
Election to Parliament
As Vice-President of the Lancashire and Cheshire Miners' FederationLancashire and Cheshire Miners' Federation
The Lancashire and Cheshire Miners' Federation was a trade union which operated on the Lancashire Coalfield in North West England.-Background:...
, Brown won the Miners' Federation nomination for the vacated seat of Ince
Ince (UK Parliament constituency)
Ince was a parliamentary constituency in England which elected one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It comprised the town of Ince-in-Makerfield and other towns south of Wigan....
where the sitting 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) was made a Regional Controller for the Ministry of Fuel and Power. Browne was elected unopposed.
He concentrated on the problems of the mining industry and miners, calling for the abolition of the means test for retired miners. Along with the majority of Labour backbenchers, Brown voted against the wartime government's decision to postpone implementation of the Beveridge report. He called for increases in the level of the state pension.
Campaigns
Brown was allied with the left on issues such as the grant to members of the Royal family and continuing National ServiceNational service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
. He especially campaigned for compensation to ex-miners suffering from lung diseases, and welcomed moves by the government in 1954 to institute a compensation scheme. In 1956 he argued strongly against a Bill which would allow licensed premises at airports to sell alcohol, saying that there was much evidence of aircraft being endangered by drink-sodden passengers. Brown was specifically concerned with protecting pensioners from increases in the price of cigarettes, and moved an amendment to the 1956 budget to exempt pensioners from the rise in cigarette duty.
In 1958 Brown, then chairman of the Lancashire and Cheshire group of Labour MPs, organised a delegation to the government calling for a complete prohibition of textile imports from Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. The group argued that these goods were produced by sweated labour, and that the Lancashire textile industry needed protection. A strong supporter of state ownership of the mining industry, Brown rejected moves to restrict the borrowing power of the National Coal Board
National Coal Board
The National Coal Board was the statutory corporation created to run the nationalised coal mining industry in the United Kingdom. Set up under the Coal Industry Nationalisation Act 1946, it took over the mines on "vesting day", 1 January 1947...
.