Daniel David Irving, first Labour M.P. for Burnley

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iBase ID

313185

Reference identifier

EBU-U01-P11-11-1

Title

Daniel David Irving, first Labour M.P. for Burnley

Place

Burnley

Personal names

Daniel David Irving

General notes

David Daniel Irving, known as Dan, born Birmingham, 31 October 1854, went to sea at 13. In his early twenties working for the Midland Railway Company in Bristol, he lost a leg in a shunting accident. He became active in the trade union movement and politics in Bristol albeit initially as a Liberal, before taking up the socialist cause to which he dedicated the rest of his life. In 1892 he risked all, giving up his employment and moving his family to join the Reverend Mills' Starnthwaite Colony, a socialist experiment in land settlement for the urban unemployed but from which he was soon expelled, being unable to agree with the Revd. Mills. In 1894 the Burnley branch of the Social Democratic Federation, appointed him their first full time secretary. Burnley was the main powerbase for the SDF outside London. Due largely to his efforts SDF leader Henry Hyndman stood for election four times in Burnley. Irving himself stood unsuccessfully for Accrington (1906), Manchester North West (1908) and Rochdale (1910 January and December). He was extremely active in public life in Burnley, being elected to Burnley Town Council in 1902 for Gannow, and served on a vast number of committees, sub-committees and public bodies, being particularly interested in education and health. He was a supporter of Britain's War effort in WW1, and in the 1918 "Khaki" election , when all men over 21, including serving soldiers, and some women over 30, had the vote, he was elected as a Socialist affilliated to the Labour Party , by a majority of nearly 3,000 over the Liberal candidate. He retained the seat in 1922 and December 1923. He was granted Freedom of the Borough in January 1924 shortly before returning to Westminster, where he became ill with pneumonia, suffered a heart attack and died on 24th January 1924 aged 69. His magnificent public funeral is the subject of image 274566. The seat was then taken by Labour minister Arthur Henderson.

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Medium

Photographic print

Colour

Monochrome

Year of image

Early 20th Century

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Subjects

Place Names > Burnley

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