Arthur Henderson, Labour M.P. for Burnley 1924-1931

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iBase ID

313194

Reference identifier

EBU-U01-P11-17-1

Title

Arthur Henderson, Labour M.P. for Burnley 1924-1931

Place

Burnley

Personal names

Arthur Henderson

General notes

Arthur Henderson, Labour M.P. Burnley 28.2.1924 - 27.10.1931; born 13 September 1863 in Glasgow, son of a weaver, he went to work aged 9 as an errand boy, When his widowed mother remarried, they moved to Newcastle and at age 12 he was apprenticed at Stephenson's Locomotive Works as a foundryman. At 18, he began his lifelong trade union activity. He married fellow Methodist Eleanor Watson in 1888. Politically active first in local government he entered Parliament for the first time in 1903, as a socialist, for Barnard Castle. He was instrumental in the establishment and organisation of the Labour Party. In a long complex political career, he was elected and lost his seat 5 times for 5 different constituencies. Having lost his then seat in December 1923, when the safe Labour seat in Burnley became available in January 1924, on the death of Dan Irving, Henderson was returned to Parliament on 28th February 1924 with a majority of 7,037 in a two horse race with the Conservative, H. E.J. Camps. His two surviving sons William and Arthur were also Labour Members and peers, his eldest son David having been killed in action in 1916. Henderson held high office in the Labour Party, including Leader on different occasions, and held cabinet posts, including Home Secretary in 1924, and most significantly Foreign Secretary from 1929 to 1931 when he worked hard to reduce political tensions, being a strong supporter of the League of Nations. He was leader of the Labour Party at the 1931 election, which proved a disaster for Labour, and he lost the Burnley seat to the National candidate Vice Admiral G. Campbell. In 1933 he returned to Parliament as the member for Clay Cross. He continued to work for world peace until his death on 20th October 1935, aged 72, being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1934.

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Medium

Photographic print

Colour

Monochrome

Year of image

Mid 20th Century

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Subjects

Place Names > Burnley

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