Stroud Constituency Labour Party

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The Labour Party has been active in the Stroud constituency area since at least 1897 and the constituency has been represented in UK Parliament by two Labour MPs, Ben Parkin and David Drew. The Constituency Labour Party first purchased a building in 1930.

The Party is currently represented by four Councillors on Stroud District Council and five on the wider area of Gloucestershire County Council.[1] Previous Labour Group leaders have included Steve Lydon, Margaret Nolder, Steve Greenwood. Labour leaders on the predecessor Councils have included Bill Maddox (Stroud RDC) Walter Preston(Stroud UDC) and Tom Langham (Stroud UDC). Tom Langham was the first Labour Chair of Stroud UDC in 1935.[2] On 30 June 2022, Cllr Doina Cornell, the Leader of Stroud District Council, left the Labour Party following her removal from the long list of Labour candidates for the Stroud Parliamentary constituency.[3] Three other members of the council also left the Labour Party the day after,[4][5] with more following the subsequent year.[6][1]

Independent Labour Party[edit]

The first recorded attempt to promote Socialism in Stroud was a visit of 40 trade unionists and ILP members in June 1895, this was chaired by David Fraser the President of the Gloucester ILP.[7] In July 1897 the “Clarion Van” visited Stroud for four days and meetings were addressed by John Bruce Glasier, Councillor Alpass(from Berkeley), Fenton Macpherson[8] and Mary Macpherson. Glasier and the Macphersons were accommodated by a Mr and Mrs Hunt during their stay in Stroud.[9] A branch of the ILP was formed in the Town in August 1897.[10] A public meeting organised by the Branch was held on Sunday 16 January 1898 addressed by Pete Curran.[11]

Trades and Labour Council[edit]

A Trades and Labour Council started in about 1898.

The Trades Union Congress continues to support a network of locally organised Union Councils and while the Stroud Trades Council came to an end in about 1999 there are 21 Trades Councils in the South West with two covering Gloucestershire—Cheltenham and District Trades Council and Gloucester and District Trades Council [1].

Trade and Labour Club[edit]

By 1908 the Labour Movement had a Club building on Lower Street.

Far Hill[edit]

The official opening of the new Headquarters for the Constituency at Far Hill on Cainscross Road took place on 20 September 1930. The building has previously been the depot of the Cotswold Grocery Stores and had been purchased for £1000 with the Club and Institute becoming the headquarters of the Stroud Constituency Labour Party but also the home of trade union branches in the area. Charles Duncan Labour MP for Clay Cross visited the town for the official opening.[12] The building was sold to Stroud Urban District Council in the early 1970s and demolished and the site was used for a waste tip and council car park but has subsequently been redeveloped for a DIY store.[13] The Current Labour Party offices are based at 5a Lansdown.

Parliamentary candidates[edit]

The first time a Labour Candidate contested an election for the Stroud Constituency was in 1918. Of the 17 individuals who have stood, two were elected for Stroud with four others subsequently elected for other constituencies.

Stroud 1918–1945[edit]

Labour Candidates in Stroud Constituency 1918–1945[14]
Election Year Candidate Name Votes % ±% Comments
1918 Charles Wye Kendall[15] 8,522 40.1 New Not Elected
1922 Samuel E Walters[16] 5,081 17.6 −22.5 Not Elected
1923 No Candidate
1924 Edith Picton-Turbervill 7,418 25.2 New Not Elected Later MP for Wrekin
1929 F. E. White 10,384 26.1 +0.9 Not Elected
1931[17] John Maynard 10,688 30.0 +3.9 Not Elected
1935 Constance Borrett 14,133 36.8 +8.2 Not Elected
1945 Ben Parkin 22,495 40.8 +4.0 First Labour MP Elected

1950–1951[edit]

Labour Candidate Stroud and Thornbury Constituency 1950 and 1951[18]
Election Year Candidate Name Votes % ±% Comments
1950 Ben Parkin 24,846 43.4 Lost seat
1951 Ben Parkin 28,558 48.7 +5.3 Not Elected

1955–2019[edit]

Labour Candidates Stroud Constituency 1955 to 2019[19]
Election Year Candidate Name Votes % ±% Comments
1955 Richard W. Evely 19,375 41.1 Not Elected
1959 Alfred Evans 18,336 37.6 -3.5 Not Elected Later MP for Caerphilly
1964 Dennis V. Hunt 18,889 38.2 +0.6 Not Elected
1966 Tom Cox 20,259 40.1 +1.9 Not Elected Later MP for Tooting
1970 R. Derek Wheatley 19,158 36.1 -4 Not Elected
Feb 1974 William (Bill) H Maddocks 17,148 29.2 -6.9 Not Elected
Oct 1974 William (Bill) H Maddocks 17,352 31.1 +1.9 Not Elected
1979 B.J. Marshall 17,037 27.5 -3.6 Not Elected
1983 D.R. Parsons 10.141 16.8 -3.0 Not Elected
1987 Tom Levitt 12,145 18.5 +1.7 Not Elected Later MP for High Peak
1992 David Drew 18,706 26.9 +8.4 Not Elected
1997 David Drew 26,170 42.7 +13.3 Elected
2001 David Drew 25,685 46.6 +3.9 Elected
2005 David Drew 22,527 39.6 -7.0 Elected
2010 David Drew 22,380 38.6 -1.5 Not Elected
2015 David Drew 22,947 37.7 -0.9 Not Elected
2017 David Drew 29,994 47 +9.3 Elected
2019 David Drew 27,742 42.1 -4.9 Not Elected

Prominent activists[edit]

Prominent activists
Name Area Associated with Year born Year Died Years Active Obituary and Comments
Joseph Alpass Berkeley 1873 1969 1895–1950 Originally an ILP activist in 1895, Later MP for Thornbury See Wikipedia entry Joseph Alpass
Frederick William Harper Rodborough 1868 1961 1907–1961 Birmingham Daily Post 11 May 1961 p. 18 Rodborough Parish from 1907 Stroud RDC from 1917, originally a Liberal. Said to be one of the Labour Party founders more than 50 years ago "remaining a leader for many years".[20]
William (Bill) H Maddocks Leonard Stanley
Pat Parker Cainscross Councillor from 1960s to 1983[21]
Walter K Preston Trinity then Cainscross 1915 NK 1948–1993 A leading member of Stroud UDC from 1940s and joined SDC when it formed in 1973 and retired in 1983. Walter Preston Court, Cashes Green was named in his honour, while he was still living. He was also Constituency Chair for some time.[22]
Mary Maureen Rutter Cainscross 1925 2015 1981–2009 Stroud News and Journal 21 October 2015 A member of the County Council for 28 years, she was the First Woman Chair of the Council and her service included Labour Group Leader, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care.[23][24]
Mary Sollars Hinton(Sharpness) 1938? Served on SDC from 1973 to 1983, she and her husband were stalwarts in the Berkeley area for many years.[25]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Garcia, Carmelo (16 October 2023). "Labour councillor quits party over Starmer's Israel comments". Stroud News and Journal. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
  2. ^ "Mr Tom Langham Honoured" Gloucester Citizen, 02 May 1935, p. 6, https://search.findmypast.co.uk/bna/viewarticle?id=bl%2f0000325%2f19350502%2f021
  3. ^ James Felton (30 June 2022). "Election hopeful Doina Cornell leaves Labour Party". Stroud News and Journal. Retrieved 2022-07-01.
  4. ^ Caroline Molloy (1 July 2022). "Stitch-up for Starmer ally backfires as Labour loses council". openDemocracy. Retrieved 2022-07-01.
  5. ^ Caroline Molloy (1 July 2022). "UPDATE - another Stroud Labour Councillor has tonight quit the party". Twitter. Retrieved 2022-07-02.
  6. ^ Garcia, Carmelo (7 June 2023). "Concerns over Keir Starmer sees Laurie Davies quit Labour". Stroud News and Journal. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
  7. ^ Clarion 06 July 1895 p. 6 https://search.findmypast.co.uk/bna/ViewArticle?id=BL%2F0002732%2F18950706%2F08
  8. ^ Mary Macpherson
  9. ^ This is likely to be Stephen Ernest Hunt who lived on Bath Road Rodborough Clarion 17 July 1897 pp. 6, 7, 8 https://search.findmypast.co.uk/bna/viewarticle?id=bl%2f0002732%2f18970717
  10. ^ Labour Leader 28 August 1897 p. 8 https://search.findmypast.co.uk/bna/viewarticle?id=bl%2f0002734%2f18970828%2f110
  11. ^ Pete Curran at Stroud, Stroud News and Gloucestershire Advertiser 21 January 1898 p. 3, https://search.findmypast.co.uk/bna/viewarticle?id=bl%2f0002216%2f18980121%2f053
  12. ^ Cheltenham Chronicle, 27 September 1930, p. 6, https://search.findmypast.co.uk/bna/viewarticle?id=bl%2f0000518%2f19300927%2f07
  13. ^ "Key Landmarks - Wallbridge - Far Hill". Digital Stroud. Stroud Local History Society. 2018. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
  14. ^ Stroud (UK Parliament constituency)
  15. ^ working note - Stood for Election in Eye Suffolk in 1924 Eye (UK Parliament constituency)
  16. ^ working note Alderman in Swindon and also stood in Bristol Central in 1923 Bristol Central (UK Parliament constituency)
  17. ^ Byelection caused by Retirement of Frank Nelson (Con) 1931 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1931_Stroud_by-election
  18. ^ Stroud (UK Parliament constituency)
  19. ^ Stroud (UK Parliament constituency)
  20. ^ (Paywall)https://search.findmypast.co.uk/bna/viewarticle?id=bl%2f0002134%2f19610511%2f483
  21. ^ Retirement inferred from British Local Elections Database: https://www.electionscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Stroud-1973-2012.pdf
  22. ^ 1939 National Register for Birth Date, RG101/5079F/011/44, https://www.findmypast.co.uk/transcript?id=TNA%2FR39%2F5079%2F5079F%2F011%2F44; Stroud Election Results 1948 Gloucester Citizen 06 April 1948 p. 4; Retirement from SDC in 1983 inferred from British Local Elections Database https://www.electionscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Stroud-1973-2012.pdf
  23. ^ "Funeral service for Stroud stalwart and former Labour county councillor Maureen Rutter to be held tomorrow". 20 October 2015.
  24. ^ https://www.electionscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Gloucestershire-County.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  25. ^ Retirement from SDC in 1983 inferred from British Local Elections Database https://www.electionscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Stroud-1973-2012.pdf
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