Arthur Strettell Comyns Carr
Encyclopedia
Arthur Strettell Comyns Carr (19 September 1882 – 20 April 1965) was a British Liberal
politician and lawyer.
, a dramatist and art critic. His mother, Alice Laura Strettell (1850-1927) was a novelist. He was born in Marylebone
and educated at Winchester College
and Trinity College, Oxford
. In 1907 he married Cicely Raikes Bromage, the daughter of a clergyman. They had three sons including Richard Strettell Comyns Carr who was the second husband of the avant garde English novelist Barbara Comyns Carr
.
in 1924, a Bencher
of the Inn in 1938 and eventually Treasurer in 1951. Comyns Carr’s reputation as a barrister was confirmed in a libel action brought by Horatio Bottomley
against an associate named Reuben Bigland. Carr’s cross-examination of Bottomley and another key witness destroyed his case and was instrumental in Bottomley’s eventual imprisonment on charges of fraud and his expulsion from the House of Commons. Comyns Carr later began to specialize in the law relating to local taxation
and as a result of appearing in landmark rating appeals he was engaged as counsel to government departments. He also became an expert in the subject of national insurance
. Much later Comyns Carr was a prosecutor in trials of German and Japanese war criminals, and he was knighted for this work in 1949.
and later served on the staff at the Ministry of Munitions. He also acted as an adviser to the Ministry of Reconstruction
. In the last months of the war he joined the army as a private soldier but did not serve overseas.
wrote the preface. He was a member of the Liberal land inquiry committee of 1912 and also sat on the land acquisition committee in 1917.
His ambition to become a Liberal Member of Parliament
(MP) led Comyns Carr to stand for Parliament on eleven occasions in all. He first stood for election in 1918
in St Pancras South West
against a Conservative
opponent who had received the Coalition Coupon and fought the same seat again in 1922
. At the 1923 general election
Comyns Carr had his only success, becoming Liberal MP for Islington East
turning a Unionist majority of nearly 4,000 into a Liberal majority of 1,632 but he lost the seat at the general election of 1924
like many other Liberals swept away as British politics seemed to be reverting to its traditional two party model. In 1928, he was Liberal candidate at the by-election
for the constituency of Ilford
and fought the seat again in the general election of the following year
.
In 1930, Comyns Carr published an influential and controversial booklet, Escape from the Dole, which gained him significant public attention. In it he queried the policy of spending large sums of money supporting the unemployed when the government could be investing in providing work for them. He then challenged Winston Churchill
in his constituency at Epping
in the 1931 general election
and in 1935
he suffered his heaviest defeat ever at Nottingham East
. He stood again in 1945
when he lost at Shrewsbury
. In October 1945 he was a candidate at another by-election, this time in the City of London
.
on 20 April 1965. A memorial service was held for him in the chapel of Gray’s Inn on 24 May 1965.
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...
politician and lawyer.
Family and education
Comyns Carr was the son of J. Comyns CarrJ. Comyns Carr
Joseph William Comyns Carr was an English drama and art critic, gallery director, author, poet, playwright and theatre manager....
, a dramatist and art critic. His mother, Alice Laura Strettell (1850-1927) was a novelist. He was born in Marylebone
Marylebone
Marylebone is an affluent inner-city area of central London, located within the City of Westminster. It is sometimes written as St. Marylebone or Mary-le-bone....
and educated at Winchester College
Winchester College
Winchester College is an independent school for boys in the British public school tradition, situated in Winchester, Hampshire, the former capital of England. It has existed in its present location for over 600 years and claims the longest unbroken history of any school in England...
and Trinity College, Oxford
Trinity College, Oxford
The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity in the University of Oxford, of the foundation of Sir Thomas Pope , or Trinity College for short, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It stands on Broad Street, next door to Balliol College and Blackwells bookshop,...
. In 1907 he married Cicely Raikes Bromage, the daughter of a clergyman. They had three sons including Richard Strettell Comyns Carr who was the second husband of the avant garde English novelist Barbara Comyns Carr
Barbara Comyns Carr
- Early life :Barbara Irene Veronica Bayley was born in the Warwickshire village of Bidford-on-Avon in 1907. She was one of six children and the family home was Bell Court on the banks of the River Avon...
.
Career
In 1908, Comyns Carr was called to the Bar at Grays Inn. He became a King’s CounselQueen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
in 1924, a Bencher
Bencher
A bencher or Master of the Bench is a senior member of an Inn of Court in England and Wales. Benchers hold office for life once elected. A bencher can be elected while still a barrister , in recognition of the contribution that the barrister has made to the life of the Inn or to the law...
of the Inn in 1938 and eventually Treasurer in 1951. Comyns Carr’s reputation as a barrister was confirmed in a libel action brought by Horatio Bottomley
Horatio Bottomley
Horatio William Bottomley was a British financier, swindler, journalist, newspaper proprietor, populist politician and Member of Parliament .-Early life:...
against an associate named Reuben Bigland. Carr’s cross-examination of Bottomley and another key witness destroyed his case and was instrumental in Bottomley’s eventual imprisonment on charges of fraud and his expulsion from the House of Commons. Comyns Carr later began to specialize in the law relating to local taxation
Rates (tax)
Rates are a type of property tax system in the United Kingdom, and in places with systems deriving from the British one, the proceeds of which are used to fund local government...
and as a result of appearing in landmark rating appeals he was engaged as counsel to government departments. He also became an expert in the subject of national insurance
National Insurance
National Insurance in the United Kingdom was initially a contributory system of insurance against illness and unemployment, and later also provided retirement pensions and other benefits...
. Much later Comyns Carr was a prosecutor in trials of German and Japanese war criminals, and he was knighted for this work in 1949.
War service
At the outbreak of the First World War Comyns Carr he joined the Royal Naval Volunteer ReserveRoyal Naval Reserve
The Royal Naval Reserve is the volunteer reserve force of the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom. The present Royal Naval Reserve was formed in 1958 by merging the original Royal Naval Reserve and the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve , a reserve of civilian volunteers founded in 1903...
and later served on the staff at the Ministry of Munitions. He also acted as an adviser to the Ministry of Reconstruction
Ministry of Reconstruction
The Ministry of Reconstruction was a department of the United Kingdom government which existed after both World War I and World War II in order to provide for the needs of the population in the post war years.- World War I :...
. In the last months of the war he joined the army as a private soldier but did not serve overseas.
Politics
Comyns Carr’s expertise in National Insurance led him to co-author a book on the subject in 1912 to which David Lloyd GeorgeDavid Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
wrote the preface. He was a member of the Liberal land inquiry committee of 1912 and also sat on the land acquisition committee in 1917.
His ambition to become a Liberal 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) led Comyns Carr to stand for Parliament on eleven occasions in all. He first stood for election in 1918
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...
in St Pancras South West
St Pancras South West (UK Parliament constituency)
St. Pancras South West was a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
against a Conservative
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...
opponent who had received the Coalition Coupon and fought the same seat again 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...
. At the 1923 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1923
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
Comyns Carr had his only success, becoming Liberal MP for Islington East
Islington East (UK Parliament constituency)
Islington East was a constituency which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885, until it was abolished for the February 1974 general election.-1885–1918:...
turning a Unionist majority of nearly 4,000 into a Liberal majority of 1,632 but he lost the seat at the general election of 1924
United Kingdom general election, 1924
- Seats summary :- References :* F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* - External links :* * *...
like many other Liberals swept away as British politics seemed to be reverting to its traditional two party model. In 1928, he was Liberal candidate at the by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
for the constituency of Ilford
Ilford (UK Parliament constituency)
Ilford was a borough constituency in what is now the London Borough of Redbridge in east London. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
and fought the seat again in the general election of the following year
United Kingdom general election, 1929
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
.
In 1930, Comyns Carr published an influential and controversial booklet, Escape from the Dole, which gained him significant public attention. In it he queried the policy of spending large sums of money supporting the unemployed when the government could be investing in providing work for them. He then challenged Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
in his constituency at Epping
Epping (UK Parliament constituency)
Epping was a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 to 1974. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
in the 1931 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1931
The United Kingdom general election on Tuesday 27 October 1931 was the last in the United Kingdom not held on a Thursday. It was also the last election, and the only one under universal suffrage, where one party received an absolute majority of the votes cast.The 1931 general election was the...
and in 1935
United Kingdom general election, 1935
The United Kingdom general election held on 14 November 1935 resulted in a large, though reduced, majority for the National Government now led by Conservative Stanley Baldwin. The greatest number of MPs, as before, were Conservative, while the National Liberal vote held steady...
he suffered his heaviest defeat ever at Nottingham East
Nottingham East (UK Parliament constituency)
Nottingham East 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.-Boundaries:...
. He stood again in 1945
United Kingdom general election, 1945
The United Kingdom general election of 1945 was a general election held on 5 July 1945, with polls in some constituencies delayed until 12 July and in Nelson and Colne until 19 July, due to local wakes weeks. The results were counted and declared on 26 July, due in part to the time it took to...
when he lost at Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury (UK Parliament constituency)
Shrewsbury was a parliamentary constituency in England, centred on the town of Shrewsbury in Shropshire.It was founded in 1290 as parliamentary borough, returning two members to the House of Commons of England until 1707, then of the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and of the...
. In October 1945 he was a candidate at another by-election, this time in the City of London
City of London (UK Parliament constituency)
The City of London was a United Kingdom Parliamentary constituency. It was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1950.-Boundaries and boundary...
.
Other public appointments
In later life Comyns Carr served as chairman of the Foreign Compensation Commission (1950-1958) and was a president of the Institute of Industrial Administration and of the Association of Approved Societies. He was also President of the Liberal Party in 1958-59. Comyns-Carr was also one of the British prosecutors at the Tokyo Trials.Death
He died in HampsteadHampstead
Hampstead is an area of London, England, north-west of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Camden in Inner London, it is known for its intellectual, liberal, artistic, musical and literary associations and for Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland...
on 20 April 1965. A memorial service was held for him in the chapel of Gray’s Inn on 24 May 1965.