Edward Hartley
Encyclopedia
Edward Robertshaw Hartley (1855–1918) was a British socialist politician.
Hartley began work in a mill at the age of ten, before becoming a warehouse clerk and then a butcher
. He became an active socialist in 1885, in reaction to serious unemployment in his home town of Bradford
. He was a founder member of the Bradford Labour Union and the Independent Labour Party
(ILP). He stood for the party in Dewsbury
at the 1895 UK general election, taking 10.4% of the vote, but was not elected. However, he did gain election to Bradford City Council that year, representing Manningham
, and held his seat for over a decade. At the 1900 UK general election, he was nominated in Pudsey
, but withdrew on the eve of the poll.
Hartley was intended as the ILP candidate for the Dewsbury by-election, 1902, with the support of the local trades council and the Labour Representation Committee
, but the rival Social Democratic Federation
(SDF) nominated Harry Quelch
. Initially, neither candidate would withdraw, but the trades council convinced the ILP to drop Hartley's candidacy. Quelch did not gain the support of the local labour movement, nor of the ILP leadership. Angered by what he saw as pandering to the right-wing of the labour movement, Hartley actively supported Quelch's candidacy and joined the SDF. He founded a new SDF branch in Bradford, in 1904, and was elected to the SDF's executive for seven years, using the position to advocate socialist unity. Yet he remained part of the ILP group on Bradford Council, and was re-elected on the ILP ticket in Bradford Moor in 1905.
Hartley stood for the SDF in Bradford East
at the 1906 UK general election, where he held joint meetings with Fred Jowett, Labour Party
candidate for Bradford West
, and he secured the support of the local ILP. He won 22.8% of the vote, but again missed election. He next stood for the party in the Newcastle by-election, 1908, then back in Bradford East in the January 1910 UK general election.
From 1910 until 1912, Hartley was the secretary of The Clarion
Van Movement. He then toured Australia and New Zealand for eighteen months. On his return, he stood in the Leicester by-election, 1913. Sitting MP Ramsay Macdonald
had persuaded the Labour Party not to stand a candidate, in the hope of a Liberal victory, but this enabled Hartley to attract the support of many ILP members, ultimately taking 11.4% of the vote. On the outbreak of World War I, Hartley became strongly pro-war and left the SDF to join the British Workers League
, in the process losing most of his political support.
Hartley began work in a mill at the age of ten, before becoming a warehouse clerk and then a butcher
Butcher
A butcher is a person who may slaughter animals, dress their flesh, sell their meat or any combination of these three tasks. They may prepare standard cuts of meat, poultry, fish and shellfish for sale in retail or wholesale food establishments...
. He became an active socialist in 1885, in reaction to serious unemployment in his home town of Bradford
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
. He was a founder member of the Bradford Labour Union and the Independent Labour Party
Independent Labour Party
The Independent Labour Party was a socialist political party in Britain established in 1893. The ILP was affiliated to the Labour Party from 1906 to 1932, when it voted to leave...
(ILP). He stood for the party in Dewsbury
Dewsbury (UK Parliament constituency)
Dewsbury is a 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...
at the 1895 UK general election, taking 10.4% of the vote, but was not elected. However, he did gain election to Bradford City Council that year, representing Manningham
Manningham, Bradford
Manningham is an area of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, approximately a mile north of the city centre and is seen as the centre of the city's south Asian population.- Geography :...
, and held his seat for over a decade. At the 1900 UK general election, he was nominated in Pudsey
Pudsey (UK Parliament constituency)
Pudsey is a 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 :...
, but withdrew on the eve of the poll.
Hartley was intended as the ILP candidate for the Dewsbury by-election, 1902, with the support of the local trades council and the Labour Representation Committee
Labour Representation Committee
Labour Representation Committee may refer to:* Labour Representation Committee, the original name of the British Labour Party* Labour Representation Committee , a 21st century pressure group within the British Labour Party...
, but the rival Social Democratic Federation
Social Democratic Federation
The Social Democratic Federation was established as Britain's first organised socialist political party by H. M. Hyndman, and had its first meeting on June 7, 1881. Those joining the SDF included William Morris, George Lansbury and Eleanor Marx. However, Friedrich Engels, Karl Marx's long-term...
(SDF) nominated Harry Quelch
Harry Quelch
Henry "Harry" Quelch , known exclusively by his nickname "Harry," was one of the first Marxists in Great Britain. He was a socialist activist, journalist and trade unionist...
. Initially, neither candidate would withdraw, but the trades council convinced the ILP to drop Hartley's candidacy. Quelch did not gain the support of the local labour movement, nor of the ILP leadership. Angered by what he saw as pandering to the right-wing of the labour movement, Hartley actively supported Quelch's candidacy and joined the SDF. He founded a new SDF branch in Bradford, in 1904, and was elected to the SDF's executive for seven years, using the position to advocate socialist unity. Yet he remained part of the ILP group on Bradford Council, and was re-elected on the ILP ticket in Bradford Moor in 1905.
Hartley stood for the SDF in Bradford East
Bradford East (UK Parliament constituency)
Bradford East is the name of a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The constituency originally existed from 1885 to 1974 and was recreated for the 2010 general election, electing one Member of Parliament by the first past the post...
at the 1906 UK general election, where he held joint meetings with Fred Jowett, 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...
candidate for Bradford West
Bradford West (UK Parliament constituency)
Bradford West is a borough constituency in England which is 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....
, and he secured the support of the local ILP. He won 22.8% of the vote, but again missed election. He next stood for the party in the Newcastle by-election, 1908, then back in Bradford East in the January 1910 UK general election.
From 1910 until 1912, Hartley was the secretary of The Clarion
The Clarion
The Clarion was a weekly newspaper published by Robert Blatchford, based in the United Kingdom. It was a socialist publication though adopting a British-focused rather than internationalist perspective on political affairs, as seen in its support of the British involvement in the Anglo-Boer Wars...
Van Movement. He then toured Australia and New Zealand for eighteen months. On his return, he stood in the Leicester by-election, 1913. Sitting MP Ramsay Macdonald
Ramsay MacDonald
James Ramsay MacDonald, PC, FRS was a British politician who was the first ever Labour Prime Minister, leading a minority government for two terms....
had persuaded the Labour Party not to stand a candidate, in the hope of a Liberal victory, but this enabled Hartley to attract the support of many ILP members, ultimately taking 11.4% of the vote. On the outbreak of World War I, Hartley became strongly pro-war and left the SDF to join the British Workers League
British Workers League
The British Workers League was a 'patriotic labour' group which was anti-socialist and pro-war.The league's origins lay in the 1915 split by the right-wing of the British Socialist Party, primarily over issues raised by the First World War...
, in the process losing most of his political support.