Frank James (MP)
Encyclopedia
Frank James was a British
businessman, freemason and Conservative
politician.
He was the fifth son of John James of Walsall
, Staffordshire
. He was educated at Handsworth
, near Birmingham
and King's College, London.
By 1885 he was living at Aldridge
, near Walsall and was proprietor of James's Foundry, Walsall and President of the Walsall Chamber of Commerce. He was also chairman of the South Staffordshire Waterworks Company and a director of the Staffordshire Joint Stock Banking Company.
James was a justice of the peace
and deputy lieutenant
for Staffordshire, and served as vice-chairman of the Staffordshire Quarter Sessions
. When Staffordshire County Council was formed to take over the local government functions of the justices in 1889, he became a member, and was chairman and vice-chairman before retiring from the council in 1901.
He had a very brief parliamentary career as member of parliament
for Walsall
. After unsuccessfully contesting the seat for the Conservatives at the general election of 1885
and a by-election in 1891, he was elected at the general election
in July 1892. A petition to overturn the result of the election was made, however, alleging gross bribery, treating
and general corruption. James was unseated in November when his son, who was his election agent
, admitted to paying for the printing of cards to be displayed in his supporters' hats. This was found to be in breach of section 16 of the Corrupt Practices Act 1883, which forbade payment for cockades, ribbons, or other marks of distinction.
James was a prominent freemason. He joined St Matthew's Lodge, Walsall in 1844, and was Provincial Grand Secretary of Stafffordshire Province from 1860 to 1865, and Deputy Provincial Master in 1873. At the time of his death he was believed to be the oldest and longest-serving mason in the world.
James was twice married: to Ann Wells Ingram of Birmingham in 1844, and to Mary Holland in 1859.
Frank James died at his home at Penkridge
, Staffordshire in March 1924, aged 102.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
businessman, freemason and 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...
politician.
He was the fifth son of John James of Walsall
Walsall
Walsall is a large industrial town in the West Midlands of England. It is located northwest of Birmingham and east of Wolverhampton. Historically a part of Staffordshire, Walsall is a component area of the West Midlands conurbation and part of the Black Country.Walsall is the administrative...
, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
. He was educated at Handsworth
Handsworth, West Midlands
Handsworth is an inner city area of Birmingham in the West Midlands, England. The Local Government Act 1894 divided the ancient Staffordshire parish of Handsworth into two urban districts: Handsworth and Perry Barr. Handsworth was annexed to the county borough of Birmingham in Warwickshire in 1911...
, near Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
and King's College, London.
By 1885 he was living at Aldridge
Aldridge
Aldridge is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall, in the West Midlands, England. Historically it was part of the county of Staffordshire, but in 1974 it was incorporated into the Walsall borough as well as the West Midlands county.- History :...
, near Walsall and was proprietor of James's Foundry, Walsall and President of the Walsall Chamber of Commerce. He was also chairman of the South Staffordshire Waterworks Company and a director of the Staffordshire Joint Stock Banking Company.
James was a justice of the peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
and deputy lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
for Staffordshire, and served as vice-chairman of the Staffordshire Quarter Sessions
Quarter Sessions
The Courts of Quarter Sessions or Quarter Sessions were local courts traditionally held at four set times each year in the United Kingdom and other countries in the former British Empire...
. When Staffordshire County Council was formed to take over the local government functions of the justices in 1889, he became a member, and was chairman and vice-chairman before retiring from the council in 1901.
He had a very brief parliamentary career as 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,...
for Walsall
Walsall (UK Parliament constituency)
Walsall was a borough constituency centred on the town of Walsall in the West Midlands of England. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system....
. After unsuccessfully contesting the seat for the Conservatives at the general election of 1885
United Kingdom general election, 1885
-Seats summary:-See also:*List of MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1885*Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885–1918*Representation of the People Act 1884*Redistribution of Seats Act 1885-References:...
and a by-election in 1891, he was elected at the general election
United Kingdom general election, 1892
The 1892 United Kingdom general election was held from 4 July to 26 July 1892. It saw the Conservatives, led by Lord Salisbury, win the greatest number of seats, but not enough for an overall majority as William Ewart Gladstone's Liberals won many more seats than in the 1886 general election...
in July 1892. A petition to overturn the result of the election was made, however, alleging gross bribery, treating
Treating
Treating, in law, is the act of serving food, drink, and other refreshments as a method of influencing people for political gain. In various countries, treating is considered a form of corruption, and is illegal as such....
and general corruption. James was unseated in November when his son, who was his election agent
Election agent
In elections in the United Kingdom, as well as in certain other similar political systems such as India's, an election agent is the person legally responsible for the conduct of a candidate's political campaign and to whom election material is sent to by those running the election. In elections in...
, admitted to paying for the printing of cards to be displayed in his supporters' hats. This was found to be in breach of section 16 of the Corrupt Practices Act 1883, which forbade payment for cockades, ribbons, or other marks of distinction.
James was a prominent freemason. He joined St Matthew's Lodge, Walsall in 1844, and was Provincial Grand Secretary of Stafffordshire Province from 1860 to 1865, and Deputy Provincial Master in 1873. At the time of his death he was believed to be the oldest and longest-serving mason in the world.
James was twice married: to Ann Wells Ingram of Birmingham in 1844, and to Mary Holland in 1859.
Frank James died at his home at Penkridge
Penkridge
Penkridge is a market town and ancient parish in Staffordshire, England with a population of 7,836 . Many locals refer to it as a village, although it has a long history as an ecclesiastical and commercial centre. Its main distinction in the Middle Ages was as the site of an important collegiate...
, Staffordshire in March 1924, aged 102.