George Deer
Encyclopedia
George Deer, OBE
(29 March 1890 – 15 May 1974) was a British
Trade union
official and politician.
. He began work at the age of 12 and worked on the railways, at the docks and in engineering shops; he was also a commercial traveller. However, in 1915 he became an official for the National Union of Dock, Riverside and General Workers
, and following its merger, transferred into the Transport and General Workers' Union
. At the age of 17, Deer had joined the Independent Labour Party
and he was active in the Labour Party
. His wife, Olive Stoakes was also active in the party and was an Alderman
and member of the London County Council
.
and 1931
general elections for Gainsborough
, and in the 1935 general election
he fought in Lincoln
where he lost by 2,684 votes.
he was elected. Deer became popular among fellow MPs, and often took up transport issues which he knew about from his trade union work. He did not rebel against the Labour whip.
At the 1950 general election
, Deer changed constituencies to Newark
, which was adjacent to Lincoln and slightly better for Labour. He was re-elected there, and served as an Opposition Whip from 1955 to 1959. He was selected in the ballot for Private Member's Bill
s in 1957 and introduced a Bill to give supplementary benefits to those who had suffered from industrial injuries before 1948, although it did not succeed.
. He died in Grimsby aged 84.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(29 March 1890 – 15 May 1974) was a British
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...
Trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
official and politician.
Early career
Deer went to an elementary school in GrimsbyGrimsby
Grimsby is a seaport on the Humber Estuary in Lincolnshire, England. It has been the administrative centre of the unitary authority area of North East Lincolnshire since 1996...
. He began work at the age of 12 and worked on the railways, at the docks and in engineering shops; he was also a commercial traveller. However, in 1915 he became an official for the National Union of Dock, Riverside and General Workers
National Union of Dock Labourers
The National Union of Dock Labourers was a trade union in the United Kingdom. It was formed in Glasgow in 1889 but moved its headquarters to Liverpool within a few years and was thereafter most closely associated with Merseyside...
, and following its merger, transferred into the Transport and General Workers' Union
Transport and General Workers' Union
The Transport and General Workers' Union, also known as the TGWU and the T&G, was one of the largest general trade unions in the United Kingdom and Ireland - where it was known as the Amalgamated Transport and General Workers' Union - with 900,000 members...
. At the age of 17, Deer had joined 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...
and he was active in the 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...
. His wife, Olive Stoakes was also active in the party and was an Alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
and member of the London County Council
London County Council
London County Council was the principal local government body for the County of London, throughout its 1889–1965 existence, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today known as Inner London and was replaced by the Greater London Council...
.
Municipal affairs and politics
In 1922 Deer was elected as Labour member of Lincoln City Council where he served for sixteen years and was Mayor in 1933-34. He was a Parliamentary candidate at the 1929United Kingdom general election, 1929
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
and 1931
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...
general elections for Gainsborough
Gainsborough (UK Parliament constituency)
Gainsborough is a county 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....
, and in the 1935 general election
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 fought in Lincoln
Lincoln (UK Parliament constituency)
Lincoln 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....
where he lost by 2,684 votes.
Parliament
While serving as Sheriff of Lincoln in 1943-44, Deer was made a member of the Order of British Empire in the New Years' Honours list of 1944. He had been reselected as Labour candidate for Lincoln, and in the 1945 general electionUnited 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...
he was elected. Deer became popular among fellow MPs, and often took up transport issues which he knew about from his trade union work. He did not rebel against the Labour whip.
At the 1950 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1950
The 1950 United Kingdom general election was the first general election ever after a full term of a Labour government. Despite polling over one and a half million votes more than the Conservatives, the election, held on 23 February 1950 resulted in Labour receiving a slim majority of just five...
, Deer changed constituencies to Newark
Newark (UK Parliament constituency)
Newark is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Since 1885, it has elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
, which was adjacent to Lincoln and slightly better for Labour. He was re-elected there, and served as an Opposition Whip from 1955 to 1959. He was selected in the ballot for Private Member's Bill
Private Member's Bill
A member of parliament’s legislative motion, called a private member's bill or a member's bill in some parliaments, is a proposed law introduced by a member of a legislature. In most countries with a parliamentary system, most bills are proposed by the government, not by individual members of the...
s in 1957 and introduced a Bill to give supplementary benefits to those who had suffered from industrial injuries before 1948, although it did not succeed.
Retirement
Deer's wife was Chairman of the London County Council in 1962-63 and he accompanied her on the many social occasions to which the Chairman was invited. He retired at the 1964 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 1964
The United Kingdom general election of 1964 was held on 15 October 1964, more than five years after the preceding election, and thirteen years after the Conservative Party had retaken power...
. He died in Grimsby aged 84.