John Leng Sturrock
Encyclopedia
John Leng Sturrock was a Scottish newspaper publisher and Liberal
politician.
, Fife
. He was educated at the High School of Dundee
and at University College, Dundee
. In 1925 he married Winifred, the daughter of William Anning JP
of Torquay
. They had one son and a daughter. Sturrock’s grandfather was Sir John Leng, a journalist and newspaper proprietor, who was Member of Parliament for Dundee
from 1899-1906. His great-uncle was Sir William Christopher Leng, who was also a newspaperman and active in Conservative
politics in Sheffield
. ) He owed his middle name to the Leng family connection and sometimes hyphenated his surname to Leng-Sturrock.
of David Lloyd George
- for Montrose Burghs for the 1918 general election
. He faced no Independent Asquithian Liberal candidate and the Unionists
did not oppose him, so he presumably received the Coalition coupon
. He won the seat in a straight fight with another journalist, Labour
candidate H.N. Brailsford by 9,309 votes to 2,940 a majority of 6,369.
, this time standing as a National Liberal
i.e. a supporter of the Lloyd George wing of the Liberal Party. However he was unable to take part in the campaign due a serious illness. He again faced no challenge from the Conservatives or the Independent Liberals but this was a much tighter contest against a new Labour candidate Mr. J Carnegie. Sturrock received 8,407 votes to Carnegie’s 7,044 a majority of 1,363. He again defeated Carnegie in a straight fight in the 1923 general election
, this time gaining 8,717 votes to Carnegie’s 7,032 a majority of 1,685.
From 1920-1922 he was secretary to the Coalition Liberals in the House of Commons
.
and contested Tottenham North
as a Constitutionalist. He lost narrowly to Labour Co-operative
candidate Robert Morrison
by 557 votes. Although there was never a Constitutionalist Party with a central organisation, a number of candidates stood under this label in 1924 in constituencies where local Conservative and Liberal parties collaborated and where individual Liberals received Tory
support against socialism. The best known of these candidates was Winston Churchill
who had fought a by-election
at Abbey Division of Westminster in March 1924 as a Constitutionalist and who then contested Epping
in Essex
at the general election in October 1924 under the same banner.
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.
Family and education
John Leng Sturrock was born in Newport-on-TayNewport-on-Tay
Newport-on-Tay is a small town in the north east of Fife in Scotland, acting as a commuter suburb for Dundee. The Fife Coastal Path passes through Newport.-History:...
, Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
. He was educated at the High School of Dundee
High School of Dundee
The High School of Dundee is an independent, co-educational, day school in the city of Dundee, Scotland which provides both primary and secondary education to just over one thousand pupils...
and at University College, Dundee
University of Dundee
The University of Dundee is a university based in the city and Royal burgh of Dundee on eastern coast of the central Lowlands of Scotland and with a small number of institutions elsewhere....
. In 1925 he married Winifred, the daughter of William Anning JP
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...
of Torquay
Torquay
Torquay is a town in the unitary authority area of Torbay and ceremonial county of Devon, England. It lies south of Exeter along the A380 on the north of Torbay, north-east of Plymouth and adjoins the neighbouring town of Paignton on the west of the bay. Torquay’s population of 63,998 during the...
. They had one son and a daughter. Sturrock’s grandfather was Sir John Leng, a journalist and newspaper proprietor, who was Member of Parliament for Dundee
Dundee (UK Parliament constituency)
Dundee was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1832 to 1950, when it was split into Dundee East and Dundee West....
from 1899-1906. His great-uncle was Sir William Christopher Leng, who was also a newspaperman and active in 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...
politics in Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
. ) He owed his middle name to the Leng family connection and sometimes hyphenated his surname to Leng-Sturrock.
Career
Sturrock followed the family trade and was himself originally a journalist but later entered the newspaper publishing business and became managing director of John Leng & Co. Ltd, newspaper publishers.Coalition MP
Sturrock was selected as Coalition Liberal candidate - that is as a supporter of the Coalition governmentCoalition Government 1916-1922
The Coalition Government of David Lloyd George came to power in the United Kingdom in December 1916, replacing the earlier wartime coalition under H.H. Asquith, which had been held responsible for reverses during the Great War. Those Liberals who continued to support Asquith served as the Opposition...
of David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
- for Montrose Burghs for the 1918 general election
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...
. He faced no Independent Asquithian Liberal candidate and the Unionists
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...
did not oppose him, so he presumably received the Coalition coupon
Coalition Coupon
The ‘Coalition Coupon’, often referred to as ‘the coupon’, refers to the letter sent to parliamentary candidates at the United Kingdom general election, 1918 endorsing them as official representatives of the Coalition Government. The 1918 election took place in the heady atmosphere of victory in...
. He won the seat in a straight fight with another journalist, Labour
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 H.N. Brailsford by 9,309 votes to 2,940 a majority of 6,369.
1922-1924
Sturrock held his seat at the 1922 general electionUnited 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...
, this time standing as a National Liberal
National Liberal Party (UK, 1922)
The National Liberal Party was a liberal political party in the United Kingdom from 1922 to 1923. It was led by David Lloyd George and was, at the time, separate to the original Liberal Party.-History:...
i.e. a supporter of the Lloyd George wing of the Liberal Party. However he was unable to take part in the campaign due a serious illness. He again faced no challenge from the Conservatives or the Independent Liberals but this was a much tighter contest against a new Labour candidate Mr. J Carnegie. Sturrock received 8,407 votes to Carnegie’s 7,044 a majority of 1,363. He again defeated Carnegie in a straight fight in the 1923 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1923
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
, this time gaining 8,717 votes to Carnegie’s 7,032 a majority of 1,685.
From 1920-1922 he was secretary to the Coalition Liberals in the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
.
Constitutionalist
Sturrock stood down from Montrose Burghs at the 1924 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 1924
- Seats summary :- References :* F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* - External links :* * *...
and contested Tottenham North
Tottenham North (UK Parliament constituency)
Tottenham North was a parliamentary constituency centred on the Municipal Borough of Tottenham, in North London. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.-History:...
as a Constitutionalist. He lost narrowly to Labour Co-operative
Labour Co-operative
Labour and Co-operative describes those candidates in British elections standing on behalf of both the Labour Party and the Co-operative Party, based on a national agreement between the two parties....
candidate Robert Morrison
Robert Morrison, 1st Baron Morrison
Robert Craigmyle Morrison, 1st Baron Morrison was a British Labour Co-operative politician.Born in Aberdeen, he was the son of James Morrison. He originally worked as a schoolmaster in the Middlesex suburbs of North London...
by 557 votes. Although there was never a Constitutionalist Party with a central organisation, a number of candidates stood under this label in 1924 in constituencies where local Conservative and Liberal parties collaborated and where individual Liberals received Tory
Tory
Toryism is a traditionalist and conservative political philosophy which grew out of the Cavalier faction in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It is a prominent ideology in the politics of the United Kingdom, but also features in parts of The Commonwealth, particularly in Canada...
support against socialism. The best known of these candidates was 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...
who had fought a by-election
Westminster Abbey by-election, 1924
The Westminster Abbey by-election, 1924 was a parliamentary by-election held on 19 March 1924 for the British House of Commons constituency of Westminster Abbey in London. The seat had become vacant when the Conservative Member of Parliament John Nicholson had died on 21 February 1924. Nicholson...
at Abbey Division of Westminster in March 1924 as a Constitutionalist and who then contested 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 Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
at the general election in October 1924 under the same banner.