Thomas Oakley (UK politician)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Oakley was a British
electrician and politician. He became a prominent working-class Conservative in St Pancras
, and later served a single term in Parliament representing The Wrekin
constituency. An energetic man, he devoted much of his time to work with the Hearts of Oak Benefit Society, a friendly society
. In politics he campaigned for the abolition of betting duty and against the creation of the Horserace Totalisator Board
.
where his family had lived for several generations. However he left his native village early and found a job as a billiard ball
marker at Shrewsbury
. In 1900 he found a job with the London and North Western Railway
, for whom he worked in Crewe
and later as an electrician at the London and North-Western Hotel at Euston
.
. In 1912 he stood as a Municipal Reform
candidate for the borough council in ward no. 6 (which included Somers Town
, together with King's Cross and St Pancras
stations); he was defeated with 112 votes behind the lowest winning candidate. Later that year he was elected to St Pancras Board of guardians
, and after re-election in 1919 he served as Chairman of the Board in 1921-22. Oakley again failed to be elected as St Pancras borough councillor for ward no. 6 in the 1919 elections.
operating nationwide but based on the Euston Road
. He was elected to its Executive Council and served on the Finance and Investment Committee (of which he became Chairman). In 1920 he was Chairman of the Executive Council. His experience with the Hearts of Oak led him to become a Fellow of the Faculty of Insurance, and he also served as a member of the National Congress of Friendly Societies; he was appointed by the Minister of Health as a member of the Consultative Council on National Health Insurance.
, Oakley was selected as the Conservative
candidate for The Wrekin
constituency in his native Shropshire. The seat was held by Labour, but Oakley challenged as a working man using his own life experiences to oppose Labour policies. While on his way to a campaign meeting at Oakengates
during the campaign, Oakley saw his Labour opponent's car which had gone off the road and ended in a ditch; he gave his opponent a lift to his meeting before going along to his own meeting at which he arrived late and was booed by the crowd. Oakley explained why he was late and then invited the crowd to "Now get on with your booing". Oakley was successful at the polls, winning a majority of 2,878 over the sitting Labour MP.
proposed by Viscount Cave
.
It was not until March 1928 that Oakley made his first full speech in the House of Commons, opposing the Racecourse Betting Bill which established the Horserace Totalisator Board
. He objected to the Bill on the grounds that it created a monopoly and placed betting under the control of the Jockey Club
and the National Hunt Committee
. Oakley was in a minority of Conservatives in opposing the Bill on a free vote, and was unsuccessful in his opposition to the Bill. After the debate, Oakley apologised to Lord Hamilton of Dalzell
for an inaccuracy in his speech concerning admission fees to the racecourses owned by the club.
. Labour Party leader Ramsay Macdonald
spoke in the division attacking David Lloyd George
's plan for dealing with unemployment at the end of March, shortly before the campaign opened. At the election, a Liberal candidate stood for the first time since 1920. Oakley was hopeful that the workers of the district had fallen out of sympathy with the Labour Party since the general strike
of 1926, and that trade union membership had fallen. However the constituency included mining (some mines had closed), and the iron and steel industry imported their raw materials and were strongly opposed to protectionism. A competitive election was forecast. In line with the national swing, Oakley was defeated by 2,862 votes.
. Always a highly active man, he remained active in election work. Oakley worked so heavily on campaigning in the 1935 general election
that he became ill, and eventually died the following spring.
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...
electrician and politician. He became a prominent working-class Conservative in St Pancras
Metropolitan Borough of St Pancras
The Metropolitan Borough of St Pancras was a Metropolitan borough of the County of London between 1900 and 1965, when it was amalgamated with the Metropolitan Borough of Hampstead and the Metropolitan Borough of Holborn to form the London Borough of Camden...
, and later served a single term in Parliament representing The Wrekin
The Wrekin (UK Parliament constituency)
The Wrekin is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom since 1918. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
constituency. An energetic man, he devoted much of his time to work with the Hearts of Oak Benefit Society, a friendly society
Friendly society
A friendly society is a mutual association for insurance, pensions or savings and loan-like purposes, or cooperative banking. It is a mutual organization or benefit society composed of a body of people who join together for a common financial or social purpose...
. In politics he campaigned for the abolition of betting duty and against the creation of the Horserace Totalisator Board
The Tote
The Tote, formerly the Horserace Totalisator Board, is a British bookmaker with head offices in Wigan. It was owned from its formation in 1928 by the UK Government but was sold to Betfred in July 2011. Under the brand totesport the Tote has 514 high street betting shops, outlets on Britain's 60...
.
Early life
Oakley was born in Prees, and brought up in Fauls near WhitchurchWhitchurch, Shropshire
Whitchurch is a market town in Shropshire, England on the border between England and Wales. It is the oldest continuously inhabited town in Shropshire. According to the 2001 Census, the population of the town is 8,673, with a more recent estimate putting the population of the town at 8,934...
where his family had lived for several generations. However he left his native village early and found a job as a billiard ball
Billiard ball
A billiard ball is a small, hard ball used in cue sports, such as carom billiards, pool, and snooker. The number, type, diameter, color, and pattern of the balls differ depending upon the specific game being played...
marker at Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England. Lying on the River Severn, it is a civil parish home to some 70,000 inhabitants, and is the primary settlement and headquarters of Shropshire Council...
. In 1900 he found a job with the London and North Western Railway
London and North Western Railway
The London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
, for whom he worked in Crewe
Crewe
Crewe is a railway town within the unitary authority area of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. According to the 2001 census the urban area had a population of 67,683...
and later as an electrician at the London and North-Western Hotel at Euston
Euston
Euston may refer to:Communities*Euston, Suffolk, UK*Euston, New South Wales, AustraliaStations*Euston railway station, London, UK*Euston tube station, London, UK*Euston Square tube station, London, UKOther...
.
St Pancras municipal politics
Moving to London, Oakley became involved in municipal politics in the Metropolitan Borough of St PancrasMetropolitan Borough of St Pancras
The Metropolitan Borough of St Pancras was a Metropolitan borough of the County of London between 1900 and 1965, when it was amalgamated with the Metropolitan Borough of Hampstead and the Metropolitan Borough of Holborn to form the London Borough of Camden...
. In 1912 he stood as a Municipal Reform
Municipal Reform Party
The Municipal Reform Party was a local party allied to the parliamentary Conservative Party in the County of London. The party contested elections to both the London County Council and metropolitan borough councils of the county from 1906 to 1945.-Formation:...
candidate for the borough council in ward no. 6 (which included Somers Town
Somers Town, London
Somers Town, was named for Charles Cocks, 1st Baron Somers. The area in St Pancras, London, was originally granted by William III to John Somers, Lord Chancellor and Baron Somers of Evesham. It was to be strongly influenced by the three mainline north London railway termini: Euston , St...
, together with King's Cross and St Pancras
St Pancras railway station
St Pancras railway station, also known as London St Pancras and since 2007 as St Pancras International, is a central London railway terminus celebrated for its Victorian architecture. The Grade I listed building stands on Euston Road in St Pancras, London Borough of Camden, between the...
stations); he was defeated with 112 votes behind the lowest winning candidate. Later that year he was elected to St Pancras Board of guardians
Board of Guardians
Boards of guardians were ad hoc authorities that administered Poor Law in the United Kingdom from 1835 to 1930.-England and Wales:The boards were created by the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834, replacing the parish Overseers of the Poor established under the old poor law, following the recommendations...
, and after re-election in 1919 he served as Chairman of the Board in 1921-22. Oakley again failed to be elected as St Pancras borough councillor for ward no. 6 in the 1919 elections.
Hearts of Oak
Oakley became heavily involved in the Hearts of Oak Benefit Society, a large friendly societyFriendly society
A friendly society is a mutual association for insurance, pensions or savings and loan-like purposes, or cooperative banking. It is a mutual organization or benefit society composed of a body of people who join together for a common financial or social purpose...
operating nationwide but based on the Euston Road
Euston Road
Euston Road is an important thoroughfare in central London, England, and forms part of the A501. It is part of the New Road from Paddington to Islington, and was opened as part of the New Road in 1756...
. He was elected to its Executive Council and served on the Finance and Investment Committee (of which he became Chairman). In 1920 he was Chairman of the Executive Council. His experience with the Hearts of Oak led him to become a Fellow of the Faculty of Insurance, and he also served as a member of the National Congress of Friendly Societies; he was appointed by the Minister of Health as a member of the Consultative Council on National Health Insurance.
The Wrekin
At the 1924 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 1924
- Seats summary :- References :* F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* - External links :* * *...
, Oakley was selected as the 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...
candidate for The Wrekin
The Wrekin (UK Parliament constituency)
The Wrekin is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom since 1918. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
constituency in his native Shropshire. The seat was held by Labour, but Oakley challenged as a working man using his own life experiences to oppose Labour policies. While on his way to a campaign meeting at Oakengates
Oakengates
Oakengates is a town in the borough of Telford and Wrekin and ceremonial county of Shropshire, England, and now forms part of the new town of Telford...
during the campaign, Oakley saw his Labour opponent's car which had gone off the road and ended in a ditch; he gave his opponent a lift to his meeting before going along to his own meeting at which he arrived late and was booed by the crowd. Oakley explained why he was late and then invited the crowd to "Now get on with your booing". Oakley was successful at the polls, winning a majority of 2,878 over the sitting Labour MP.
Parliament
Oakley's Parliamentary contributions concentrated on issues affecting Friendly Societies and national insurance. In June 1925 he pressed the Minister for Health to intervene in the case of a man in Ferndale, Glamorgan who was incapacitated from work but was awarded much less in outdoor relief than the national scale indicated; the Minister refused to intervene in the local decision. He was unanimously elected President of the Hearts of Oak society in May 1926, and served as Parliamentary Agent to the society during his time as an MP.Betting
He took up the cause of abolition of betting duty and in December 1926 presided at meetings in Liverpool and Manchester organised by the Betting Duty Reform Association at which many representatives connected with horse racing spoke. Speaking in March 1927 Oakley made it clear that he regarded the introduction of betting duty in the 1926 budget as being mistaken, and declared that he was not ashamed of trying to put his party right on the subject. In 1927 Oakley declared himself a supporter of the proposed reform of the House of LordsHouse of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
proposed by Viscount Cave
George Cave, 1st Viscount Cave
George Cave, 1st Viscount Cave GCMG, KC, PC was a British lawyer and Conservative politician. He was Home Secretary under David Lloyd George from 1916 to 1919 and served as Lord Chancellor of Great Britain from 1922 to 1924 and again from 1924 to 1928.-Background and education:Cave was born in...
.
It was not until March 1928 that Oakley made his first full speech in the House of Commons, opposing the Racecourse Betting Bill which established the Horserace Totalisator Board
The Tote
The Tote, formerly the Horserace Totalisator Board, is a British bookmaker with head offices in Wigan. It was owned from its formation in 1928 by the UK Government but was sold to Betfred in July 2011. Under the brand totesport the Tote has 514 high street betting shops, outlets on Britain's 60...
. He objected to the Bill on the grounds that it created a monopoly and placed betting under the control of the Jockey Club
Jockey Club
The Jockey Club is the largest commercial organisation in British horseracing. Although no longer responsible for the governance and regulation of the sport, it owns 14 of Britain's famous racecourses, including Aintree, Cheltenham and Newmarket, amongst other concerns such as the National Stud and...
and the National Hunt Committee
National Hunt racing
National Hunt racing is the official name given to the sport of horse racing in the United Kingdom, France and Ireland in which the horses are required to jump over obstacles called hurdles or fences...
. Oakley was in a minority of Conservatives in opposing the Bill on a free vote, and was unsuccessful in his opposition to the Bill. After the debate, Oakley apologised to Lord Hamilton of Dalzell
Gavin Hamilton, 2nd Baron Hamilton of Dalzell
Gavin George Hamilton, 2nd Baron Hamilton of Dalzell KT, CVO, MC , was a Scottish Liberal politician.Hamilton was the eldest surviving son of John Hamilton, 1st Baron Hamilton of Dalzell, and his wife Lady Emily Eleanor, daughter of Alexander Leslie-Melville, 10th Earl of Leven...
for an inaccuracy in his speech concerning admission fees to the racecourses owned by the club.
Defeat
With a narrow majority, The Wrekin was targeted by the Labour Party at the 1929 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 1929
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
. Labour Party leader 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....
spoke in the division attacking David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
's plan for dealing with unemployment at the end of March, shortly before the campaign opened. At the election, a Liberal candidate stood for the first time since 1920. Oakley was hopeful that the workers of the district had fallen out of sympathy with the Labour Party since the general strike
1926 United Kingdom general strike
The 1926 general strike in the United Kingdom was a general strike that lasted nine days, from 4 May 1926 to 13 May 1926. It was called by the general council of the Trades Union Congress in an unsuccessful attempt to force the British government to act to prevent wage reduction and worsening...
of 1926, and that trade union membership had fallen. However the constituency included mining (some mines had closed), and the iron and steel industry imported their raw materials and were strongly opposed to protectionism. A competitive election was forecast. In line with the national swing, Oakley was defeated by 2,862 votes.
Later life
In the fortnight after the election, Oakley was elected once again as Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Hearts of Oak Benefit Society. In September 1931 he was elected as Parliamentary Agent to the National Conference of Friendly Societies. As its Parliamentary Agent, Oakley reported back to the Hearts of Oak society's conference in 1934 that the society's pressure on the Chancellor of the Exchequer to protect friendly society benefits in law had been effective, and that payments from friendly societies would be disregarded when applying the means testMeans test
A means test is a determination of whether an individual or family is eligible for help from the government.- Canada :In Canada means tests are used for student finance , and "welfare" . They are not generally used for primary education and secondary education which are tax-funded...
. Always a highly active man, he remained active in election work. Oakley worked so heavily on campaigning 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...
that he became ill, and eventually died the following spring.