Alfred James Bailey: Difference between revisions

'''Alfred James Bailey''' (1868 –– 1948), was a British Trade Unionist and [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal Party]] politician, serving as [[Lord Mayor of Sheffield]].

Bailey was Secretary of the Yorkshire branch of the [[National Amalgamated Union of Labour]], and from 1896 served as one of its official delegates.<ref name="ReferenceA">Working-class politics in Sheffield, 1900-1920 : A regional study in the origins and early growth of the Labour Party by Catherine Burke</ref><ref Hename="clegg">{{cite wasbook one|last1=Clegg of|first1=H. hisA. unions|title=General delegatesUnion in a Changing Society |date=1964 |publisher=Basil Blackwell |location=Oxford |pages=59, 211}}</ref> He also represented his union toat the [[Trades Union Congress]]. In 1924 following the merger of a number of trade unions he became a district secretary of the [[GMB (trade union)|National Union of General and Municipal Workers]].<ref name="nugmw">{{cite book|last1=Clegg|first1=H. A.|title=General Union|date=1954|publisher=Basil Blackwell|location=Oxford|pages=15&ndash;2215–22}}</ref>

Bailey was elected to [[Sheffield City Council]] as a Liberal in 1904 to represent Darnall Ward. He was re-elected in 1907 defeating the Labour Party candidate, [[Joseph Pointer]].<ref>Working-class politics in Sheffield, 1900-1920 : A regional study in the origins and early growth of the Labour Party by Catherine Burke<name="ReferenceA"/ref> He was Liberal candidate for the [[Sheffield Central (UK Parliament constituency)|Central]] division of [[Sheffield]] at both 1910 General Elections, sponsored by the [[Sheffield Federated Trades Council]]. His union gave permission for the candidacy, but no financial backing.<ref name="clegg" /> Sheffield Central was a safe Conservative seat. At the first election in January he increased the Liberal vote share by 3.5% against the national trend. He narrowed the gap further in the December election, to just 184 votes. He was an Independent Labour candidate for Sheffield Central at the 1918 General Election, sponsored by his union. At this election he saw his share of the vote fall and he again finished second. He did not stand for parliament again.<ref name="ReferenceB">British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig</ref>

He continued to be elected to Sheffield City Council until 1923 when he was appointed as an [[Alderman]].<ref>Working-class politics in Sheffield, 1900-1920 : A regional study in the origins and early growth of the Labour Party by Catherine Burke<name="ReferenceA"/ref> After the Great War he identified with the 'Citizen's Party' against the Labour Party. He served as [[List of mayors of Sheffield#List of Lord Mayors of Sheffield|Lord Mayor of Sheffield]] from 1924- to 1925.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mayor History |url=https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/content/sheffield/home/your-city-council/mayor-history.html |website=www.sheffield.gov.uk |access-date=6 July 2021}}</ref>

|title=[[January 1910 United Kingdom general election, January 1910|General Election January 1910]]: Sheffield Central<ref name="craig 1885" />}}

|title=[[December 1910 United Kingdom general election, December 1910|General Election December 1910]]: Sheffield Central<ref name="craig 1885">''British Parliamentary Election Results 1885-1918'', [[F. W. S. Craig]]</ref>}}

|title=[[1918 United Kingdom general election, 1918|General Election 1918]]: Sheffield Central<ref name="ReferenceB">British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig</ref> }}

[[Category:Liberal Party (UK) politiciansparliamentary candidates]]

[[Category:British tradeTrade unionists from Lincolnshire]]

[[Category:Lord Mayorsmayors of Sheffield]]