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{{short description|British politician}}
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'''Albert Edward Oram, Baron Oram''', (13 August 1913 – 5 September 1999), was a Co-operative and Labour politician in the [[United Kingdom]].
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{{Use British English|date=March 2018}}
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'''Albert Edward Oram, Baron Oram''' (13 August 1913 – 5 September 1999) was a Co-operative and Labour politician in the [[United Kingdom]].


Bert Oram was educated at Brighton Grammar School and the [[University of London]]. He became a teacher. In the [[Second World War]] he was initially recognised as a [[conscientious objector]], but voluntarily renounced his exemption to join the army. He served in the [[Royal Artillery]] and landed in [[Normandy]] on [[D-Day]], continuing on the campaign into [[Germany]].<ref name=coopnews>'Strong Co-op voices, Brighton's co-operative rock', ''[[The Co-operative News]]'', p.18, 13 May 2008.</ref> After the war he briefly returned to teaching before moving in 1946 to work for the [[Co-operative Party]] as Research Officer. He advocated consumer welfare and democratising industrial relations, writing a series of publications including ''The People's Industry''.<ref name=coopnews />
Oram, the son of the blacksmith who made the beautiful railings around Chichester cathedral,<ref name="Independent obit">{{cite news |last1=Dalyell |first1=Tam |title=Obituary: Lord Oram |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-lord-oram-1116961.html |accessdate=20 May 2019 |work=[[The Independent]] |date=7 September 1999}}</ref> was educated at [[Brighton, Hove and Sussex Grammar School]] and the [[London School of Economics]]. He became a teacher. In the [[Second World War]] he was initially recognised as a [[conscientious objector]], but voluntarily renounced his exemption to join the army. He served in the [[Royal Artillery]] and landed in [[Normandy]] three days after [[D-Day]], continuing on the campaign into [[Germany]].<ref name=coopnews>'Strong Co-op voices, Brighton's co-operative rock', ''[[The Co-operative News]]'', p.18, 13 May 2008.</ref> After the war he briefly returned to teaching before moving in 1946 to work for the [[Co-operative Party]] as Research Officer. He advocated consumer welfare and democratising industrial relations, writing a series of publications including ''The People's Industry''.<ref name=coopnews />


Oram attempted to win the parliamentary seat of [[Billericay (UK Parliament constituency)|Billericay]] but lost despite winning 19,437 votes.<ref name=coopnews /> He served as [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]] and Co-operative [[Member of Parliament]] for [[East Ham South (UK Parliament constituency)|East Ham South]] from 1955 to February 1974. He was Parliamentary Secretary for Development 1964 to 1969 under [[Barbara Castle]], and a Government [[Whip (politics)|Whip]] 1976 to 1978 in the [[House of Lords]].
Oram attempted to win the parliamentary seats of [[Lewes (UK Parliament constituency)|Lewes]], in 1945, where he was supported by the charismatic [[Harold Laski]] (who had greatly influenced him at LSE) and by his future wife Joan, and of [[Billericay (UK Parliament constituency)|Billericay]], in 1950, where he lost despite winning 19,437 votes.<ref name=coopnews /> He served as [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]] and Co-operative [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] for [[East Ham South (UK Parliament constituency)|East Ham South]] from 1955 to February 1974. His maiden speech concentrated on the successes of the [[cooperative movement]]. In January 1958 he introduced a [[private members bill]] to reform and speed up parliamentary procedures.<ref>Hansard Vol 581cc669-771</ref>


He was Parliamentary Secretary for Overseas Development 1964 to 1969 under [[Barbara Castle]], [[Anthony Greenwood]], [[Arthur Bottomley]] and his Parliamentary neighbour in East Ham, [[Reg Prentice]]; and a Government [[Whip (politics)|Whip]] 1976 to 1978 in the [[House of Lords]]. He accompanied the Prime Minister ([[Harold Wilson]]) on trips to Africa, including unsuccessful negotiations with [[Ian Smith]] after Rhodesia's [[Rhodesia's Unilateral Declaration of Independence|Unilateral Declaration of Independence]] in 1965. He took a particular interest in promoting education in Africa, leading the UK Delegation to [[UNESCO]] and increasing resources for teacher training.<ref name="Independent obit"/>
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Oram was greatly interested in aiding development throughout the world, he was a European enthusiast and opponent to nuclear weapons. He became co-ordinator of the development programmes of the [[Co-operative Alliance]] in 1971 and held this office until 1973. He was a member of the [[Commonwealth Development Corporation]] in the years 1975 and 1976, and was made Chairman of the [[Co-operative Development Agency]] from 1978 to 1981.


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Oram was a European enthusiast and opponent of nuclear weapons. In October 1971 he was the only Labour and Co-operative MP to support the Conservative Government's motion to negotiate membership of the European Community. He became co-ordinator of the development programmes of the [[Co-operative Alliance]] in 1971 and held this office until 1973. He was a member of the [[Commonwealth Development Corporation]] in the years 1975 and 1976, and was made Chairman of the [[Co-operative Development Agency]] from 1978 to 1981. He was the Opposition Spokesman in the [[House of Lords]] on Overseas Development 1983–87.
On 22 January 1976, he was created '''Baron Oram''', of Brighton in the County of [[East Sussex]].

On 22 January 1976 he was created a [[life peer]] taking the title '''Baron Oram''', of [[Brighton]] in the County of [[East Sussex]].<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=46805 |date=23 January 1976 |page=1147}}</ref> He chaired the Boards of the Brighton Co-operative Society and of the League of Sussex Downsmen.<ref name="Guardian obit">{{cite news |last1=Roth |first1=Andrew |title=Lord Oram |url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/1999/sep/07/guardianobituaries1 |accessdate=20 May 2019 |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=7 September 1999}}</ref><ref>{{Cite Hansard|house=House of Commons |title=Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 |url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/lords/1984/jun/13/wildlife-and-countryside-act-1981 |date=13 June 1984 |column_start=1197 |column_end=1198}}</ref> He was a patron of Humanists UK until his death in 1999.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Recent humanist obituaries|url=https://humanism.org.uk/about/our-people/recent-humanist-obituaries/|access-date=2020-11-23|website=Humanists UK|language=en}}</ref>


==References==
==References==
*[http://archives.lse.ac.uk/dserve.exe?dsqServer=lib-4.lse.ac.uk&dsqIni=Dserve.ini&dsqApp=Archive&dsqCmd=Show.tcl&dsqDb=Catalog&dsqPos=0&dsqSearch=(RefNo='oram') Catalogue] of Baron Oram's papers at [http://www.lse.ac.uk/library/archive/Default.htm LSE Archives]
*[http://archives.lse.ac.uk/TreeBrowse.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&field=RefNo&key=ORAM Catalogue] of Baron Oram's papers at [https://web.archive.org/web/20070618035533/http://www.lse.ac.uk/library/archive/Default.htm LSE Archives]
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}


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| title = [[Member of Parliament]] for [[East Ham South (UK Parliament constituency)|East Ham South]]
| title = [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] for [[East Ham South (UK Parliament constituency)|East Ham South]]
| years = [[United Kingdom general election, 1955|1955]]–[[United Kingdom general election, February 1974|February 1974]]
| years = [[1955 United Kingdom general election|1955]]–[[February 1974 United Kingdom general election|February 1974]]
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| before = [[Alfred John Barnes]]
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Latest revision as of 19:59, 25 August 2023

Albert Edward Oram, Baron Oram (13 August 1913 – 5 September 1999) was a Co-operative and Labour politician in the United Kingdom.

Oram, the son of the blacksmith who made the beautiful railings around Chichester cathedral,[1] was educated at Brighton, Hove and Sussex Grammar School and the London School of Economics. He became a teacher. In the Second World War he was initially recognised as a conscientious objector, but voluntarily renounced his exemption to join the army. He served in the Royal Artillery and landed in Normandy three days after D-Day, continuing on the campaign into Germany.[2] After the war he briefly returned to teaching before moving in 1946 to work for the Co-operative Party as Research Officer. He advocated consumer welfare and democratising industrial relations, writing a series of publications including The People's Industry.[2]

Oram attempted to win the parliamentary seats of Lewes, in 1945, where he was supported by the charismatic Harold Laski (who had greatly influenced him at LSE) and by his future wife Joan, and of Billericay, in 1950, where he lost despite winning 19,437 votes.[2] He served as Labour and Co-operative Member of Parliament for East Ham South from 1955 to February 1974. His maiden speech concentrated on the successes of the cooperative movement. In January 1958 he introduced a private members bill to reform and speed up parliamentary procedures.[3]

He was Parliamentary Secretary for Overseas Development 1964 to 1969 under Barbara Castle, Anthony Greenwood, Arthur Bottomley and his Parliamentary neighbour in East Ham, Reg Prentice; and a Government Whip 1976 to 1978 in the House of Lords. He accompanied the Prime Minister (Harold Wilson) on trips to Africa, including unsuccessful negotiations with Ian Smith after Rhodesia's Unilateral Declaration of Independence in 1965. He took a particular interest in promoting education in Africa, leading the UK Delegation to UNESCO and increasing resources for teacher training.[1]

Oram was a European enthusiast and opponent of nuclear weapons. In October 1971 he was the only Labour and Co-operative MP to support the Conservative Government's motion to negotiate membership of the European Community. He became co-ordinator of the development programmes of the Co-operative Alliance in 1971 and held this office until 1973. He was a member of the Commonwealth Development Corporation in the years 1975 and 1976, and was made Chairman of the Co-operative Development Agency from 1978 to 1981. He was the Opposition Spokesman in the House of Lords on Overseas Development 1983–87.

On 22 January 1976 he was created a life peer taking the title Baron Oram, of Brighton in the County of East Sussex.[4] He chaired the Boards of the Brighton Co-operative Society and of the League of Sussex Downsmen.[5][6] He was a patron of Humanists UK until his death in 1999.[7]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Dalyell, Tam (7 September 1999). "Obituary: Lord Oram". The Independent. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  2. ^ a b c 'Strong Co-op voices, Brighton's co-operative rock', The Co-operative News, p.18, 13 May 2008.
  3. ^ Hansard Vol 581cc669-771
  4. ^ "No. 46805". The London Gazette. 23 January 1976. p. 1147.
  5. ^ Roth, Andrew (7 September 1999). "Lord Oram". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  6. ^ "Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). House of Commons. 13 June 1984. col. 1197–1198.
  7. ^ "Recent humanist obituaries". Humanists UK. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for East Ham South
1955–February 1974 		constituency abolished
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