Aaron Curry (politician)

Aaron Charlton Curry DCL (Hon.), JP, FRSA (17 August 1887 – 6 January 1957)[1] was a Liberal Party, and briefly Liberal National, politician in the United Kingdom.

For other people named Aaron Curry, see Aaron Curry (disambiguation).

Aaron Charlton Curry
Member of Parliament
for Bishop Auckland
In office
27 October 1931 – 25 October 1935
Preceded byHugh Dalton
Succeeded byHugh Dalton
Personal details
Born17 August 1888
Newcastle, England
Died6 January 1957
Newcastle, England
Political partyLiberal
SpouseJane Cranston Wilson
Childrenone daughter
OccupationAccountant, politician

Background

Curry married Jane Cranston Wilson in 1913 and they had one daughter. Hon. DCL (Dunelm), 1951.[2]

Career

Curry was a founder and formerly senior partner in A. C. Curry & Co., chartered accountants. He was a Fellow of the Corporation of Accountants. He was a Fellow Corporation of Certified Secretaries. He was Director of H. Young (Motors) Ltd, Norbrit Products, Ltd and other Companies.[2]

Political career

Parliamentary

Standing as a Liberal candidate at the 1923 and 1924 general elections, Curry unsuccessfully contested the Houghton-le-Spring constituency. He was defeated again at the Wallsend by-election in 1926, and in Bishop Auckland at a by-election in 1929 and at the 1929 general election.[3] He was elected to the House of Commons on his sixth attempt, at the 1931 general election, when he stood as a Liberal National candidate for Bishop Auckland, defeating the sitting Labour Member of Parliament (MP) Hugh Dalton. Although he took the Liberal National whip after the 1931 election, he consistently voted with the official Liberal Party in Commons votes. His support for free trade and opposition to the government's proposed tariffs being a major reason.[4] In December 1932, Curry left the Liberal Nationals and took the Liberal whip.[5] He stood as a Liberal candidate at the 1935 general election, when Dalton regained the seat. Curry did not stand for Parliament again.[3]

Municipal

He was a member of Whickham Urban District Council from 1931 to 1937. He was a member of Newcastle upon Tyne City Council; Councillor 1941-51 and Alderman 1951–57. Lord Mayor of the City and County of Newcastle upon Tyne, 1949–50 and again 1956–57. He was Chairman of Northumberland and Tyneside River Board. He was a Justice of the Peace for County Durham. He was a Justice of the Peace for the County Borough of Newcastle upon Tyne.[2]

Electoral record
General election 1923: Houghton-le-Spring[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Robert Richardson 15,225 59.3 +7.4
Liberal Aaron Curry 10,445 40.7 +19.5
Majority 4,780 18.6 −6.4
Turnout 25,670 69.0 −9.4
Registered electors 37,224
Labour hold Swing −6.1
General election 1924: Houghton-le-Spring[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Robert Richardson 17,857 57.8 −1.5
Liberal Aaron Curry 13,023 42.2 +1.5
Majority 4,834 15.6 −3.0
Turnout 30,880 79.6 +10.6
Registered electors 38,779
Labour hold Swing −1.5
1926 Wallsend by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Margaret Bondfield 18,866 57.7 +5.3
Unionist Sam Howard 9,839 30.1 −17.5
Liberal Aaron Curry 4,000 12.2 n/a
Majority 9,027 27.6 +22.8
Turnout 32,705 82.9 −2.5
Registered electors 39,460
Labour hold Swing +11.4
1929 Bishop Auckland by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Ruth Dalton 14,797 57.1 +2.0
Liberal Aaron Curry 7,725 29.9 −15.0
Unionist Herbert Thompson 3,357 13.0 n/a
Majority 7,072 27.2 +17.0
Turnout 25,879 74.4 −6.5
Registered electors 34,787
Labour hold Swing +8.5
General election 1929: Bishop Auckland[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Hugh Dalton 17,838 55.8 -1.3
Liberal Aaron Curry 9,635 30.1 +0.2
Unionist Herbert Thompson 4,503 14.1 +1.1
Majority 8,203 25.7 -1.5
Turnout 31,976 76.5 +2.1
Registered electors 41,772
Labour hold Swing -0.8
General election 1931: Bishop Auckland[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Liberal Aaron Curry 17,551 51.4 +21.3
Labour Hugh Dalton 16,796 48.6 -7.2
Majority 955 2.8 28.5
Turnout 34,547 82.5 +6.0
National Liberal gain from Labour Swing +14.2
General election 1935: Bishop Auckland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Hugh Dalton 20,481 62.3 +13.7
Liberal Aaron Curry 12,395 37.7 -13.7
Majority 8,086 24.6 27.4
Turnout 32,876 79.2 -3.3
Labour gain from Liberal Swing +13.7

References
  1. Historical list of MPs: B, part 3[Usurped!] at Leigh Rayment's peerage pages
  2. (2007, December 01). Curry, Aaron Charlton, (1887–6 Jan. 1957), Member of Newcastle upon Tyne City Council since 1941, Alderman since 1951; Chairman of Northumberland and Tyneside River Board; Fellow Corporation of Accountants; Director of H. Young (Motors) Ltd, Norbrit Products, Ltd and other Companies; Fellow Corporation of Certified Secretaries. WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO. Ed. Retrieved 29 Mar. 2019, from http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/10.1093/ww/9780199540891.001.0001/ww-9780199540884-e-236290.
  3. Craig, F. W. S. (1983) [First published 1969]. British parliamentary election results 1918-1949 (3rd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.
  4. Liberals in Schism: A History of the National Liberal Party by David Dutton
  5. Liberals in Parliament 1924-1994 by Rif Winfield
  6. British parliamentary election results, 1918-1949 by FWS Craig
  7. Political Science Resources, Richard Kimber
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