Archibald Gossling

Archibald George Gossling (1878 – 19 May 1950)[1] was a British trade unionist and Labour politician.[2]

Gossling was a joiner by trade, and became a member of the executive of the National Federation of Building Trades Operatives and the Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers.[2] In 1924 he was chosen to contest the parliamentary constituency of Birmingham Yardley for the Labour Party.[3] He failed to unseat the sitting Coalition Conservative MP, Alfred Jephcott, who retained the seat with a majority of nearly 2,000 votes.[4]

At the next general election, five years later, Gossling was again chosen as Labour candidate. This time he faced two opponents, Edward Salt of the Conservatives and C A Beaumont of the Liberal Party.[2] Gossling benefited from a large rise in support for Labour and the presence of the third candidate. He was elected to the Commons with a majority of 4,366 votes over Salt, while Beaumont secured 5,500 votes.[2]

Two years later another election was held. This followed the collapse of the Labour administration and the formation of a National Government, and Labour's vote dropped sharply. Gossling's Conservative opponent was again Edward Salt, the only other candidate being E J Bartlett of the New Party. Gossling was heavily defeated, with Salt winning the seat for the government by a majority of more than 15,000 votes.[5]