Charles Craig (British politician)

Charles Curtis Craig PC (Ire) PC (NI) (18 February 1869 – 28 January 1960[1]) was an Irish Unionist and later Ulster Unionist politician. He was Member of Parliament (MP) for constituencies in County Antrim from 1903 to 1929, taking his seat in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. The son of James Craig, of Craigavon, Belfast, a self-made millionaire whisky distiller, among his brothers was Northern Ireland's first Prime Minister, James Craig.

For other people named Charles Craig, see Charles Craig (disambiguation).

Charles Craig
PC (Ire) PC (NI)
Member of Parliament
for South Antrim
In office
1903–1922
Serving with Hugh O'Neill
Preceded byWilliam Ellison-Macartney
Succeeded byConstituency abolished
Member of Parliament
for Antrim
In office
1922–1929
Preceded byNew constituency
Succeeded byJoseph McConnell
Hugh O'Neill
Personal details
Born
Charles Curtis Craig

(1869-02-18)February 18, 1869
DiedJanuary 28, 1960(1960-01-28) (aged 90)
Political partyIrish Unionist
SpouseLilian Wimble
RelationsJames Craig (brother)
Parent
  • James Craig (father)

1903 South Antrim by-election

Craig first stood for Parliament at a by-election in 1903 for the South Antrim constituency, after the sitting Unionist MP William Ellison-Macartney had left the Commons to take up the post of Deputy-Master of the Royal Mint.[2] He defeated a Russellite opponent to win the seat.[3]

1903 South Antrim by-election[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Unionist Charles Craig 4,464 55.25 +0.86
Russellite Unionist Samuel Robert Keightley 3,615 44.75 +44.75
Majority 849 10.51 +1.73
Turnout 10,236 78.93 +13.86
Irish Unionist hold Swing N/A

Craig held the seat through four subsequent general elections.[5]

Antrim constituency

The South Antrim constituency was abolished for the 1922 general election and Craig was then elected as one of the two MPs for the re-established Antrim constituency, and held that seat until he retired from Parliament at the 1929 general election.[5]

Craig was sworn as a member of the Privy Council of Ireland on 5 December 1922,[6] one of two new members admitted on the last day before the Anglo-Irish Treaty came into effect, on 6 December 1922. Although it was never formally abolished, the Irish Privy Council effectively ceased to exist with the creation of the Irish Free State, and on 12 December, ten members were sworn of a new Privy Council of Northern Ireland. Craig was not one of those first appointments, but was appointed on 27 Sep 1923 as the thirteenth member of the Privy Council of Northern Ireland.[6]

In the 1922–1924 Conservative Government, led by Bonar Law and then Stanley Baldwin, Curtis was appointed in February 1923 as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Pensions, and held that post until first Labour government took office in January 1924.

Personal life

Craig married Lilian Bowring Wimble, daughter of the John Wimble, of Long Ditton, Surrey in 1897.

References
  1. "House of Commons constituencies beginning with "A" (part 2)". Leigh Rayment's House of Commons page. Archived from the original on 20 October 2018. Retrieved 29 November 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  2. "Macartney, William Grey Ellison-1852-1924". Dictionary of Uster Biography. (via the wayBack machine). Archived from the original on 19 March 2008. Retrieved 29 November 2009.
  3. Brian M. Walker, ed. (1978). Parliamentary election results in Ireland 1801–1922. Dublin: Royal Irish Academy. pp. 327, 383. ISBN 0-901714-12-7.
  4. The Constitutional Year Book, 1904, published by Conservative Central Office, page 187 (211 in web page)
  5. Brian M. Walker, ed. (1978). Parliamentary election results in Ireland 1918–1992. Dublin: Royal Irish Academy. pp. 16–17. ISBN 0-901714-96-8.
  6. "Privy Councillors – Ireland". Leigh Rayment's peerage pages. Archived from the original on 7 June 2008. Retrieved 29 November 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
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