Fred Willey
Frederick Thomas Willey (13 November 1910 – 13 December 1987) was a British Labour Party politician. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) representing a Sunderland constituency for 38 years, from 1945 to 1983.
Frederick Willey | |
|---|---|
| Chair of the Parliamentary Labour Party | |
| In office 14 June 1979 – 19 November 1981 | |
| Leader | James Callaghan Michael Foot |
| Preceded by | Cledwyn Hughes |
| Succeeded by | Jack Dormand |
| Minister of State for Housing and Local Government | |
| In office 18 October 1964 – 19 June 1970 | |
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Prime Minister | Harold Wilson |
| Succeeded by | Graham Page |
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Food | |
| In office 18 April 1950 – 26 October 1951 | |
| Leader | Clement Attlee |
| Preceded by | Stanley Evans |
| Succeeded by | Charles Hill |
| Member of Parliament for Sunderland North Sunderland (1945-1950) | |
| In office 5 July 1945 – 13 May 1983 | |
| Preceded by | Stephen Furness |
| Succeeded by | Bob Clay |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 13 November 1910 |
| Died | 13 December 1987 (aged 77) |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Labour |
| Spouse | Eleanor Snowdon |
| Alma mater | St John's College, Cambridge |
Early life
Willey was educated at Durham Johnston School and St John's College, Cambridge, and was called to the Bar in 1936. He worked as a barrister on the Northern Circuit.
His political career as an activist for social justice and other left-wing causes began in the 1930s, when he was the keynote speaker welcoming returning International Brigade volunteers to Sunderland.
Military career
During the Second World War Willey served with the Auxiliary Fire Service (AFS) and was an officer of the Fire Brigades Union.
Parliamentary career
Willey was elected to the House of Commons as Member of Parliament (MP) for Sunderland in 1945, when the Borough still sent two MPs to Parliament. In 1950 two-member constituencies were abolished and Willey was returned for the new constituency of Sunderland North, where he served until he retired before the general election of 1983.
Willey served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food from 1950 to 1951, and as Minister of Land and Natural Resources from 1965 to 1967. He opened the UK's first long-distance footpath, the Pennine Way, in 1965.
He served as Chairman of the Parliamentary Labour Party from 1979 to 1981.
References
- The Times House of Commons 1945. 1945.
{{cite book}}:|work=ignored (help) - The Times House of Commons 1950. 1950.
{{cite book}}:|work=ignored (help) - The Times House of Commons 1955. 1955.
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