Geoffrey Lofthouse

Geoffrey Lofthouse, Baron Lofthouse of Pontefract, JP (18 December 1925 – 1 November 2012), popularly known in his former constituency as Geoff Lofthouse, was a British Labour politician, MP and life peer.

The Right Honourable
The Lord Lofthouse of Pontefract
JP
Lofthouse speaking in the House of Lords, 2008
Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons
First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means
In office
27 April 1992 – 14 May 1997
SpeakerBetty Boothroyd
Preceded bySir Paul Dean
Succeeded byMichael Martin
Member of Parliament
for Pontefract and Castleford
In office
26 October 1978 – 8 April 1997
Preceded byJoseph Harper
Succeeded byYvette Cooper
Personal details
Born(1925-12-18)18 December 1925
Featherstone, West Riding of Yorkshire, England
Died1 November 2012(2012-11-01) (aged 86)
Political partyLabour
Spouse
Sarah Lofthouse
​
​
(m. 1946; died 1985)​

Early life

He was born in Featherstone, West Riding of Yorkshire, the son of Ernest Lofthouse, a farm labourer in Micklefield, and Emma (née Fellows). His father died at the age of 35. At the age of 14, Geoff Lofthouse went to work at Ackton Hall Colliery in Featherstone. At age 29, he was the president of the local branch of the NUM. He went to the University of Leeds, gaining a BA in Political Studies in 1957, when he was 32 years old. In 1962, he became a councillor on Pontefract Borough Council. He was mayor of Pontefract in 1967, and leader of the council from 1969 to 1973.[1]

Parliamentary career

He was MP for Pontefract and Castleford from a 1978 by-election until his retirement at the 1997 general election. In the House of Commons, he served from 1992 until his retirement as a Deputy Speaker of the House to Betty Boothroyd. In the Queen's Birthday Honours 1995 Lofthouse was appointed a Knight Bachelor.[2] In the Queen's Birthday Honours 1997 Lofthouse was made a life peer as Baron Lofthouse of Pontefract, of Pontefract, in the county of West Yorkshire.[3][4]

Publications

His autobiography, A Very Miner MP,[5] is available from Yorkshire Art Circus Publishers. He also wrote a further autobiography, From Coal Sack to Woolsack.[6]

Personal life

He married when he was 20 years old; he and his wife Sarah had a daughter.

Death

Lord Lofthouse died on 1 November 2012, aged 86.[1] His funeral service was held at St Giles' Church, Pontefract.

Arms
Coat of arms of Geoffrey Lofthouse
Crest
A canary Or holding in the dexter foot a miner's lamp Sable glazed Proper.
Escutcheon
Azure on a pale between and conjoined to two grilles throughout Or the whole surmounted by three chevronels Argent over all on a pale Sable three ellipses palewise.
Supporters
On either side a mole sejant erect holding in the mouth a rose Argent barbed and seeded slipped and leaved Or.
Motto
Stick And Lift[7]

References
  1. "Former Pontefract MP Geoffrey Lofthouse dies". BBC News. BBC. 1 November 2012. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  2. "No. 54066". The London Gazette (1st supplement). 16 June 1995. pp. 1–32.
  3. "No. 54807". The London Gazette. 16 June 1997. p. 1.
  4. "No. 54812". The London Gazette. 20 June 1997. p. 1.
  5. Lofthouse, Geoff (1986). A Very Miner MP (First ed.). Pontefract: Yorkshire Arts Circus. ISBN 9780947780159.
  6. Lofthouse, Geoff (December 1999). From Coal Sack to Woolsack. Pontefract: Pontefract Press. ISBN 9781900325172.
  7. Debrett's Peerage. 2003. p. 993.
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