Harold Baker (politician)

Harold Trevor Baker PC (22 January 1877 – 12 July 1960) was a British scholar and Liberal politician.

Baker in the 1920s

Background

Baker was born on Portsea Island, the son of Louisa and Sir John Baker, MP for Portsmouth. He was educated at Winchester College and New College, Oxford. He received the Gaisford Prize in 1899. He was also a Craven Scholar, Hertford Scholar and an Eldon Scholar. He was President of the Oxford Union from 1900 to 1901. He was unmarried. In 1933 he was Fellow of Winchester College and Warden from 1936 to 1946.[1]

Professional career

Baker was Called to Bar by the Inner Temple in 1903.[2] He was Secretary to the Royal Commission on War Stores in South Africa. He was a Member of His Majesty's Army Council, European War, 1914 and Inspector of Quartermaster-General Services in 1916.[1]

Political career
Baker in 1910

Baker was elected to the House of Commons for Accrington in the January 1910 general election. He served in the Liberal administration of H. H. Asquith as Financial Secretary to the War Office from 1912 to 1914 and was admitted to the Privy Council in 1915. He was one of the few Liberal MPs of this period who opposed granting the vote to women.[3] He was defeated at the 1918 general election when he faced both a Labour opponent as well as a Coalition government backed Unionist. He tried to win his seat back in 1922 but finished third. He did not stand for parliament again.[4]

Electoral record
General election January 1910: Accrington[5][6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Harold Baker 8,968 58.1 +1.3
Conservative Albert Henry Jessel 6,455 41.9 n/a
Majority 2,513 16.2 −2.3
Turnout 15,423 94.6 +11.7
Registered electors 16,297
Liberal hold Swing n/a
General election December 1910: Accrington[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Harold Baker 8,129 55.7 −2.4
Conservative Ernest Gray 6,461 44.3 +2.4
Majority 1,668 11.4 −4.8
Turnout 14,590 89.5 −5.1
Registered electors 16,297
Liberal hold Swing −2.4
General election 14 December 1918: Accrington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
C Unionist Ernest Gray 13,808 47.2 +2.9
Liberal Harold Baker 8,378 28.6 -27.1
Labour Charles Roden Buxton 6,369 21.7 n/a
National Democratic William Hammond 738 2.5 n/a
Majority 5,430 18.6 30.0
Turnout 28,555 69.5 -20.0
Unionist gain from Liberal Swing +15.0
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.
General election 15 November 1922: Accrington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Charles Roden Buxton 16,462 44.3 +22.6
Unionist Ernest Gray 11,408 30.6 -16.6
Liberal Harold Baker 9,395 25.1 -3.5
Majority 5,054 13.7 32.3
Turnout 88.7 +19.2
Labour gain from Unionist Swing +19.6

Baker died in Winchester in July 1960, aged 83.

References
  1. "Baker, Right Hon. Harold Trevor". Who's Who. A & C Black. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  2. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916
  3. The National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies 1897-1914 by Leslie Hume
  4. British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1973, F. W. S. Craig
  5. British Parliamentary Election Results, 1885-1918 (Craig)
  6. Craig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 9781349022984.
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