John Wadsworth

John Wadsworth (1850 – 10 July 1921) was a British trade unionist and Liberal or Lib-Lab politician.

For the British ceramicist, see John William Wadsworth.

John Wadsworth MP, circa 1906

Born in West Melton in the West Riding of Yorkshire, Wadsworth worked as a coal miner and was elected checkweighman. He joined the Yorkshire Miners Association, a constituent part of the Miners Federation of Great Britain (MFGB), rising to become the Yorkshire Association's general secretary, then in 1904 its president.

Wadsworth was elected as the Lib-Lab Member of Parliament (MP) for Hallamshire at the 1906 general election.

General election 1906: Hallamshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John Wadsworth 8,375 55.2
Conservative Frederic Kelley 6,807 44.8
Majority 1,568 10.4
Turnout 83.9
Liberal hold Swing

In 1909, with the other MFGB-sponsored MPs, he joined the Labour Party, retaining his seat in his new colours.

General election January 1910: Hallamshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Wadsworth 10,193 62.2
Conservative Thomas Sutton Timmis 6,185 37.8
Majority 4,008 24.4
Turnout 82.2
Labour gain from Liberal Swing
General election December 1910: Hallamshire
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Wadsworth 8,708 59.9
Conservative David Thurston Smith 5,837 40.1
Majority 2,871 19.8
Turnout 73.0
Labour hold Swing

In 1915 he resigned the Labour whip and re-joined the Liberals.[1] He continued as MP until the seat's abolition for the 1918 general election.

References
  1. The History of the Liberal Party, 1895–1970 by Roy Douglas (1971) p. 355
  • Michael Stenton and Stephen Lees, Who's Who of British MPs: Volume II, 1886–1918
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