Allan Studholme
Encyclopedia
Allan Studholme was a Canadian
trade union
ist and politician.
Born in England
near Birmingham
, Studholme worked from his childhood. He moved to Canada in 1878 living in Dundas
and Guelph
before settling in Hamilton
in 1885 where he found work as a stove mounter. An active trade unionist from his days in Britain, Studholme became active in the Knights of Labour and believed that workers should be active in politics on a class basis.
After a short time in Australia
and New Zealand
he returned to Hamilton in 1901. As a result of his involvement in support of striking streetcar workers he was elected to the Ontario legislature from Hamilton East in a 1906 by-election
as an Independent Labour MLA
becoming the first Labour member of the Ontario legislature. He remained at Queen's Park until his death in 1919.
In the legislature, Studholme championed pro-worker legislation such as the eight hour day, a minimum wage
and helped bring the Workmen's Compensation Act into existence. He also supported progressive causes such as women's suffrage
.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
ist and politician.
Born in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
near Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, Studholme worked from his childhood. He moved to Canada in 1878 living in Dundas
Dundas, Ontario
Dundas is a formerly independent town and now constituent community in the city of Hamilton in Ontario, Canada. It's nickname is the Valley Town. The population has been stable for decades at about twenty thousand, largely because it has not annexed rural land from the protected Dundas Valley...
and Guelph
Guelph
Guelph is a city in Ontario, Canada.Guelph may also refer to:* Guelph , consisting of the City of Guelph, Ontario* Guelph , as the above* University of Guelph, in the same city...
before settling in Hamilton
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
in 1885 where he found work as a stove mounter. An active trade unionist from his days in Britain, Studholme became active in the Knights of Labour and believed that workers should be active in politics on a class basis.
After a short time in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
he returned to Hamilton in 1901. As a result of his involvement in support of striking streetcar workers he was elected to the Ontario legislature from Hamilton East in a 1906 by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
as an Independent Labour MLA
Member of the Legislative Assembly
A Member of the Legislative Assembly or a Member of the Legislature , is a representative elected by the voters of a constituency to the legislature or legislative assembly of a sub-national jurisdiction....
becoming the first Labour member of the Ontario legislature. He remained at Queen's Park until his death in 1919.
In the legislature, Studholme championed pro-worker legislation such as the eight hour day, a minimum wage
Minimum wage
A minimum wage is the lowest hourly, daily or monthly remuneration that employers may legally pay to workers. Equivalently, it is the lowest wage at which workers may sell their labour. Although minimum wage laws are in effect in a great many jurisdictions, there are differences of opinion about...
and helped bring the Workmen's Compensation Act into existence. He also supported progressive causes such as women's suffrage
Women's suffrage
Women's suffrage or woman suffrage is the right of women to vote and to run for office. The expression is also used for the economic and political reform movement aimed at extending these rights to women and without any restrictions or qualifications such as property ownership, payment of tax, or...
.