Charles Simmons (politician)
Encyclopedia
Charles James "Jim" Simmons (9 April 1893 – 11 August 1975) was a British
lecturer, journalist and politician.
Simmons was born in Moseley
, Birmingham
. Following elementary education, he became a Primitive Methodist
lay preacher at the age of 16. In World War I
he served in the Worcestershire Regiment
, seeing action in France, Egypt and Gallipoli. He was twice imprisoned whilst in the army, for appearing in uniform at a peace rally and for protesting against field punishments. He lost his leg at the Battle of Vimy Ridge
.
Following the war, he was a leading member of NOX the National Organisation of ex Servicemen, which fought for the rights of those returning from the war. His more militant stance was weakened as many of his comrades left to join the newly formed Communist Party. The NOX was later to effectively dissapear as it played an important role in the foundation of the British Legion. Simmons remained active for ex-Servicemen in local organisations. Jim Simmons also played a leading role in the Labour Churches movement.He gained political office as a member of Birmingham City Council from 1921–1931 and 1942–1945.
's candidate to contest Birmingham Erdington at the 1924 general election
. He failed to unseat the sitting Conservative
MP, Sir Arthur Steel-Maitland
in a straight fight.
At the next general election in 1929
, he was again Labour candidate at Erdington. As well as Steel-Maitland, a Liberal
, H J H Dyer, was also nominated to contest the seat. Simmons defeated Steel-Maitland by the narrow margin of 133 votes, benefitting from the fact that Dyer received more than 6,300 votes. The election had been very bitter, with Simmons issuing a leaflet accusing Steel-Maitland of abusing his position as Minister for Labour
and using a charitable fund to subsidise colliery owners to employ miners at less than the minimum wage. Following a threat by the defeated MP to begin libel proceedings, Simmons issued a formal apology.
Two years later another general election
was called. Simmons defended his seat against a new Conservative opponent J F Eales
. There was a large swing against Labour, and Eales defeated Simmons by the majority of nearly 19,000 votes.
At the next general election in 1935
Simmons attempted to regain the Erdington seat from Eales. This time it was a three-cornered contest, with an independent candidate also standing. He failed to be elected, increasingly his vote only marginally.
The 1935 election was to the last until 1945, due the Second World War. Simmons found work as a political journalist, editing the Town Crier, the journal of the Birmingham Trades Council from 1940–1945.
at the 1945 general election
, in opposition to the sitting Conservative MP Walter Higgs. There was a landslide to Labour, and he won the seat comfortably. He was a member of the Labour Government 1945-1951
as a Lord of the Treasury
from 30 March 1946 to 1 February 1949, after which he served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Pensions
.
constituency of Brierley Hill
from the 1950 general election
. He held the seat at the 1955 election
, but was unexpectedly defeated by his Conservative opponent at the 1959 general election
. Simmons was a strong advocate of the Temperence Movement, and campaigned for fourteen year old children to be banned from the bars of clubs. His defeat in 1959 was believed to have been partly attributable to the opposition of brewery interests.
He wrote his autobiography Soapbox Evangelist in 1971. He died in 1975, survived by his four sons and second wife.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
lecturer, journalist and politician.
Simmons was born in Moseley
Moseley
Moseley is a suburb of Birmingham, England, two miles south of the city centre. The area is a popular cosmopolitan residential location and leisure destination, with a number of bars and restaurants...
, 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...
. Following elementary education, he became a Primitive Methodist
Primitive Methodism
Primitive Methodism was a major movement in English Methodism from about 1810 until the Methodist Union in 1932. The Primitive Methodist Church still exists in the United States.-Origins:...
lay preacher at the age of 16. In World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
he served in the Worcestershire Regiment
Worcestershire Regiment
The Worcestershire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army, formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 29th Regiment of Foot and the 36th Regiment of Foot....
, seeing action in France, Egypt and Gallipoli. He was twice imprisoned whilst in the army, for appearing in uniform at a peace rally and for protesting against field punishments. He lost his leg at the Battle of Vimy Ridge
Battle of Vimy Ridge
The Battle of Vimy Ridge was a military engagement fought primarily as part of the Battle of Arras, in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France, during the First World War. The main combatants were the Canadian Corps, of four divisions, against three divisions of the German Sixth Army...
.
Following the war, he was a leading member of NOX the National Organisation of ex Servicemen, which fought for the rights of those returning from the war. His more militant stance was weakened as many of his comrades left to join the newly formed Communist Party. The NOX was later to effectively dissapear as it played an important role in the foundation of the British Legion. Simmons remained active for ex-Servicemen in local organisations. Jim Simmons also played a leading role in the Labour Churches movement.He gained political office as a member of Birmingham City Council from 1921–1931 and 1942–1945.
Member of parliament for Erdington
Simmons was selected as the Labour PartyLabour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
's candidate to contest Birmingham Erdington at the 1924 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1924
- Seats summary :- References :* F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* - External links :* * *...
. He failed to unseat the sitting Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
MP, Sir Arthur Steel-Maitland
Arthur Steel-Maitland
Sir Arthur Herbert Drummond Ramsay Steel-Maitland, 1st Baronet PC was a British Conservative politician. He was the first Chairman of the Conservative Party from 1911 to 1916 and held junior office from 1915 to 1919 in David Lloyd George's coalition government...
in a straight fight.
At the next general election in 1929
United Kingdom general election, 1929
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
, he was again Labour candidate at Erdington. As well as Steel-Maitland, a Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
, H J H Dyer, was also nominated to contest the seat. Simmons defeated Steel-Maitland by the narrow margin of 133 votes, benefitting from the fact that Dyer received more than 6,300 votes. The election had been very bitter, with Simmons issuing a leaflet accusing Steel-Maitland of abusing his position as Minister for Labour
Secretary of State for Employment
The Secretary of State for Employment was a position in the Cabinet of the United Kingdom. In 1995 it was merged with Secretary of State for Education to make the Secretary of State for Education and Employment...
and using a charitable fund to subsidise colliery owners to employ miners at less than the minimum wage. Following a threat by the defeated MP to begin libel proceedings, Simmons issued a formal apology.
Two years later another general election
United Kingdom general election, 1931
The United Kingdom general election on Tuesday 27 October 1931 was the last in the United Kingdom not held on a Thursday. It was also the last election, and the only one under universal suffrage, where one party received an absolute majority of the votes cast.The 1931 general election was the...
was called. Simmons defended his seat against a new Conservative opponent J F Eales
John Frederick Eales
John Frederick Eales was a British lawyer and Conservative Party politician who served as a Member of Parliament from 1931 to 1936.-Early life and legal career:...
. There was a large swing against Labour, and Eales defeated Simmons by the majority of nearly 19,000 votes.
At the next general election in 1935
United Kingdom general election, 1935
The United Kingdom general election held on 14 November 1935 resulted in a large, though reduced, majority for the National Government now led by Conservative Stanley Baldwin. The greatest number of MPs, as before, were Conservative, while the National Liberal vote held steady...
Simmons attempted to regain the Erdington seat from Eales. This time it was a three-cornered contest, with an independent candidate also standing. He failed to be elected, increasingly his vote only marginally.
The 1935 election was to the last until 1945, due the Second World War. Simmons found work as a political journalist, editing the Town Crier, the journal of the Birmingham Trades Council from 1940–1945.
Member of parliament for Birmingham West
Simmons was nominated as Labour candidate for Birmingham WestBirmingham West (UK Parliament constituency)
Birmingham West was a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It returned one Member of Parliament , elected by the first-past-the-post voting system....
at the 1945 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1945
The United Kingdom general election of 1945 was a general election held on 5 July 1945, with polls in some constituencies delayed until 12 July and in Nelson and Colne until 19 July, due to local wakes weeks. The results were counted and declared on 26 July, due in part to the time it took to...
, in opposition to the sitting Conservative MP Walter Higgs. There was a landslide to Labour, and he won the seat comfortably. He was a member of the Labour Government 1945-1951
Labour Government 1945-1951
The Labour Party came to power in the United Kingdom after their unexpected victory in the July 1945 general elections. Party leader Clement Attlee became Prime Minister and hastily replaced his predecessor Winston Churchill at the Potsdam Conference in late July. Ernest Bevin was Foreign Secretary...
as a Lord of the Treasury
Lord of the Treasury
In the United Kingdom, there are at least six Lords of the Treasury who serve concurrently. Traditionally, this board consists of the First Lord of the Treasury, the Second Lord of the Treasury, and four or more junior lords .Strictly they are commissioners for exercising the office of Lord...
from 30 March 1946 to 1 February 1949, after which he served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Pensions
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Pensions
The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Pensions was a junior Ministerial office at Parliamentary Secretary rank in the United Kingdom Government, supporting the Minister for Pensions. It was established in 1916 and filled intermittently until 1932...
.
Member of parliament for Brierley Hill
Following boundary changes, Simmons became MP for the new Black CountryBlack Country
The Black Country is a loosely defined area of the English West Midlands conurbation, to the north and west of Birmingham, and to the south and east of Wolverhampton. During the industrial revolution in the 19th century this area had become one of the most intensely industrialised in the nation...
constituency of Brierley Hill
Brierley Hill (UK Parliament constituency)
Brierley Hill parliamentary constituency was located in the West Midlands of England. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system.- History :...
from the 1950 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1950
The 1950 United Kingdom general election was the first general election ever after a full term of a Labour government. Despite polling over one and a half million votes more than the Conservatives, the election, held on 23 February 1950 resulted in Labour receiving a slim majority of just five...
. He held the seat at the 1955 election
United Kingdom general election, 1955
The 1955 United Kingdom general election was held on 26 May 1955, four years after the previous general election. It resulted in a substantially increased majority of 60 for the Conservative government under new leader and prime minister Sir Anthony Eden against Labour Party, now in their 20th year...
, but was unexpectedly defeated by his Conservative opponent at the 1959 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1959
This United Kingdom general election was held on 8 October 1959. It marked a third successive victory for the ruling Conservative Party, led by Harold Macmillan...
. Simmons was a strong advocate of the Temperence Movement, and campaigned for fourteen year old children to be banned from the bars of clubs. His defeat in 1959 was believed to have been partly attributable to the opposition of brewery interests.
He wrote his autobiography Soapbox Evangelist in 1971. He died in 1975, survived by his four sons and second wife.