Edward Hemmerde
Encyclopedia
Edward George Hemmerde, KC (13 November 1871 - 24 May 1948) was an English rower
, barrister
and politician
.
, south London, the son of James Godfey Hemmerde and his wife Frances Hope. His father was a bank manager and was with the Imperial Ottoman Bank. Hemmerde was educated at Winchester College
and University College, Oxford
. At Oxford he was a successful single scull
er, and won the Diamond Challenge Sculls
at Henley Royal Regatta
in 1900, beating the previous winner American B H Howell
. He was called to the Bar by the Inner Temple
in 1897 and established his law practice. In 1908, he took silk and was appointed Recorder
of Liverpool
in 1909, although his relations with the city authorities there were seldom good. He married Lucy Elinor Colley at Chelsea in 1903 but they were divorced in 1922. They had a son (who was killed in 1926) and a daughter.
when he fought Winchester. He was next selected by Shropshire Liberals for a by-election
at Shrewsbury
expected in 1904. However he was eventually elected as a Liberal Party
Member of Parliament for the East Denbighshire
constituency at a by-election on 14 August 1906, the sitting Liberal MP, Samuel Moss, having resigned to take up an appointment as a county court
judge
.
who, as a naval man had been involved in bitter political clashes with the government over the funding of the navy and who represented Portsmouth
. Hemmerde was publicly reluctant to do so but nevertheless agreed. However it is clear that Hemmerde was encountering difficulties in East Denbighshire with the local party organisers over a number of issues. They felt he did not attend enough to constituency business or visit the seat for important local occasions. They felt he was spending too much time on his legal practice and was not spending enough money on constituency organisation. These troubles obviously made the prospect of transferring to another seat attractive. However Hemmerde was unsuccessful in the contest in Portsmouth in the December 1910 general election. Not wishing to be out of Parliament, Hemmerde began looking for another seat and in 1912 he was selected as the candidate for North West Norfolk for the by-election
pending there following the death of Sir George White
the sitting Liberal MP. . Hemmerde won the seat, albeit with a reduced majority, and represented the area until 1918. In Parliament Hemmerde was one of the principal advocates of the movement for the taxation of land values and often found himself at odds with the official land policy of the Liberal Party, although he could be emollient on the issue.
led coalition government on a motion arising from criticisms by the recently sacked Director of Military Operations that the Prime Minister had misled Parliament concerning British troop strength on the Western Front. Hemmerde decided to support the government in the Maurice Debate and was rewarded with an invitation to no. 10 Downing Street and, according to his own account, was promised government endorsement at the forthcoming general election. In the event however he was denied the coalition coupon at the 1918 general election
and finding himself out of Parliament defected to the Labour Party in 1920. He was the first Labour MP for Crewe
from 1922-24.
financial scandal in 1913 and the in 1922 was involved in a separate court case concerning his personal finances. It was reported that although there was a just claim against him for the money lent him he avoided payment by pleading the Statute of Limitations
. After this incident, although he retained his Recordership and continued to practice law on the Northern Circuit he withdrew from political life.
Rowing (sport)
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
, barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
.
Education, the Law and family
Hemmerde was born at PeckhamPeckham
Peckham is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Southwark. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London...
, south London, the son of James Godfey Hemmerde and his wife Frances Hope. His father was a bank manager and was with the Imperial Ottoman Bank. Hemmerde was educated at Winchester College
Winchester College
Winchester College is an independent school for boys in the British public school tradition, situated in Winchester, Hampshire, the former capital of England. It has existed in its present location for over 600 years and claims the longest unbroken history of any school in England...
and University College, Oxford
University College, Oxford
.University College , is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2009 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £110m...
. At Oxford he was a successful single scull
Single scull
A single scull is a rowing boat used in the sport of competitive rowing. It is designed for a single person who propels the boat with two oars, one in each hand....
er, and won the Diamond Challenge Sculls
Diamond Challenge Sculls
The Diamond Challenge Sculls is a rowing event for men's single sculls at the annual Henley Royal Regatta on the River Thames at Henley-on-Thames in England...
at Henley Royal Regatta
Henley Royal Regatta
Henley Royal Regatta is a rowing event held every year on the River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, England. The Royal Regatta is sometimes referred to as Henley Regatta, its original name pre-dating Royal patronage...
in 1900, beating the previous winner American B H Howell
Benjamin Hunting Howell
Benjamin Hunting Howell was an American rower who won the Diamond Challenge Sculls at Henley Royal Regatta and the Wingfield Sculls in 1898 and 1899....
. He was called to the Bar by the Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
in 1897 and established his law practice. In 1908, he took silk and was appointed Recorder
Recorder
The recorder is a woodwind musical instrument of the family known as fipple flutes or internal duct flutes—whistle-like instruments which include the tin whistle. The recorder is end-blown and the mouth of the instrument is constricted by a wooden plug, known as a block or fipple...
of Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
in 1909, although his relations with the city authorities there were seldom good. He married Lucy Elinor Colley at Chelsea in 1903 but they were divorced in 1922. They had a son (who was killed in 1926) and a daughter.
Liberal candidate
Hemmerde first tried to enter Parliament at the general election of 1900United Kingdom general election, 1900
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1900*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-External links:***-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
when he fought Winchester. He was next selected by Shropshire Liberals for a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
at Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury (UK Parliament constituency)
Shrewsbury was a parliamentary constituency in England, centred on the town of Shrewsbury in Shropshire.It was founded in 1290 as parliamentary borough, returning two members to the House of Commons of England until 1707, then of the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and of the...
expected in 1904. However he was eventually elected as a Liberal Party
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...
Member of Parliament for the East Denbighshire
East Denbighshire (UK Parliament constituency)
East Denbighshire, formally called the Eastern Division of Denbighshire, was a county constituency in Denbighshire, in North Wales. 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 voting system.-History:The...
constituency at a by-election on 14 August 1906, the sitting Liberal MP, Samuel Moss, having resigned to take up an appointment as a county court
County Court
A county court is a court based in or with a jurisdiction covering one or more counties, which are administrative divisions within a country, not to be confused with the medieval system of county courts held by the High Sheriff of each county.-England and Wales:County Court matters can be lodged...
judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
.
Liberal MP
Hemmerde held his seat in East Denbighshire until 1910. In November 1910, he announced that he had been asked by the party leadership to give up his seat in Wales and fight the Conservative, Lord Charles BeresfordLord Charles Beresford
Charles William de la Poer Beresford, 1st Baron Beresford GCB GCVO , styled Lord Charles Beresford between 1859 and 1916, was a British Admiral and Member of Parliament....
who, as a naval man had been involved in bitter political clashes with the government over the funding of the navy and who represented Portsmouth
Portsmouth (UK Parliament constituency)
Portsmouth was a borough constituency based upon the borough of Portsmouth in Hampshire. It returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the bloc vote system.- History :...
. Hemmerde was publicly reluctant to do so but nevertheless agreed. However it is clear that Hemmerde was encountering difficulties in East Denbighshire with the local party organisers over a number of issues. They felt he did not attend enough to constituency business or visit the seat for important local occasions. They felt he was spending too much time on his legal practice and was not spending enough money on constituency organisation. These troubles obviously made the prospect of transferring to another seat attractive. However Hemmerde was unsuccessful in the contest in Portsmouth in the December 1910 general election. Not wishing to be out of Parliament, Hemmerde began looking for another seat and in 1912 he was selected as the candidate for North West Norfolk for the by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
pending there following the death of Sir George White
George White (UK politician)
Sir George White was Liberal Party politician in the United Kingdom. He was Member of Parliament for North West Norfolk from 1900 until his death in 1912, aged 72.- External links :...
the sitting Liberal MP. . Hemmerde won the seat, albeit with a reduced majority, and represented the area until 1918. In Parliament Hemmerde was one of the principal advocates of the movement for the taxation of land values and often found himself at odds with the official land policy of the Liberal Party, although he could be emollient on the issue.
The Coupon and defection to Labour
According to one historian of the Liberal Party, Hemmerde was regarded as a supporter of H H Asquith until the occasion of the Maurice Debate of 9 May 1918 when the Asquithian Liberals voted against the Lloyd GeorgeDavid Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
led coalition government on a motion arising from criticisms by the recently sacked Director of Military Operations that the Prime Minister had misled Parliament concerning British troop strength on the Western Front. Hemmerde decided to support the government in the Maurice Debate and was rewarded with an invitation to no. 10 Downing Street and, according to his own account, was promised government endorsement at the forthcoming general election. In the event however he was denied the coalition coupon at the 1918 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1918
The United Kingdom general election of 1918 was the first to be held after the Representation of the People Act 1918, which meant it was the first United Kingdom general election in which nearly all adult men and some women could vote. Polling was held on 14 December 1918, although the count did...
and finding himself out of Parliament defected to the Labour Party in 1920. He was the first Labour MP for Crewe
Crewe (UK Parliament constituency)
Crewe was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 to 1983. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
from 1922-24.
Scandal
Hemmerde was associated with a CityCity of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
financial scandal in 1913 and the in 1922 was involved in a separate court case concerning his personal finances. It was reported that although there was a just claim against him for the money lent him he avoided payment by pleading the Statute of Limitations
Statute of limitations
A statute of limitations is an enactment in a common law legal system that sets the maximum time after an event that legal proceedings based on that event may be initiated...
. After this incident, although he retained his Recordership and continued to practice law on the Northern Circuit he withdrew from political life.