Gordon Matthews (politician)
Encyclopedia
Gordon Richards Matthews, CBE
, FCA
, FRSA
(16 December 1908 – 4 February 2000) was a British
chartered accountant
, Director of a department store, and politician. Despite a near half-century involvement in the Conservative Party
in the West Midlands, he served only a single term in Parliament.
but did not go to university. Instead he trained as a chartered accountant, qualifying in 1932. His grandfather, William Matthews, had joined with John Rackham to set up Rackhams and Matthews department store in Bull Street, Birmingham
, and this business had also employed his father Frank. Matthews himself joined the company in 1933 as a secretary, using his knowledge of accountancy.
, and in 1937 was appointed as Hon. Treasurer of Deritend
Unionist Association. At the outbreak of the Second World War, Matthews enlisted in the Royal Navy
; he was all set to join when he was switched to work as an accountant at the Admiralty.
At the end of the war, Matthews fought the Deritend division of Birmingham in the 1945 general election
. He spent a great deal of time in the late 1940s reviving the Young Unionist association in Birmingham, under his own chairmanship. From 1948 to 1953 Matthews served as Hon. Secretary of the Birmingham Unionist Association, and at the 1950 general election
he was the candidate in Birmingham Yardley. In the 1950s, Matthews was a member of the Board of Management of the Linen and Woollen Drapers Institution and acted as President of its Appeal for the year 1954-1955. He also get involved in the YMCA
and was Chairman of the Finance Committee for the Birmingham Area. From 1957 to 1964, he was President of the City of Birmingham Friendly Society.
or 1955
general elections, but was adopted for Meriden
for the 1959 general election
. This was a Labour-held marginal constituency which included prosperous and working-class areas, but Matthews took advantage of the national trend to the Conservatives to overturn a majority of over 1,000 to win by 263 votes.
which aimed at exempting owner-occupier
s from Schedule A income tax to which the government was opposed. In December 1960 he was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary
to Reginald Bevins
; in March 1961, he initiated a debate on housing for the elderly, and called for private housebuilders to build more suitable homes. In December 1962 he called for reform of the rating system so that the burden fell more evenly. He opposed the government's move to abolish resale price maintenance in 1964, but abstained rather than vote against.
, Matthews had a tough time defending his seat given his narrow majority and the national trend to Labour. However, his record of diligent constituency work and the increased local prosperity (the car manufacturers were significant local employers) helped him. In one of the last results to be announced on the day of the election, Matthews lost to the Labour candidate – but only by 363 votes, a much better result for him than national trends would have seen.
Birmingham Area from 1965 to 1972. Although giving up Parliamentary ambitions, he remained involved in the Conservative Party and served as Deputy Chairman, then Chairman of the West Midlands Conservative Council.
Later in the 1970s, Matthews retired to Chipping Campden
in Gloucestershire
. He was Chairman of the Oxfordshire Branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE)
in the late 1970s and served one last term as President of the West Midlands Conservatives from 1983 to 1985. He died after a fall in 2000.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, FCA
Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales
The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales was established by a Royal Charter in 1880. It has over 130,000 members. Over 15,000 of these members live and work outside the UK...
, FRSA
Royal Society of Arts
The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers and Commerce is a British multi-disciplinary institution, based in London. The name Royal Society of Arts is frequently used for brevity...
(16 December 1908 – 4 February 2000) was a British
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...
chartered accountant
Chartered Accountant
Chartered Accountants were the first accountants to form a professional body, initially established in Britain in 1854. The Edinburgh Society of Accountants , the Glasgow Institute of Accountants and Actuaries and the Aberdeen Society of Accountants were each granted a royal charter almost from...
, Director of a department store, and politician. Despite a near half-century involvement in the Conservative Party
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...
in the West Midlands, he served only a single term in Parliament.
Accountancy
Matthews attended Repton SchoolRepton School
Repton School, founded in 1557, is a co-educational English independent school for both day and boarding pupils, in the British public school tradition, located in the village of Repton, in Derbyshire, in the Midlands area of England...
but did not go to university. Instead he trained as a chartered accountant, qualifying in 1932. His grandfather, William Matthews, had joined with John Rackham to set up Rackhams and Matthews department store in Bull Street, 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...
, and this business had also employed his father Frank. Matthews himself joined the company in 1933 as a secretary, using his knowledge of accountancy.
Conservative links
In 1934 Matthews married Ruth Brooks, the daughter of the former Lord Mayor of Birmingham Sir David Brooks. He also became involved in the Conservative PartyConservative 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...
, and in 1937 was appointed as Hon. Treasurer of Deritend
Birmingham Deritend (UK Parliament constituency)
-Election in the 1920s:-Election in the 1910s:-Sources:* Boundaries of Parliamentary Constituencies 1885-1972, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig...
Unionist Association. At the outbreak of the Second World War, Matthews enlisted in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
; he was all set to join when he was switched to work as an accountant at the Admiralty.
At the end of the war, Matthews fought the Deritend division of Birmingham in 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...
. He spent a great deal of time in the late 1940s reviving the Young Unionist association in Birmingham, under his own chairmanship. From 1948 to 1953 Matthews served as Hon. Secretary of the Birmingham Unionist Association, and at 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 was the candidate in Birmingham Yardley. In the 1950s, Matthews was a member of the Board of Management of the Linen and Woollen Drapers Institution and acted as President of its Appeal for the year 1954-1955. He also get involved in the YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
and was Chairman of the Finance Committee for the Birmingham Area. From 1957 to 1964, he was President of the City of Birmingham Friendly Society.
Parliamentary candidate
Matthews did not find a seat at the 1951United Kingdom general election, 1951
The 1951 United Kingdom general election was held eighteen months after the 1950 general election, which the Labour Party had won with a slim majority of just five seats...
or 1955
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...
general elections, but was adopted for Meriden
Meriden (UK Parliament constituency)
-Elections in the 2000s:-Elections in the 1990s:- Notes and references :...
for 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...
. This was a Labour-held marginal constituency which included prosperous and working-class areas, but Matthews took advantage of the national trend to the Conservatives to overturn a majority of over 1,000 to win by 263 votes.
Backbencher
He proved a generally loyal Conservative backbencher, although he at first abstained on, and then supported, a new clause in the Finance Bill moved by Gerald NabarroGerald Nabarro
Sir Gerald David Nunes Nabarro was a Conservative Party politician of the 1950s and 1960s. Nabarro had a flamboyant public profile and a reputation for taking maverick political stances.-Early life:...
which aimed at exempting owner-occupier
Owner-occupier
An owner-occupier is a person who lives in and owns the same home. It is a type of housing tenure. The home of the owner-occupier may be, for example, a house, apartment, condominium, or a housing cooperative...
s from Schedule A income tax to which the government was opposed. In December 1960 he was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary
Parliamentary Private Secretary
A Parliamentary Private Secretary is a role given to a United Kingdom Member of Parliament by a senior minister in government or shadow minister to act as their contact for the House of Commons; this role is junior to that of Parliamentary Under-Secretary, which is a ministerial post, salaried by...
to Reginald Bevins
Reginald Bevins
Reginald Bevins was a British politician who served as a Liverpool Member of Parliament for fourteen years...
; in March 1961, he initiated a debate on housing for the elderly, and called for private housebuilders to build more suitable homes. In December 1962 he called for reform of the rating system so that the burden fell more evenly. He opposed the government's move to abolish resale price maintenance in 1964, but abstained rather than vote against.
Defeat
At the 1964 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 1964
The United Kingdom general election of 1964 was held on 15 October 1964, more than five years after the preceding election, and thirteen years after the Conservative Party had retaken power...
, Matthews had a tough time defending his seat given his narrow majority and the national trend to Labour. However, his record of diligent constituency work and the increased local prosperity (the car manufacturers were significant local employers) helped him. In one of the last results to be announced on the day of the election, Matthews lost to the Labour candidate – but only by 363 votes, a much better result for him than national trends would have seen.
Post-Parliament career
Matthews found he had more time for his voluntary activities and served on the National Council and National Executive Committee of the YMCA from 1968 to 1971. He was also Chairman of the Finance Committee of the YWCAYWCA
The YWCA USA is the United States branch of a women's membership movement that strives to create opportunities for women's growth, leadership and power in order to attain a common vision—to eliminate racism and empower women. The YWCA is a non-profit organization, the first of which was founded in...
Birmingham Area from 1965 to 1972. Although giving up Parliamentary ambitions, he remained involved in the Conservative Party and served as Deputy Chairman, then Chairman of the West Midlands Conservative Council.
Later in the 1970s, Matthews retired to Chipping Campden
Chipping Campden
Chipping Campden is a small market town within the Cotswold district of Gloucestershire, England. It is notable for its elegant terraced High Street, dating from the 14th century to the 17th century...
in Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
. He was Chairman of the Oxfordshire Branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE)
Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE)
The Campaign to Protect Rural England is a registered charity with over 60,000 members and supporters. Formed in 1926 by Sir Patrick Abercrombie to limit urban sprawl and ribbon development, the CPRE claims to be one of the...
in the late 1970s and served one last term as President of the West Midlands Conservatives from 1983 to 1985. He died after a fall in 2000.