Henry Solomons
Encyclopedia
Henry Solomons was a British
businessman, trade unionist and Labour Party
politician who briefly enjoyed a Parliamentary career.
and educated at London County Council
schools, and went into sales as a profession. He joined the trade union Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers
and the Labour Party in 1932, and two years later was elected to Stepney Borough Council
.
On the outbreak of the Second World War Solomons enlisted in the Army and resigned from the Council. He served in the middle east. At the end of the war, he returned to his old job. He became Organising Secretary for the Union of Liberal and Progressive Synagogues in 1946, a job which lasted eight years.
. He became a full-time officer of USDAW in 1954. He was also a Governor of Westminster Hospital.
Solomons was elected as Labour Member of Parliament
for Kingston-upon-Hull North
, gaining the seat from the Conservatives. However, his health was not good, and was not helped by the stresses of a close Parliament. He collapsed after an all-night sitting in June 1965. He was required to remain in Parliament so that he could be 'nodded through' in Divisions.
Solomons died on his 63rd birthday in Westminster hospital. His death precipitated a byelection in a very marginal constituency; Labour's successful defence of the seat led Harold Wilson
to call the 1966 general election
.
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...
businessman, trade unionist and Labour Party
Labour 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...
politician who briefly enjoyed a Parliamentary career.
Early career
Solomons was born in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and educated at London County Council
London County Council
London County Council was the principal local government body for the County of London, throughout its 1889–1965 existence, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today known as Inner London and was replaced by the Greater London Council...
schools, and went into sales as a profession. He joined the trade union Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers
Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers
The Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers is a trade union in the United Kingdom. Consisting of over 405,000 members, USDAW is the UK's fourth largest and fastest growing trade union. Membership has increased by more than 17% in the last five years and by nearly a third in the last decade...
and the Labour Party in 1932, and two years later was elected to Stepney Borough Council
Metropolitan Borough of Stepney
The Metropolitan Borough of Stepney was a Metropolitan borough in the County of London created in 1900. In 1965 it became part of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.-Boundaries:...
.
On the outbreak of the Second World War Solomons enlisted in the Army and resigned from the Council. He served in the middle east. At the end of the war, he returned to his old job. He became Organising Secretary for the Union of Liberal and Progressive Synagogues in 1946, a job which lasted eight years.
Political advancement
Solomons' political career advanced in the early 1950s. He served on the Executive of the London Labour Party from 1952 to 1960. From 1953 Solomons served on Hammersmith Borough CouncilMetropolitan Borough of Hammersmith
The Metropolitan Borough of Hammersmith was, between 1900 and 1965, a Metropolitan borough of the County of London. It included Hammersmith, Wormwood Scrubs, Old Oak Common and Shepherd's Bush....
. He became a full-time officer of USDAW in 1954. He was also a Governor of Westminster Hospital.
Parliament
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...
Solomons was elected as Labour Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Kingston-upon-Hull North
Kingston upon Hull North (UK Parliament constituency)
Kingston upon Hull North is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
, gaining the seat from the Conservatives. However, his health was not good, and was not helped by the stresses of a close Parliament. He collapsed after an all-night sitting in June 1965. He was required to remain in Parliament so that he could be 'nodded through' in Divisions.
Solomons died on his 63rd birthday in Westminster hospital. His death precipitated a byelection in a very marginal constituency; Labour's successful defence of the seat led Harold Wilson
Harold Wilson
James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, FRS, FSS, PC was a British Labour Member of Parliament, Leader of the Labour Party. He was twice Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the 1960s and 1970s, winning four general elections, including a minority government after the...
to call the 1966 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1966
The 1966 United Kingdom general election on 31 March 1966 was called by sitting Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson. Wilson's decision to call an election turned on the fact that his government, elected a mere 17 months previously in 1964 had an unworkably small majority of only 4 MPs...
.