Herbert Holdsworth
Encyclopedia
Sir Herbert Holdsworth was a British Liberal Party
politician and businessman.
in Yorkshire. He was educated at Batley Grammar School
. In June 1914 he married Beatrice Lee of Bradford
and they had one daughter. In business, Holdsworth was a director of Holdsworth Bros. (Waste Material Dealers), a director the Provincial Building Society
and of Jackson’s Ltd. West Riding Realty Company.
in 1929
unsuccessfully contesting the Rothwell
division of Yorkshire. He was however elected to represent Bradford South
as a Liberal at the 1931 general election
, holding the seat until 1945
. At the 1935 general election
Holdsworth secured a straight fight against Labour
in Bradford South, which one historian of the Liberal Party has suggested was a strong indication that some kind of collusive arrangement with the Conservatives
had been entered into.
the political group led by Sir John Simon. In his letter of resignation to the leader of the official Liberals, Sir Archibald Sinclair he gave as his principal reason his wish to continue supporting the foreign policy of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain
and his efforts to bring peace by direct negotiation and personal contact with the European dictators. Holdsworth had been one of four official Liberals who had supported Chamberlain over the Munich Conference and had for some time been at variance with official Liberal foreign policy. Soon afterwards the Bradford South Liberal Association, while thanking him for his work as their Member of Parliament
(MP), voted not to re-adopt him as their candidate at the next election. However Holdsworth decided not to fight Bradford South when the 1945 general election came, possibly on grounds of ill-health. He became Chief Whip
of the Liberal Nationals in 1940 but resigned in 1942 for reasons of ill-health. He served an Assistant Government Whip over the same period. In 1943, he was appointed to act as adviser to the Ministry of Supply
on the general waste reclamation industry and in 1944 he was appointed to a Select Committee set up to scrutinise delegated legislation.
Holdsworth also served as a Justice of the Peace
in Bradford and was knighted for political and public services in the 1944 New Year’s Honours List.
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...
politician and businessman.
Early life and business
Holdsworth was born in LiversedgeLiversedge
Liversedge is a township in the former parish of Birstall, in the metropolitan borough of Kirklees, West Yorkshire, England. Liversedge lies between Cleckheaton and Heckmondwike about southwest of Leeds.-Settlements within Liversedge:...
in Yorkshire. He was educated at Batley Grammar School
Batley Grammar School
Batley Grammar School is a co-educational school located at Carlinghow Hill in Upper Batley, West Yorkshire, England. The school was founded in 1612 by the Rev. William Lee...
. In June 1914 he married Beatrice Lee of Bradford
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
and they had one daughter. In business, Holdsworth was a director of Holdsworth Bros. (Waste Material Dealers), a director the Provincial Building Society
Abbey (bank)
Abbey National plc was a UK-based bank and former building society, which latterly traded under the Abbey brand name. It became a wholly owned subsidiary of Grupo Santander of Spain in 2004, and was rebranded as Santander in January 2010, forming Santander UK along with the savings business of the...
and of Jackson’s Ltd. West Riding Realty Company.
Liberal candidate
Holdsworth first tried to enter ParliamentParliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
in 1929
United Kingdom general election, 1929
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
unsuccessfully contesting the Rothwell
Rothwell (UK Parliament constituency)
Rothwell was a parliamentary constituency centred on the Rothwell area of West Yorkshire. 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 :...
division of Yorkshire. He was however elected to represent Bradford South
Bradford South (UK Parliament constituency)
Bradford South is a borough constituency in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire. It elects one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
as a Liberal at the 1931 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...
, holding the seat until 1945
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...
. At the 1935 general election
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...
Holdsworth secured a straight fight against Labour
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...
in Bradford South, which one historian of the Liberal Party has suggested was a strong indication that some kind of collusive arrangement with the Conservatives
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...
had been entered into.
Liberal National
Douglas's suspicion is strengthened by Holdsworth’s decision in 1938 to join the Liberal NationalsNational Liberal Party (UK, 1931)
The National Liberal Party, known until 1948 as the Liberal National Party, was a liberal political party in the United Kingdom from 1931 to 1968...
the political group led by Sir John Simon. In his letter of resignation to the leader of the official Liberals, Sir Archibald Sinclair he gave as his principal reason his wish to continue supporting the foreign policy of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain
Neville Chamberlain
Arthur Neville Chamberlain FRS was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from May 1937 to May 1940. Chamberlain is best known for his appeasement foreign policy, and in particular for his signing of the Munich Agreement in 1938, conceding the...
and his efforts to bring peace by direct negotiation and personal contact with the European dictators. Holdsworth had been one of four official Liberals who had supported Chamberlain over the Munich Conference and had for some time been at variance with official Liberal foreign policy. Soon afterwards the Bradford South Liberal Association, while thanking him for his work as their 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,...
(MP), voted not to re-adopt him as their candidate at the next election. However Holdsworth decided not to fight Bradford South when the 1945 general election came, possibly on grounds of ill-health. He became Chief Whip
Chief Whip
The Chief Whip is a political office in some legislatures assigned to an elected member whose task is to administer the whipping system that ensures that members of the party attend and vote as the party leadership desires.-The Whips Office:...
of the Liberal Nationals in 1940 but resigned in 1942 for reasons of ill-health. He served an Assistant Government Whip over the same period. In 1943, he was appointed to act as adviser to the Ministry of Supply
Ministry of Supply
The Ministry of Supply was a department of the UK Government formed in 1939 to co-ordinate the supply of equipment to all three British armed forces, headed by the Minister of Supply. There was, however, a separate ministry responsible for aircraft production and the Admiralty retained...
on the general waste reclamation industry and in 1944 he was appointed to a Select Committee set up to scrutinise delegated legislation.
Holdsworth also served as a Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
in Bradford and was knighted for political and public services in the 1944 New Year’s Honours List.