James Burnie
Encyclopedia
James Burnie MC
(10 May 1882 – 15 May 1975) was an English businessman and Liberal Party
politician.
, Lancashire
, the son of Joseph Burnie a local businessman. He was educated at St John’s School, Bootle and at Merchant Taylors' School, Crosby
. In 1910 he married Ruth E. Thornton. They had one son and a daughter. His wife died in 1939.
in 1918. He retained his commission after the war and retired from the Territorial Army Reserve of Officers on reaching the age of 50. In 1922, Burnie was chosen to unveil formally the new War Memorial dedicated to the memory of over a thousand men of Bootle who had fallen in the First World War in a ceremony which took place on 15 October that year.
as a Liberal at the 1922 general election
for his home town of Bootle
, gaining the seat from the Conservatives
by a majority of 3,409 votes. He held the seat at the 1923 general election
, this time in a three cornered contest with the Conservatives and Labour
but with a decreased majority of just 453 votes.
. Even on the initial vote to bring down the government of Stanley Baldwin
and install Labour’s minority administration, ten Liberal MPs voted with the Conservatives.
. The Liberals were finding it difficult to define their political position in relation to the Labour and Conservative parties and electorally, as the third party in a two party system, they were being targeted and squeezed by the others. These electoral currents proved too strong for Burnie and in another three-cornered fight in Bootle he lost his seat to the Tory
candidate Vivian Leonard Henderson and dropped behind Labour in the poll.
when he again contested Bootle for the Liberals, only just managing to save his deposit
. The following year he was elected Mayor
of Bootle He was adopted as Liberal candidate for Chester after the 1935 election but never fought the seat. He did return to the political fray for the 1950 general election
however, contesting one of Bootle’s near neighbours, Crosby
but this seems to have been his last attempt to get back into the House of Commons.
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
(10 May 1882 – 15 May 1975) was an English businessman and 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...
politician.
Family and education
Burnie was born in BootleBootle
Bootle is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England, and a 'Post town' in the L postcode area. Formally known as Bootle-cum-Linacre, the town is 4 miles to the north of Liverpool city centre, and has a total resident population of 77,640.Historically part of...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, the son of Joseph Burnie a local businessman. He was educated at St John’s School, Bootle and at Merchant Taylors' School, Crosby
Merchant Taylors' School, Crosby
Merchant Taylors' School, Crosby is a British independent school for day pupils, located in Great Crosby on Merseyside....
. In 1910 he married Ruth E. Thornton. They had one son and a daughter. His wife died in 1939.
Career
Burnie went into his father’s business, eventually becoming Director of Bell & Burnie Ltd, specialists in cold store insulation. At the outbreak of war in 1914, Burnie was mobilised as a Sergeant. He retired as a Major in Bootle Battalion, 7th King’s Liverpool Regiment, having gained the Military CrossMilitary Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
in 1918. He retained his commission after the war and retired from the Territorial Army Reserve of Officers on reaching the age of 50. In 1922, Burnie was chosen to unveil formally the new War Memorial dedicated to the memory of over a thousand men of Bootle who had fallen in the First World War in a ceremony which took place on 15 October that year.
MP
Burnie was elected to 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...
as a Liberal at the 1922 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1922
The United Kingdom general election of 1922 was held on 15 November 1922. It was the first election held after most of the Irish counties left the United Kingdom to form the Irish Free State, and was won by Andrew Bonar Law's Conservatives, who gained an overall majority over Labour, led by John...
for his home town of Bootle
Bootle (UK Parliament constituency)
Bootle 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. Since 1990 the MP has been Joe Benton of the Labour Party...
, gaining the seat from 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...
by a majority of 3,409 votes. He held the seat at the 1923 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1923
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
, this time in a three cornered contest with the Conservatives and 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...
but with a decreased majority of just 453 votes.
Liberals divided
In March 1924 he was one of 24 Liberal MPs who voted with the Conservatives and against his own party in a division on a Liberal motion deploring the construction of five new naval cruisers Around this time the Liberal Party in Parliament was frequently divided over its stance towards the First Labour Government of prime minister Ramsay MacDonaldRamsay MacDonald
James Ramsay MacDonald, PC, FRS was a British politician who was the first ever Labour Prime Minister, leading a minority government for two terms....
. Even on the initial vote to bring down the government of Stanley Baldwin
Stanley Baldwin
Stanley Baldwin, 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley, KG, PC was a British Conservative politician, who dominated the government in his country between the two world wars...
and install Labour’s minority administration, ten Liberal MPs voted with the Conservatives.
1924
The sort of difficulties which beset the Liberal Party in Parliament were apparent nationally at the 1924 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 1924
- Seats summary :- References :* F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* - External links :* * *...
. The Liberals were finding it difficult to define their political position in relation to the Labour and Conservative parties and electorally, as the third party in a two party system, they were being targeted and squeezed by the others. These electoral currents proved too strong for Burnie and in another three-cornered fight in Bootle he lost his seat to the Tory
Tory
Toryism is a traditionalist and conservative political philosophy which grew out of the Cavalier faction in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It is a prominent ideology in the politics of the United Kingdom, but also features in parts of The Commonwealth, particularly in Canada...
candidate Vivian Leonard Henderson and dropped behind Labour in the poll.
1924-1950
Burnie did not stand again until the general election of 1935United 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...
when he again contested Bootle for the Liberals, only just managing to save his deposit
Deposit (politics)
A deposit is a sum of money that a candidate must pay in return for the right to stand for election to certain political offices, particularly seats in legislatures.-United Kingdom:...
. The following year he was elected Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Bootle He was adopted as Liberal candidate for Chester after the 1935 election but never fought the seat. He did return to the political fray for 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...
however, contesting one of Bootle’s near neighbours, Crosby
Crosby (UK Parliament constituency)
Crosby was a constituency in Merseyside, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1950 until 2010. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-History:...
but this seems to have been his last attempt to get back into the House of Commons.