John Vigers Worthington
Encyclopedia
Sir John Vigers Worthington (1872 – 16 June 1951) was a British
surgeon and businessman, who later went into politics. After securing a remarkable election victory he served in Parliament in the early 1930s, being an unpaid assistant to Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald
. His mining constituency suffered particular difficulties in the depression and despite his efforts to help, he was defeated for re-election.
, Suffolk
, and his father was a surgeon. He was sent to public school
, beginning at Woodbridge School
and then at Haileybury
. Worthington initially sought to follow his father's profession, studying medicine at London Hospital Medicine School. In 1892 Worthington won a £3 prize in practical anatomy; he qualified as a surgeon in 1895 by taking the conjoint diploma. He found employment as an assistant demonstrator in anatomy at the school, and was also official surgeon to the Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen.
Company with whom he remained for 20 years. He worked as a technical superintendent of factories, and in March 1916 was appointed as a Director of the company; he also became a Director of Dunlop America. He was technical superintendent of the company for two years, but owing to ill health he was forced to resign from that position and from his directorships in October 1920. He was later associated with the Moran Tea Company.
. He decided to stand for Parliament and joined with the group of Labour Party members who supported Ramsay MacDonald
's decision to form the National Government. After a general election
was called in October 1931, Worthington was adopted as the National Labour candidate for Forest of Dean
division; simultaneously the division's adopted Conservative Party candidate Richard Tufnell
, withdrew from the election. Worthington had a straight fight with the sitting Labour MP, David Vaughan, and succeeded in winning the election with a majority of 1,524, regarded as an "outstanding result" by The Times; four years later it was described as the most remarkable victory in the West of England.
, an unpaid post which required him to keep in touch with the opinion of Government-supporting backbencher
Members of Parliament about MacDonald and advise MacDonald how to maintain support. Busy with this duty it was not until April 1932 that he made his maiden speech
in support of the Wheat Bill which brought in a subsidy to farmers growing wheat. The next month he called attention to the good example set by Parliament using smokeless fuel and said that he would support legislation to make smokeless fuel compulsory for London houses above a certain rental level. Worthington also strongly supported the use of hire purchase
as "thoroughly good and sound business".
A serious illness in 1933 restricted Worthington's political activity, and early in 1934 he had to deal with a severe economic blow to his constituency when the owners of Lightmoor Colliery at Cinderford
gave notice of its closure. Worthington arranged a conference with their representatives, who agreed to delay closure in the hope that the workers could transfer to the nearby Northern United Colliery when it was ready to open. He strongly supported the Depressed Areas (Development and Improvement) Bill late in 1934, while calling for its scope to be extended to include his own constituency. He supported increased import duties on steel, criticising the steelmakers for their "complete indifference" to the ore miners and hoping that the increased duties would get the mines in the Forest of Dean working again.
, with a view to making co-operation easier. When Ramsay MacDonald retired as Prime Minister in June 1935, Worthington (who had remained his Parliamentary Private Secretary throughout) was given a Knighthood in MacDonald's retirement honours list. He faced strong opposition at the 1935 general election
, given the Labour Party tradition of the constituency and the adoption of a local candidate. Against Worthington's help for local industries, his Labour opponents pointed to the means test
, economic difficulties in the mines, and the need for a reorganisation in the mining industry. Worthington was defeated by 4,431 votes.
Worthington remained interested in politics and worried in 1936 that the National Government would struggle to retain its support among progressive voters, especially if its candidates had to stand as Conservatives. When the National Labour minister J. H. Thomas resigned his seat at Derby
shortly afterwards, Worthington was expected to be named as the National Labour candidate for the ensuing by-election
. However Worthington did not run; he remained Deputy Chairman of the National Labour Organisation.
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...
surgeon and businessman, who later went into politics. After securing a remarkable election victory he served in Parliament in the early 1930s, being an unpaid assistant to Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald
Ramsay 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....
. His mining constituency suffered particular difficulties in the depression and despite his efforts to help, he was defeated for re-election.
Medical training
Worthington's family came from LowestoftLowestoft
Lowestoft is a town in the English county of Suffolk. The town is on the North Sea coast and is the most easterly point of the United Kingdom. It is north-east of London, north-east of Ipswich and south-east of Norwich...
, Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
, and his father was a surgeon. He was sent to public school
Public School (UK)
A public school, in common British usage, is a school that is neither administered nor financed by the state or from taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of endowments, tuition fees and charitable contributions, usually existing as a non profit-making charitable trust...
, beginning at Woodbridge School
Woodbridge School
Woodbridge School is an independent school in Woodbridge, Suffolk, England, founded in 1577, for the poor of Woodbridge. It was later supported by the Seckford Scheme.Woodbridge School has been co-educational since 1975.-History:...
and then at Haileybury
Haileybury and Imperial Service College
Haileybury and Imperial Service College, , is a prestigious British independent school founded in 1862. The school is located at Hertford Heath, near Hertford, from central London, on of parkland occupied until 1858 by the East India College...
. Worthington initially sought to follow his father's profession, studying medicine at London Hospital Medicine School. In 1892 Worthington won a £3 prize in practical anatomy; he qualified as a surgeon in 1895 by taking the conjoint diploma. He found employment as an assistant demonstrator in anatomy at the school, and was also official surgeon to the Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen.
Business career
Dissatisfied with medicine as a career, in 1901 Worthington left to join Dunlop RubberDunlop Rubber
Dunlop Rubber was a company based in the United Kingdom which manufactured tyres and other rubber products for most of the 20th century. It was acquired by BTR plc in 1985. Since then, ownership of the Dunlop trade-names has been fragmented.-Early history:...
Company with whom he remained for 20 years. He worked as a technical superintendent of factories, and in March 1916 was appointed as a Director of the company; he also became a Director of Dunlop America. He was technical superintendent of the company for two years, but owing to ill health he was forced to resign from that position and from his directorships in October 1920. He was later associated with the Moran Tea Company.
Politics
According to Worthington's obituary in The Times, he was dissatisfied with the economic policies of the Labour government, a dissatisfaction which increased after the report of the May CommitteeMay Report
The May Report was the publication on 31 July 1931 of the views of the Committee on National Expenditure chaired by Sir George May.-Background:...
. He decided to stand for Parliament and joined with the group of Labour Party members who supported Ramsay MacDonald
Ramsay 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....
's decision to form the National Government. After a 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...
was called in October 1931, Worthington was adopted as the National Labour candidate for Forest of Dean
Forest of Dean (UK Parliament constituency)
-Elections in the 2000s:- See also :* List of Parliamentary constituencies in Gloucestershire...
division; simultaneously the division's adopted Conservative Party candidate Richard Tufnell
Richard Tufnell
Richard Lionel Tufnell was a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom.He was elected as Member of Parliament for Cambridge at a by-election in 1934, following the ennoblement of the Conservative MP Sir George Newton as Baron Eltisley.Tufnell retained the seat at the 1935 general...
, withdrew from the election. Worthington had a straight fight with the sitting Labour MP, David Vaughan, and succeeded in winning the election with a majority of 1,524, regarded as an "outstanding result" by The Times; four years later it was described as the most remarkable victory in the West of England.
Parliament
Soon after the new Parliament assembled, in December 1931 Worthington accepted the offer from Ramsay MacDonald to act as his Parliamentary Private SecretaryParliamentary 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...
, an unpaid post which required him to keep in touch with the opinion of Government-supporting backbencher
Backbencher
In Westminster parliamentary systems, a backbencher is a Member of Parliament or a legislator who does not hold governmental office and is not a Front Bench spokesperson in the Opposition...
Members of Parliament about MacDonald and advise MacDonald how to maintain support. Busy with this duty it was not until April 1932 that he made his maiden speech
Maiden speech
A maiden speech is the first speech given by a newly elected or appointed member of a legislature or parliament.Traditions surrounding maiden speeches vary from country to country...
in support of the Wheat Bill which brought in a subsidy to farmers growing wheat. The next month he called attention to the good example set by Parliament using smokeless fuel and said that he would support legislation to make smokeless fuel compulsory for London houses above a certain rental level. Worthington also strongly supported the use of hire purchase
Hire purchase
Hire purchase is the legal term for a contract, in this persons usually agree to pay for goods in parts or a percentage at a time. It was developed in the United Kingdom and can now be found in China, Japan, Malaysia, India, South Africa, Australia, Jamaica and New Zealand. It is also called...
as "thoroughly good and sound business".
A serious illness in 1933 restricted Worthington's political activity, and early in 1934 he had to deal with a severe economic blow to his constituency when the owners of Lightmoor Colliery at Cinderford
Cinderford
Cinderford is a small town on the eastern fringe of the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, England. A population of 8,116 people is recorded in the 2001 census....
gave notice of its closure. Worthington arranged a conference with their representatives, who agreed to delay closure in the hope that the workers could transfer to the nearby Northern United Colliery when it was ready to open. He strongly supported the Depressed Areas (Development and Improvement) Bill late in 1934, while calling for its scope to be extended to include his own constituency. He supported increased import duties on steel, criticising the steelmakers for their "complete indifference" to the ore miners and hoping that the increased duties would get the mines in the Forest of Dean working again.
Defeat
In the early summer of 1934, Worthington took the initiative in setting up a "National Committee" in Forest of Dean which would allow his own supporters in National Labour to meet with local members of the Conservative Party and 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...
, with a view to making co-operation easier. When Ramsay MacDonald retired as Prime Minister in June 1935, Worthington (who had remained his Parliamentary Private Secretary throughout) was given a Knighthood in MacDonald's retirement honours list. He faced strong opposition 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...
, given the Labour Party tradition of the constituency and the adoption of a local candidate. Against Worthington's help for local industries, his Labour opponents pointed to the means test
Means test
A means test is a determination of whether an individual or family is eligible for help from the government.- Canada :In Canada means tests are used for student finance , and "welfare" . They are not generally used for primary education and secondary education which are tax-funded...
, economic difficulties in the mines, and the need for a reorganisation in the mining industry. Worthington was defeated by 4,431 votes.
Worthington remained interested in politics and worried in 1936 that the National Government would struggle to retain its support among progressive voters, especially if its candidates had to stand as Conservatives. When the National Labour minister J. H. Thomas resigned his seat at Derby
Derby (UK Parliament constituency)
Derby is a former United Kingdom Parliamentary constituency. It was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1950. It was represented by two Members of...
shortly afterwards, Worthington was expected to be named as the National Labour candidate for the ensuing by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
. However Worthington did not run; he remained Deputy Chairman of the National Labour Organisation.