Joseph Gibbins
Encyclopedia
Joseph Gibbins, JP
(1888 – 26 August 1965) was a British trade union
ist and Labour Party
politician.
in early 1888. He was educated at evening classes at Liverpool University. Gibbins married Sarah Beatrice Hugill at Princes Park Methodist Church, Liverpool in 1912, and they had two sons and two daughters. He served with the RNR
during the First World War, and afterwards became Secretary of the Liverpool Boilermakers' Union.
division of Liverpool for Labour in the general elections of 1922
and 1923
, losing by only 139 votes on the latter occasion.
Shortly after the 1923 election, the Labour party formed its first government
, taking office on 22 January 1924.
In April 1924, the long-serving but low-profile Unionist Member of Parliament
(MP) for West Toxteth, Sir Robert Paterson Houston
, Bt. retired. Joseph Gibbins was once again selected to fight the seat for Labour. He was 36 years old.
Liverpool was a notoriously sectarian city, divided along Protestant and Catholic
lines. The Conservative city-boss, Alderman
the Rt Hon. Sir Archibald Salvidge
had built a career in stoking these divisions. As early as 1907, at the count for the Liverpool Kirkdale by-election
, Ramsay MacDonald
had remarked to him bitterly
And so it was in West Toxteth in 1924. To Salvidge and his candidate, Thomas White
, the issue was religion and specifically, denouncement of any attempt to adjust the boundaries of the newly-created Northern Ireland
. The Boundary Commission (Ireland)
was then in the early stage of its report.
The by-election was notable in that it saw Winston Churchill
's first speech to a Conservative meeting in over 20 years, when he addressed the Liverpool Conservative Workingman's Association on 7 May 1924.
The Liberals did not put forward a candidate and advised their supporters to vote Labour.
On 22 May 1924 Joseph Gibbins, a non-sectarian Protestant, triumphed for Labour, with a majority of 2,471 over the Conservative. The result was exceptional, as it remains the only occasion that a Labour government has gained a seat from the Opposition in an electoral contest.1
Gibbins held the seat by 379 votes in the 1924 general election
, and comfortably in the 1929 general election
, but was defeated by the Conservative Clyde Tabor Wilson
in the landslide defeat of 1931
. He had also become a Justice of the Peace
in Liverpool in 1924.
However, West Toxteth and Joseph Gibbins were not yet finished with each other. In early 1935, Wilson resigned to take up a position as Metropolitan Police Magistrate. Joseph Gibbins was again selected as by-election candidate, and on Tuesday 16 July 1935 he easily regained the seat on a swing
of 19%. Gibbins thus went into the record books for a second time, as the only person to gain the same seat twice in two different by-elections.
Joseph Gibbins easily held the seat in the 1935 general election
-against Randolph Churchill
- and in the 1945 general election
. However, boundary changes merged the seat into a new Toxteth
constituency for the 1950 general election
. Gibbins gamely contested the new seat, but lost by 2,620 votes to the Conservative Reginald Bevins
. He had fought 10 parliamentary elections, a record for the City of Liverpool.
He died in 1965, aged 77.
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...
(1888 – 26 August 1965) was a British trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
ist 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.
Early life
Joseph Gibbins was born in the Toxteth Park district of LiverpoolLiverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
in early 1888. He was educated at evening classes at Liverpool University. Gibbins married Sarah Beatrice Hugill at Princes Park Methodist Church, Liverpool in 1912, and they had two sons and two daughters. He served with the RNR
Royal Naval Reserve
The Royal Naval Reserve is the volunteer reserve force of the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom. The present Royal Naval Reserve was formed in 1958 by merging the original Royal Naval Reserve and the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve , a reserve of civilian volunteers founded in 1903...
during the First World War, and afterwards became Secretary of the Liverpool Boilermakers' Union.
Political records
Gibbins unsuccessfully contested the West ToxtethLiverpool West Toxteth (UK Parliament constituency)
Liverpool West Toxteth was a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Members of Parliament :...
division of Liverpool for Labour in the general elections of 1922
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...
and 1923
United Kingdom general election, 1923
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
, losing by only 139 votes on the latter occasion.
Shortly after the 1923 election, the Labour party formed its first government
Labour Government 1924
See also First Labour Government Members of the Cabinet are in bold face.Source: D. Butler and G. Butler, Twentieth Century British Political Facts 1900-2000...
, taking office on 22 January 1924.
In April 1924, the long-serving but low-profile Unionist 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) for West Toxteth, Sir Robert Paterson Houston
Sir Robert Houston, 1st Baronet
Sir Robert Paterson Houston, 1st Baronet was a British Conservative Party politician and shipowner. He was born to a maritime engineer from Renfrewshire, and after an apprenticeship in Liverpool Houston also became an engineer...
, Bt. retired. Joseph Gibbins was once again selected to fight the seat for Labour. He was 36 years old.
Liverpool was a notoriously sectarian city, divided along Protestant and Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
lines. The Conservative city-boss, Alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
the Rt Hon. Sir Archibald Salvidge
Archibald Salvidge
Sir Archibald Tutton James Salvidge KBE PC was an English politician, most notable for securing the political dominance of the Conservative Party in Liverpool through the use of the Working Men's Conservative Association , earning him the nickname "the king of Liverpool"...
had built a career in stoking these divisions. As early as 1907, at the count for the Liverpool Kirkdale by-election
Liverpool Kirkdale (UK Parliament constituency)
Liverpool Kirkdale was a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom covering Kirkdale, Liverpool. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Members of Parliament :...
, 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....
had remarked to him bitterly
It is astonishing how in Liverpool, whatever the issue appears to be at the start, you always manage to mobilise the full force of Orangeism. We will never do any good here until that power is broken...
And so it was in West Toxteth in 1924. To Salvidge and his candidate, Thomas White
Thomas White
-Politicians:* Thomas White, Jr., New York politician* Thomas White , mayor of San Jose, California from 1851 to 1854* Thomas White , Canadian politician...
, the issue was religion and specifically, denouncement of any attempt to adjust the boundaries of the newly-created Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. The Boundary Commission (Ireland)
Boundary Commission (Ireland)
The Irish Boundary Commission was a commission which met in 1924–25 to decide on the precise delineation of the border between the Irish Free State and Northern Ireland...
was then in the early stage of its report.
The by-election was notable in that it saw Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
's first speech to a Conservative meeting in over 20 years, when he addressed the Liverpool Conservative Workingman's Association on 7 May 1924.
The Liberals did not put forward a candidate and advised their supporters to vote Labour.
On 22 May 1924 Joseph Gibbins, a non-sectarian Protestant, triumphed for Labour, with a majority of 2,471 over the Conservative. The result was exceptional, as it remains the only occasion that a Labour government has gained a seat from the Opposition in an electoral contest.1
Gibbins held the seat by 379 votes in the 1924 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1924
- Seats summary :- References :* F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* - External links :* * *...
, and comfortably in the 1929 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1929
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
, but was defeated by the Conservative Clyde Tabor Wilson
Clyde Tabor Wilson
Clyde Tabor Wilson was a British Conservative Party politician.At the 1931 general election, he was elected Member of Parliament for Liverpool West Toxteth, winning the seat with a large majority over the sitting Labour Party MP, Joseph Gibbins...
in the landslide defeat of 1931
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...
. He had also become 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 Liverpool in 1924.
However, West Toxteth and Joseph Gibbins were not yet finished with each other. In early 1935, Wilson resigned to take up a position as Metropolitan Police Magistrate. Joseph Gibbins was again selected as by-election candidate, and on Tuesday 16 July 1935 he easily regained the seat on a swing
Swing (politics)
An electoral swing analysis shows the extent of change in voter support from one election to another. It is an indicator of voter support for individual candidates or political parties, or voter preference between two or more candidates or parties...
of 19%. Gibbins thus went into the record books for a second time, as the only person to gain the same seat twice in two different by-elections.
Joseph Gibbins easily held the seat in 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...
-against Randolph Churchill
Randolph Churchill
Major Randolph Frederick Edward Spencer-Churchill, MBE was the son of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and his wife Clementine. He was a Conservative Member of Parliament for Preston from 1940 to 1945....
- and 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...
. However, boundary changes merged the seat into a new Toxteth
Liverpool Toxteth (UK Parliament constituency)
Liverpool Toxteth was a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...
constituency 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...
. Gibbins gamely contested the new seat, but lost by 2,620 votes to the Conservative Reginald Bevins
Reginald Bevins
Reginald Bevins was a British politician who served as a Liverpool Member of Parliament for fourteen years...
. He had fought 10 parliamentary elections, a record for the City of Liverpool.
He died in 1965, aged 77.