Leonard Behrens
Encyclopedia
Leonard Behrens was a British
Liberal Party
politician and public figure.
Born in Manchester
, Behrens studied at Manchester Grammar School
then at Rugby School
. He was active in the family business and with the Manchester Chamber of Commerce
. During World War I
, he worked for the Serbian Relief Fund in Thessaloniki
, and was awarded the Order of St Sava. Back in Britain, he became President of the Manchester Liberal Federation, and was an official of a large number of local bodies, including the Manchester Statistical Society, the Design and Industries Association, the Royal Manchester College of Music
, the Hallé Concert Society
and the University of Manchester
. He also served as a JP
.
He stood unsuccessfully as Liberal Party candidate in the 1945 and 1950 UK general elections at Manchester Withington
.
Behrens was a keen supporter of the League of Nations
Union, and later the United Nations Association
, becoming vice-president of the World Federation of United Nations Associations. From 1955 to 1957, he served as President of the Liberal Party, and from 1959 to 1961 he was the party's Chair.
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
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 and public figure.
Born in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, Behrens studied at Manchester Grammar School
Manchester Grammar School
The Manchester Grammar School is the largest independent day school for boys in the UK . It is based in Manchester, England...
then at Rugby School
Rugby School
Rugby School is a co-educational day and boarding school located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. It is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain.-History:...
. He was active in the family business and with the Manchester Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of commerce
A chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...
. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, he worked for the Serbian Relief Fund in Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
, and was awarded the Order of St Sava. Back in Britain, he became President of the Manchester Liberal Federation, and was an official of a large number of local bodies, including the Manchester Statistical Society, the Design and Industries Association, the Royal Manchester College of Music
Royal Manchester College of Music
The Royal Manchester College of Music was founded in 1893 by Sir Charles Hallé who assumed the role as Principal. For a long period of time Hallé had argued for Manchester's need for a conservatoire to properly train the local talent. The Ducie Street building, just off Oxford Road, was purchased...
, the Hallé Concert Society
The Hallé
The Hallé is a symphony orchestra based in Manchester, England. It is the UK's oldest extant symphony orchestra , supports a choir, youth choir and a youth orchestra, and releases its recordings on its own record label, though it has occasionally released recordings on Angel Records and EMI...
and the University of Manchester
University of Manchester
The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...
. He also served as a JP
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...
.
He stood unsuccessfully as Liberal Party candidate in the 1945 and 1950 UK general elections at Manchester Withington
Manchester Withington (UK Parliament constituency)
Manchester, Withington is a parliamentary constituency in the city of Manchester. It returns one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system...
.
Behrens was a keen supporter of the League of Nations
League of Nations
The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War. It was the first permanent international organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace...
Union, and later the United Nations Association
United Nations Association
The United Nations Associations are non-governmental organizations that exist in various countries to enhance the relationship between the people of a member state and the United Nations, raise public awareness of the UN and its work, promote the general goals of the UN and act as an advisory body...
, becoming vice-president of the World Federation of United Nations Associations. From 1955 to 1957, he served as President of the Liberal Party, and from 1959 to 1961 he was the party's Chair.