Michael Noble (English politician)
Encyclopedia
Michael Alfred Noble was a British
Labour Party
politician.
and was a keen athlete, winning the Victor Ludorum
in his senior years. He was always proud of his background, particularly of the fact that his mother insisted he continue at school beyond the school leaving age and worked extra hours to ensure the family could afford this, as she did for both of his younger brothers, who also followed him to the grammar school. He went to Sheffield University, initially intending to read geography, until his colour blindness forced him into a change of subject. He therefore read economics.
to Burnley
in Lancashire
, where his two younger children were born. He was always a supporter of the Labour Party and was elected for the local council, becoming the Chair of the Education Committee.
and, despite narrowly being defeated in the February election, Noble was elected Member of Parliament
for the marginal Rossendale
seat in the October 1974 general election
, but lost the seat to the Conservative
candidate David Trippier
in 1979.
While a Member of Parliament Noble served as the Parliamentary Private Secretary
to Roy Hattersley
(now Lord Hattersley), in his position as Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection.
and then for Burnley College
.
He was fanatical about sport, namely cricket
and football - both of which he was qualified to coach - and it was whilst watching Burnley
playing Sheffield at Turf Moor
that he had his fatal heart attack. This was despite having had no warnings or symptoms of any problems and being the relatively young age 48.
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...
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
Noble was the son of Alfred "Bunny" Noble and Olive Noble (née Earle), a bricklayer and a school cook respectively. He was born in a small village near Hull. He was the first child in his school to pass the 11+ exam, and to celebrate his achievement the whole school got a day off. He attended Hull Grammar SchoolHull Grammar School
Hull Grammar School was an independent secondary school in Hull, England, founded in 1486 by Dr. John Alcock. The school merged with Hull High School to form Hull Collegiate School in 2005.- History :The seventeenth oldest independent school in the U.K...
and was a keen athlete, winning the Victor Ludorum
Victor Ludorum
Victor Ludorum is Latin for "the winner of the games." It is usually a trophy presented to the most successful team, club, or competitor at a sports event. It is common at rowing regattas and was traditional at some British public school sports days...
in his senior years. He was always proud of his background, particularly of the fact that his mother insisted he continue at school beyond the school leaving age and worked extra hours to ensure the family could afford this, as she did for both of his younger brothers, who also followed him to the grammar school. He went to Sheffield University, initially intending to read geography, until his colour blindness forced him into a change of subject. He therefore read economics.
Teaching career
For his National Service Mike chose to become a teacher and pursued this course subsequently by becoming a lecturer for the WEA, for whom he lectured in industrial relations. As a consequence of this career he moved from YorkshireYorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
to Burnley
Burnley
Burnley is a market town in the Burnley borough of Lancashire, England, with a population of around 73,500. It lies north of Manchester and east of Preston, at the confluence of the River Calder and River Brun....
in 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...
, where his two younger children were born. He was always a supporter of the Labour Party and was elected for the local council, becoming the Chair of the Education Committee.
Parliamentary career
He first stood for parliament in 1970 when he contested the Withington constituency, but was unsuccessful. He was then was selected for the Rossendale constituencyRossendale (UK Parliament constituency)
Rossendale was a parliamentary constituency in the Lancashire, England. Created in 1885, it elected one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first-past-the-post voting system...
and, despite narrowly being defeated in the February election, Noble was elected 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,...
for the marginal Rossendale
Rossendale (UK Parliament constituency)
Rossendale was a parliamentary constituency in the Lancashire, England. Created in 1885, it elected one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first-past-the-post voting system...
seat in the October 1974 general election
United Kingdom general election, October 1974
The United Kingdom general election of October 1974 took place on 10 October 1974 to elect 635 members to the British House of Commons. It was the second general election of that year and resulted in the Labour Party led by Harold Wilson, winning by a tiny majority of 3 seats.The election of...
, but lost the seat to the Conservative
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...
candidate David Trippier
David Trippier
Sir David Austin Trippier is a British Conservative politician and old boy of Bury Grammar School.Trippier was Member of Parliament for Rossendale from 1979 to 1983, and for Rossendale and Darwen from 1983 until he lost his seat in 1992 by 120 votes to Labour's Janet Anderson...
in 1979.
While a Member of Parliament Noble served as the Parliamentary Private Secretary
Parliamentary 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...
to Roy Hattersley
Roy Hattersley
Roy Sydney George Hattersley, Baron Hattersley is a British Labour politician, author and journalist from Sheffield. He served as Deputy Leader of the Labour Party from 1983 to 1992.-Early life:...
(now Lord Hattersley), in his position as Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection.
Back to teaching
After losing his seat in the Conservative landslide of 1979, Noble returned to his roots as an educationalist, working first for Blackburn CollegeBlackburn College (Blackburn with Darwen)
Blackburn College is a further and higher education college in Blackburn, in the unitary authority of Blackburn with Darwen, Lancashire, England.It is a large college, with over 15,000 students, around 6,000 of whom are aged 16–19...
and then for Burnley College
Burnley College
Burnley College is a further education college based in Burnley, Lancashire.- New College Site :Situated on Princess Way , Burnley in Lancashire...
.
Personal life
He married Brenda Peak in December 1956 and their first child, Julie, was born the following December, followed in November 1963 by Gary and in January 1970 by Michelle (Shelley).He was fanatical about sport, namely cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
and football - both of which he was qualified to coach - and it was whilst watching Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
playing Sheffield at Turf Moor
Turf Moor
Turf Moor is a football stadium in Burnley, Lancashire. It is the home ground of Burnley Football Club, which has played there since moving from its Calder Vale ground in 1883. The stadium, which is situated on Harry Potts Way, named so after the club's longest serving Manager, has a capacity of...
that he had his fatal heart attack. This was despite having had no warnings or symptoms of any problems and being the relatively young age 48.