Pierse Loftus
Encyclopedia
Pierse Creagh Loftus was an Irish
-born British
businessman and Conservative Party
politician. A notable figure in the public life of Lowestoft
and East Suffolk
for several decades, he sat in the House of Commons from 1934 to 1945 as the Member of Parliament
(MP) for the Lowestoft division of Suffolk
.
He was educated at St. Augustine's School in Ramsgate
and at The Oratory School
in Birmingham. After working in South Africa
for three years, where he served with the Maritzburg Defence Force in 1899, he returned to England; in 1902 he bought a share in Adnams Brewery
, in Southwold
, with his brother Jack. In the First World War he served with the Suffolk Regiment
in France, reaching the rank of captain.
He was elected to East Suffolk County Council in 1922, and the following year became vice-chairman of the Lowestoft Conservative Association. In 1931 he became an alderman
of the council.
When Gervais Rentoul
, the Conservative MP for Lowestoft, resigned his seat
in 1934 to become a Metropolitan Police
magistrate, Loftus was selected as the Conservative candidate for the resulting by-election
. The Conservative Party was part of the National Government
, and Loftus stood as a "National Conservative", i.e. a supporter of the government, with the backing of the other parties in the government. He was opposed by the Labour Party
and by an independent Liberal candidate. The campaign was dominated by the issues facing Lowestoft's fishermen
, who had suffered from the loss of Russia
as a market for herring
.
Polling took place on 15 February, and Loftus won the seat with 48% of the votes. Loftus had a majority of 5.9% over the Labour Party
candidate, former Leyton West MP Reginald Sorensen, whom he beat by 1,920 votes. This was significantly below Rentoul's majority in the 1931 general election
, but Loftus was re-elected in the 1935 election
with over 60% of the votes, and held the seat until his defeat at the 1945 general election
by the Labour candidate, Edward Evans
. While he was a Member of Parliament
, he concentrated on agriculture and fishing.
Loftus was a Justice of the Peace
in Suffolk for over 25 years, and High Steward
of Southwold
from 1945 until his death. After leaving Parliament, he became chairman of the Rural Reconstruction Association.
He died at his home in Southwold on 20 January 1956, aged 78.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
-born British
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...
businessman and Conservative Party
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...
politician. A notable figure in the public life of Lowestoft
Lowestoft
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...
and East Suffolk
East Suffolk
East Suffolk, along with West Suffolk, was created in 1888 as an administrative county of England. The administrative county was based on the eastern quarter sessions division of Suffolk...
for several decades, he sat in the House of Commons from 1934 to 1945 as the 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 the Lowestoft division of Suffolk
Lowestoft (UK Parliament constituency)
Lowestoft was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Lowestoft in Suffolk. It returned 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...
.
Early life
Loftus was born in County Kilkenny, Ireland. When he was eight years old, he and his brother changed their surnames to Loftus, adopting their grandmother's maiden name.He was educated at St. Augustine's School in Ramsgate
Ramsgate
Ramsgate is a seaside town in the district of Thanet in east Kent, England. It was one of the great English seaside towns of the 19th century and is a member of the ancient confederation of Cinque Ports. It has a population of around 40,000. Ramsgate's main attraction is its coastline and its main...
and at The Oratory School
The Oratory School
The Oratory School is a Roman Catholic, independent school for boys in Woodcote, Berkshire. It is the last Catholic all-boys boarding school remaining in Great Britain. It has approximately 420 pupils...
in Birmingham. After working in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
for three years, where he served with the Maritzburg Defence Force in 1899, he returned to England; in 1902 he bought a share in Adnams Brewery
Adnams Brewery
Adnams PLC is a British regional brewery company founded in 1890 in Southwold, Suffolk, England, by George and Ernest Adnams. The earliest recorded brewing on the Adnams site was in 1396 by Johanna de Corby. The company produces cask ale and pasteurised bottled beers. Annual production is around...
, in Southwold
Southwold
Southwold is a town on the North Sea coast, in the Waveney district of the English county of Suffolk. It is located on the North Sea coast at the mouth of the River Blyth within the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The town is around south of Lowestoft and north-east...
, with his brother Jack. In the First World War he served with the Suffolk Regiment
Suffolk Regiment
The Suffolk Regiment was an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army with a history dating back to 1685. It saw service for three centuries, before being amalgamated with the Royal Norfolk Regiment as the 1st East Anglian Regiment in 1959...
in France, reaching the rank of captain.
He was elected to East Suffolk County Council in 1922, and the following year became vice-chairman of the Lowestoft Conservative Association. In 1931 he became an 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...
of the council.
When Gervais Rentoul
Gervais Rentoul
Sir Gervais Squire Chittick Rentoul K.C.,M.A. , commonly known as Gervais Rentoul, was a British Conservative politician....
, the Conservative MP for Lowestoft, resigned his seat
Resignation from the British House of Commons
Members of Parliament sitting in the House of Commons in the United Kingdom are technically forbidden to resign. To circumvent this prohibition, a legal fiction is used...
in 1934 to become a Metropolitan Police
Metropolitan police
Metropolitan Police is a generic title for the municipal police force for a major metropolitan area, and it may be part of the official title of the force...
magistrate, Loftus was selected as the Conservative candidate for the resulting by-election
Lowestoft by-election, 1934
The 1934 Lowestoft by-election was an election held for the House of Commons of the United Kingdom's constituency of Lowestoft, it was the first ever by election in the constituency. It was held on Thursday 15 February 1934, polling stations opened between the hours of 8 am and 10 pm...
. The Conservative Party was part of the National Government
Second National Government 1931–1935
The United Kingdom's National Government was composed of members of the following parties:*National Labour*Conservative Party*Liberal Party*Liberal National Party...
, and Loftus stood as a "National Conservative", i.e. a supporter of the government, with the backing of the other parties in the government. He was opposed by the 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...
and by an independent Liberal candidate. The campaign was dominated by the issues facing Lowestoft's fishermen
Commercial fishing
Commercial fishing is the activity of catching fish and other seafood for commercial profit, mostly from wild fisheries. It provides a large quantity of food to many countries around the world, but those who practice it as an industry must often pursue fish far into the ocean under adverse conditions...
, who had suffered from the loss of Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
as a market for herring
Herring
Herring is an oily fish of the genus Clupea, found in the shallow, temperate waters of the North Pacific and the North Atlantic oceans, including the Baltic Sea. Three species of Clupea are recognized. The main taxa, the Atlantic herring and the Pacific herring may each be divided into subspecies...
.
Polling took place on 15 February, and Loftus won the seat with 48% of the votes. Loftus had a majority of 5.9% over the 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...
candidate, former Leyton West MP Reginald Sorensen, whom he beat by 1,920 votes. This was significantly below Rentoul's majority in the 1931 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...
, but Loftus was re-elected in the 1935 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...
with over 60% of the votes, and held the seat until his defeat at 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...
by the Labour candidate, Edward Evans
Edward Evans (politician)
Edward Evans CBE was a teacher and Labour Party politician in the United Kingdom. Noted for his work for and with deaf people and the blind, he entered the House of Commons in his 60s, and sat from 1945 to 1959....
. While he was a 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,...
, he concentrated on agriculture and fishing.
Loftus was 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 Suffolk for over 25 years, and High Steward
High steward (civic)
High steward is an honorary title bestowed by the councils or charter trustees of certain towns and cities in England. Originally a judicial office with considerable local powers, by the 17th century it had declined to a largely ceremonial role. The title is usually awarded for life, and in some...
of Southwold
Southwold
Southwold is a town on the North Sea coast, in the Waveney district of the English county of Suffolk. It is located on the North Sea coast at the mouth of the River Blyth within the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The town is around south of Lowestoft and north-east...
from 1945 until his death. After leaving Parliament, he became chairman of the Rural Reconstruction Association.
Family
Loftus was married twice, firstly in 1910 to Dorothy Reynolds, with whom he had two sons. Reynolds died in 1943, and in 1945 he married again to Eileen Elkington, the widow of Brigadier-General R. J. G. Elkington and daughter of Claude Marzetti.He died at his home in Southwold on 20 January 1956, aged 78.