Samuel Thomas Rosbotham
Encyclopedia
Sir Samuel Thomas Rosbotham (26 June 1864 – 12 March 1950), known as 'Sam Tom', was a British farmer and politician.
, before marrying Jane Heyes in 1887, producing seven children. He was elected to Lancashire County Council
in 1895, later becoming a county alderman
. In 1909 he became chairman of the Lancashire Farmers Association, a post he held for twenty years.
During The First World War
he was the chairman of the Ormskirk War Agricultural Committee, working to make short-term credit available for the small farmers. Following the war he was appointed to the Agricultural Wages Board as an employers' representative.
at the upcoming general election
. In the event he did not contest the election. By the time of the 1924 general election
Rosbotham had changed his allegiance to the Labour Party
, campaigning against the sitting Conservative
MP, Francis Blundell. Following a bitter contest Blundell brought an action for slander against Rosbotham for making "false statements of fact in relation to the plaintiff's character and conduct for the purpose of affecting his return to parliament".
At the next general election in 1929
Rosbotham stood as the Labour candidate against Blundell at Ormskirk, and was elected to the Commons. His victory was thought to be partly due to a change in the nature of the electorate, due to the building of a number of large housing estates
by Liverpool
City Council in the area.
With the formation of a National Government in August 1931 he moved to the National Labour Organisation. This led to the Ormskirk Divisional Labour Party declaring that he no longer represented them and that they would select another candidate to run against him at the next election. He was formally expelled from the Labour Party in October 1931.
He was appointed as a justice of the peace
in 1930, was knighted "for public and political services" in 1933, and was re-elected as a National Labour MP in 1931
and 1935
. At the 1935 election both National Labour leader Ramsay MacDonald
and his son Malcolm MacDonald
lost their seats, and Rosbotham offered to resign to allow either of them to contest the resulting by-election. His offer was not accepted.
, who had been selected to replace him as the National Government's candidate. In April 1939 the local National Government Coordinating Committee passed a resolution that Rosbotham "was not a suitable person to continue to represent the Division in Parliament". In October 1939, aged 75 he chose to retire, resigning his seat by applying for appointment as Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead.
His first wife died in 1945, and in 1946 Rosbotham married Joan Dearden of Waterfoot, Lancashire.
He died suddenly at his Southport
home in March 1950, aged 85, and was buried in the graveyard of Bickerstaffe Parish Church.
Early life
Born to Samuel and Mary (née Heathcote) in 1864, he carried on his fathers occupation as a farmer at Holly and Stanley farms in BickerstaffeBickerstaffe
Bickerstaffe is a village and civil parish in the West Lancashire district of Lancashire, England. According to the 2001 Census the population of the civil parish was 1,196, although the population of the electoral ward was slightly greater at 2,013....
, before marrying Jane Heyes in 1887, producing seven children. He was elected to Lancashire County Council
Lancashire County Council
Lancashire County Council is the upper-tier local authority for the non-metropolitan county of Lancashire, England. It currently consists of 84 councillors, and is controlled by the Conservative Party, who won control of the council in the local council elections in June 2009, ending 28 years of...
in 1895, later becoming a county 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...
. In 1909 he became chairman of the Lancashire Farmers Association, a post he held for twenty years.
During The First World War
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 was the chairman of the Ormskirk War Agricultural Committee, working to make short-term credit available for the small farmers. Following the war he was appointed to the Agricultural Wages Board as an employers' representative.
Parliament
In October 1922 Rosbotham announced his candidacy as an Independent Conservative candidate for his local constituency of OrmskirkOrmskirk (UK Parliament constituency)
Ormskirk was a county 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. It was created by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 as a division of the parliamentary county of...
at the upcoming general election
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...
. In the event he did not contest the election. By the time of the 1924 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1924
- Seats summary :- References :* F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* - External links :* * *...
Rosbotham had changed his allegiance to 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...
, campaigning against the sitting 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...
MP, Francis Blundell. Following a bitter contest Blundell brought an action for slander against Rosbotham for making "false statements of fact in relation to the plaintiff's character and conduct for the purpose of affecting his return to parliament".
At the next general election in 1929
United Kingdom general election, 1929
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
Rosbotham stood as the Labour candidate against Blundell at Ormskirk, and was elected to the Commons. His victory was thought to be partly due to a change in the nature of the electorate, due to the building of a number of large housing estates
Council house
A council house, otherwise known as a local authority house, is a form of public or social housing. The term is used primarily in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. Council houses were built and operated by local councils to supply uncrowded, well-built homes on secure tenancies at...
by Liverpool
Liverpool
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...
City Council in the area.
With the formation of a National Government in August 1931 he moved to the National Labour Organisation. This led to the Ormskirk Divisional Labour Party declaring that he no longer represented them and that they would select another candidate to run against him at the next election. He was formally expelled from the Labour Party in October 1931.
He was appointed as 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 1930, was knighted "for public and political services" in 1933, and was re-elected as a National Labour MP in 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...
and 1935
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...
. At the 1935 election both National Labour leader 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....
and his son Malcolm MacDonald
Malcolm MacDonald
Malcolm John MacDonald OM, PC was a British politician and diplomat.-Background:MacDonald was the son of Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald and Margaret MacDonald. Like his father he was born in Lossiemouth, Moray...
lost their seats, and Rosbotham offered to resign to allow either of them to contest the resulting by-election. His offer was not accepted.
Resignation
In 1938 Rosbotham indicated that he would not be contesting the next general election. This led to a dispute as he failed to give whole-hearted support to Stephen King-HallStephen King-Hall
Sir William Stephen Richard King-Hall, Baron King-Hall of Headley was a British naval officer, writer, politician and playwright. -Life:...
, who had been selected to replace him as the National Government's candidate. In April 1939 the local National Government Coordinating Committee passed a resolution that Rosbotham "was not a suitable person to continue to represent the Division in Parliament". In October 1939, aged 75 he chose to retire, resigning his seat by applying for appointment as Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead.
His first wife died in 1945, and in 1946 Rosbotham married Joan Dearden of Waterfoot, Lancashire.
He died suddenly at his Southport
Southport
Southport is a seaside town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England. During the 2001 census Southport was recorded as having a population of 90,336, making it the eleventh most populous settlement in North West England...
home in March 1950, aged 85, and was buried in the graveyard of Bickerstaffe Parish Church.