William Blease, Baron Blease
Encyclopedia
William John Blease, Baron Blease JP (28 May 1914 – 16 May 2008) was a British
politician.
Blease, the son of William John Blease and Sarah Watts, was educated at McClure Public Elementary School and Belfast Technical College, the National Council Labour Colleges and then the Workers' Educational Association
.
Blease worked first as a shop apprentice from 1929, becoming a grocer's assistant and grocery branch manager between 1938 and 1940. In 1940, he moved to Belfast shipyard
, where he stayed as clerk until 1945. He then became branch manager of the Co-op Society
of Belfast until 1959. In 1976, he was appointed as a justice of the peace
for Belfast. He was also a member of the British Institute of Management
.
An active trade unionist, Blease was elected to the Northern Ireland Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions
in 1959, remaining a member until 1975. That year, he joined the Independent Broadcasting Authority
, a post he held for four years.
Blease also joined the Northern Ireland Labour Party
. He stood unsuccessfully for the Parliament of Northern Ireland
in Belfast Oldpark
at the 1953 general election
, and in 1965
he was unsuccessful in Belfast St Anne's
.
On 21 June 1978, he was created a life peer
with the title Baron Blease, of Cromac in the City of Belfast. From 1979 to 1983, he was Opposition Spokesman on Northern Ireland and Labour Whip
. The Queen's University of Belfast
made him an honorary doctor of law
and the New University of Ulster
an honorary doctor of letters
.
In 1985, Blease worked with Paddy Devlin
to found the Labour Party of Northern Ireland
and he remained a trustee of the group until its dissolution in 1990.
Lord Blease married Sarah Evelyn Caldwell in 1939. They had four children, three sons and one daughter. They remained married until his death on 16 May 2008.
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...
politician.
Blease, the son of William John Blease and Sarah Watts, was educated at McClure Public Elementary School and Belfast Technical College, the National Council Labour Colleges and then the Workers' Educational Association
Workers' Educational Association
The Workers’ Educational Association seeks to provide access to education and lifelong learning for adults from all backgrounds, and in particular those who have previously missed out on education. The International Federation of Workers Education Associations has consultative status to UNESCO...
.
Blease worked first as a shop apprentice from 1929, becoming a grocer's assistant and grocery branch manager between 1938 and 1940. In 1940, he moved to Belfast shipyard
Harland and Wolff
Harland and Wolff Heavy Industries is a Northern Irish heavy industrial company, specialising in shipbuilding and offshore construction, located in Belfast, Northern Ireland....
, where he stayed as clerk until 1945. He then became branch manager of the Co-op Society
The Co-operative Group
The Co-operative Group Ltd. is a United Kingdom consumer cooperative with a diverse range of business interests. It is co-operatively run and owned by its members. It is the largest organisation of this type in the world, with over 5.5 million members, who all have a say in how the business is...
of Belfast until 1959. In 1976, 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...
for Belfast. He was also a member of the British Institute of Management
Chartered Management Institute
The Chartered Management Institute is a professional institution for managers, based in the United Kingdom.In addition to supporting its members, the organisation encourages management development, carries out research, produces a wide variety of publications on management interests, and publishes...
.
An active trade unionist, Blease was elected to the Northern Ireland Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions
Irish Congress of Trade Unions
The Irish Congress of Trade Unions , formed in 1959 by the merger of the Irish Trade Union Congress and the Congress of Irish Unions , is a national trade union centre, the umbrella organisation to which trade unions in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland affiliate.-Influence:There...
in 1959, remaining a member until 1975. That year, he joined the Independent Broadcasting Authority
Independent Broadcasting Authority
The Independent Broadcasting Authority was the regulatory body in the United Kingdom for commercial television - and commercial/independent radio broadcasts...
, a post he held for four years.
Blease also joined the Northern Ireland Labour Party
Northern Ireland Labour Party
The Northern Ireland Labour Party was an Irish political party which operated from 1924 until 1987.In 1913 the British Labour Party resolved to give the recently formed Irish Labour Party exclusive organising rights in Ireland...
. He stood unsuccessfully for the Parliament of Northern Ireland
Parliament of Northern Ireland
The Parliament of Northern Ireland was the home rule legislature of Northern Ireland, created under the Government of Ireland Act 1920, which sat from 7 June 1921 to 30 March 1972, when it was suspended...
in Belfast Oldpark
Belfast Oldpark (Northern Ireland Parliament constituency)
Belfast Oldpark was a constituency of the Parliament of Northern Ireland.-Boundaries:Belfast Oldpark was a borough constituency comprising part of northern Belfast...
at the 1953 general election
Northern Ireland general election, 1953
-References:*...
, and in 1965
Northern Ireland general election, 1965
-Seats summary:-References:*...
he was unsuccessful in Belfast St Anne's
Belfast St Anne's (Northern Ireland Parliament constituency)
Belfast St Anne's was a constituency of the Parliament of Northern Ireland.-Boundaries:Belfast St Anne's was a borough constituency comprising part of south-western Belfast...
.
On 21 June 1978, he was created a life peer
Life peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
with the title Baron Blease, of Cromac in the City of Belfast. From 1979 to 1983, he was Opposition Spokesman on Northern Ireland and Labour Whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
. The Queen's University of Belfast
Queen's University of Belfast
Queen's University Belfast is a public research university in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The university's official title, per its charter, is the Queen's University of Belfast. It is often referred to simply as Queen's, or by the abbreviation QUB...
made him an honorary doctor of law
Doctor of law
Doctor of Law or Doctor of Laws is a doctoral degree in law. The application of the term varies from country to country, and includes degrees such as the LL.D., Ph.D., J.D., J.S.D., and Dr. iur.-Argentina:...
and the New University of Ulster
University of Ulster
The University of Ulster is a multi-campus, co-educational university located in Northern Ireland. It is the largest single university in Ireland, discounting the federal National University of Ireland...
an honorary doctor of letters
Doctor of Letters
Doctor of Letters is a university academic degree, often a higher doctorate which is frequently awarded as an honorary degree in recognition of outstanding scholarship or other merits.-Commonwealth:...
.
In 1985, Blease worked with Paddy Devlin
Paddy Devlin
Paddy Devlin was a Northern Irish social democrat and Labour activist, a former Stormont MP, a founder of the Social Democratic and Labour Party and a member of the 1974 Power Sharing Executive.-Early life:...
to found the Labour Party of Northern Ireland
Labour Party of Northern Ireland
The Labour Party of Northern Ireland is a political party in Northern Ireland, formed in 1985 by a group around Paddy Devlin, a former Social Democratic and Labour Party councillor and Northern Ireland Assembly member, and Billy Blease, a member of the British House of Lords.-Progress:In 1987, the...
and he remained a trustee of the group until its dissolution in 1990.
Lord Blease married Sarah Evelyn Caldwell in 1939. They had four children, three sons and one daughter. They remained married until his death on 16 May 2008.