William Edwin Harvey
Encyclopedia
William Edwin Harvey known as W. E. Harvey, was a British
Lib-Lab
Member of Parliament.
Born in Hasland
, Derbyshire
, Harvey worked in a coal mine from the age of ten. He joined the South Yorkshire Miners' Association (SYMA) in 1869, and was a the union's local delegate by 1872. For his trade union
activity, he was dismissed from the local pit, but managed to find work at Sheepbridge, then later at Morton
. He also converted to Primitive Methodism
and in his spare time was a lay preacher.
In 1880, the Derbyshire-based members of the SYMA split away to form the Derbyshire Miners' Association
(DMA), and Harvey became the new union's first treasurer. He resigned in 1882, because union meetings clashed with cricket
matches for his employer's team. However, the following year, he was elected as the union's assistant secretary. In 1891, he was elected to the national executive of the Miners' Federation of Great Britain (MFGB), serving on it in most subsequent years, and in 1894 he was the President of Chesterfield
Trades Council.
Politically a liberal, strongly opposed to socialism
and syndicalism
, Harvey became the vice-president of the Labour Electoral Association in 1894. This organisation aimed to secure the election of workers under the auspices of the Liberal Party
, and Harvey was elected to Chesterfield Borough Council in 1897, serving until his death.
In 1906, Harvey became financial and corresponding secretary of the DMA, and his high profile secured him the Liberal Party candidacy in the North East Derbyshire by-election, 1907. He was successful, and reluctantly joined the Labour Party
in 1910, on the instructions of his union. Despite his seat in Parliament, he remained an active trade unionist, serving as Vice-President of the MFGB from 1912, and as General and Financial Secretary of the DMA from 1913.
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...
Lib-Lab
Liberal-Labour (UK)
The Liberal–Labour movement refers to the practice of local Liberal associations accepting and supporting candidates who were financially maintained by trade unions...
Member of Parliament.
Born in Hasland
Hasland
Hasland is a suburb in the south-east of Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England. Although many local residents refer to it as a village, it expanded greatly during the 20th century and now merges with Chesterfield itself.- Churches :...
, Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
, Harvey worked in a coal mine from the age of ten. He joined the South Yorkshire Miners' Association (SYMA) in 1869, and was a the union's local delegate by 1872. For his trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
activity, he was dismissed from the local pit, but managed to find work at Sheepbridge, then later at Morton
Morton, Derbyshire
Morton is a civil parish and village, three miles north of Alfreton in Derbyshire, England.-History:Morton is first mentioned in the will of Wulfric Spott in 1002 and again mentioned in the Domesday Book as one of the manors belonging to Walter D'Aincourt....
. He also converted to Primitive Methodism
Primitive Methodism
Primitive Methodism was a major movement in English Methodism from about 1810 until the Methodist Union in 1932. The Primitive Methodist Church still exists in the United States.-Origins:...
and in his spare time was a lay preacher.
In 1880, the Derbyshire-based members of the SYMA split away to form the Derbyshire Miners' Association
Derbyshire Miners' Association
The Derbyshire Miners' Association was a trade union in the United Kingdom.The union was founded in 1880 to represent coal miners in northern Derbyshire, as a split from the South Yorkshire Miners' Association...
(DMA), and Harvey became the new union's first treasurer. He resigned in 1882, because union meetings clashed with 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...
matches for his employer's team. However, the following year, he was elected as the union's assistant secretary. In 1891, he was elected to the national executive of the Miners' Federation of Great Britain (MFGB), serving on it in most subsequent years, and in 1894 he was the President of Chesterfield
Chesterfield
Chesterfield is a market town and a borough of Derbyshire, England. It lies north of Derby, on a confluence of the rivers Rother and Hipper. Its population is 70,260 , making it Derbyshire's largest town...
Trades Council.
Politically a liberal, strongly opposed to socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
and syndicalism
Syndicalism
Syndicalism is a type of economic system proposed as a replacement for capitalism and an alternative to state socialism, which uses federations of collectivised trade unions or industrial unions...
, Harvey became the vice-president of the Labour Electoral Association in 1894. This organisation aimed to secure the election of workers under the auspices of the 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...
, and Harvey was elected to Chesterfield Borough Council in 1897, serving until his death.
In 1906, Harvey became financial and corresponding secretary of the DMA, and his high profile secured him the Liberal Party candidacy in the North East Derbyshire by-election, 1907. He was successful, and reluctantly joined 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...
in 1910, on the instructions of his union. Despite his seat in Parliament, he remained an active trade unionist, serving as Vice-President of the MFGB from 1912, and as General and Financial Secretary of the DMA from 1913.