William Henry Guy
Encyclopedia
William Henry Guy was a British
Labour Party
politician.
The son of a blacksmith, he came from a family of 21 children. In 1934 he was elected as a member of London County Council
, representing South Poplar. He remained a member of the LCC until its abolition
in 1965.
In August 1942 the sitting Labour member of parliament
for Poplar South
died. The vacancy occurred at the height of the Second World War
, and under an agreement between the parties forming the wartime coalition government, Guy was expected to take the seat at the ensuing by-election
unopposed. In the event he was opposed by the Reverend Patrick Figgis trunning as a "Christian Socialist". The poll took place on 13 August, with a turnout of less than 10% of the electorate and Guy secured 3,375 votes to 541 for Figgis.
Guy retained the seat at the 1945 general election
, but retired from the Commons at the 1950 election
, when the Poplar South constituency was abolished. He became a member of Poplar Borough Council
, and was mayor
of Poplar in 1953. He was a director of the Amalgamated Tobacco Corporation.
He died in Poplar
in August 1968.
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...
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.
The son of a blacksmith, he came from a family of 21 children. In 1934 he was elected as a member of London County Council
London County Council
London County Council was the principal local government body for the County of London, throughout its 1889–1965 existence, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today known as Inner London and was replaced by the Greater London Council...
, representing South Poplar. He remained a member of the LCC until its abolition
London Government Act 1963
The London Government Act 1963 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which recognised officially the conurbation known as Greater London and created a new local government structure for the capital. The Act significantly reduced the number of local government districts in the area,...
in 1965.
In August 1942 the sitting Labour 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 Poplar South
Poplar South (UK Parliament constituency)
Poplar South was a parliamentary constituency centred on the Poplar district of the East End of London...
died. The vacancy occurred at the height of the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and under an agreement between the parties forming the wartime coalition government, Guy was expected to take the seat at the ensuing by-election
Poplar South by-election, 1942
The Poplar South by-election, 1942 was a by-election held on 12 August 1942 for the British House of Commons constituency of Poplar South, which covered the Isle of Dogs and Poplar in the Metropolitan Borough of Poplar....
unopposed. In the event he was opposed by the Reverend Patrick Figgis trunning as a "Christian Socialist". The poll took place on 13 August, with a turnout of less than 10% of the electorate and Guy secured 3,375 votes to 541 for Figgis.
Guy retained the seat 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...
, but retired from the Commons at the 1950 election
United Kingdom general election, 1950
The 1950 United Kingdom general election was the first general election ever after a full term of a Labour government. Despite polling over one and a half million votes more than the Conservatives, the election, held on 23 February 1950 resulted in Labour receiving a slim majority of just five...
, when the Poplar South constituency was abolished. He became a member of Poplar Borough Council
Metropolitan Borough of Poplar
Poplar was a local government district in the metropolitan area of London, England. It was formed as a district of the Metropolis in 1855 and became a metropolitan borough in the County of London in 1900. It comprised the civil parishes of Bow, Bromley and Poplar until 1907, when it also became a...
, and was mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Poplar in 1953. He was a director of the Amalgamated Tobacco Corporation.
He died in Poplar
Poplar, London
Poplar is a historic, mainly residential area of the East End of London in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is about east of Charing Cross. Historically a hamlet in the parish of Stepney, Middlesex, in 1817 Poplar became a civil parish. In 1855 the Poplar District of the Metropolis was...
in August 1968.