In the last week's House Points I wrote that Samuel Danks Waddy was "MP for Barnstaple 1874-9, for Sheffield 1879-80 and for Edinburgh 1882-5".
I am afraid I short-changed him. If I had read my earlier posting on him properly I would have known that he was also MP for Brigg from 1886-94.
Sorry, Sam.
Showing posts with label Samuel Danks Waddy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Samuel Danks Waddy. Show all posts
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Friday, July 24, 2009
House Points: The Olympics, school choirs and Samuel Danks Waddy
Today's House Points arguable finds me a little demob happy. This is my last column of the parliamentary season.
Incidentally, when I was at primary school in Hemel Hempstead we sang for no one more eminent than Potten End Women's Institute. We got a good tea, though.
Bercow's big tent
Bad news from Olympic questions on Monday: Tessa Jowell is talking about “investment” again. And we all know what that means under Labour.
This time the government is making good the shortfall in private sector contributions to the media centre and athletes’ village. It all comes out of the contingency fund, apparently, so it doesn’t really count.
Still, if anyone can make a mess of selling property in London – assuming it will be possible to sell houses again by the time the Games have taken place – it is national government.
A clue to the mind-set of those putting on the Olympics came in a Spectator diary written a few weeks ago by Roger Mosey, the man in charge of the BBC’s preparations. He blithely wrote: “£9bn is a lot of money, but the government is offering £220bn of gilts to cover our debt in this financial year alone.”
So spending £220bn on bailing out the banks means we need worry less about the cost of the Olympics? If they gave medals for bending logic....
******
John Bercow passed one early test. As part of the campaign against water companies’ higher charges on community groups for surface water drainage, some brave soul decided to bring 100 cub scouts to Westminster. But the Commons authorities said no because cubs are too young to vote. Bercow lifted this ban and allowed them to meet in Westminster Hall.
On Monday we learned of a new challenge. For the past four years school choirs from Hemel Hempstead have entertained MPs, and staff over lunch in the run-up to Christmas. In future, says the local MP, this will be banned as it inconveniences people.
Youth groups in Hemel are having a bad run. Last Christmas a shopping centre banned Brownies from carol singing because they are a “fire hazard”. Yet I know of no evidence they are any more flammable than the rest of us.
Mr Speaker should overturn this ban too.
******
This has been a depressing political season, but Liberal history always cheers me up. In recent days I have become interested in a gentleman who was MP for Barnstaple 1874-9, for Sheffield 1879-80 and for Edinburgh 1882-5.
The reason he makes me so cheerful?
It’s his name: Samuel Danks Waddy.
Incidentally, when I was at primary school in Hemel Hempstead we sang for no one more eminent than Potten End Women's Institute. We got a good tea, though.
Bercow's big tent
Bad news from Olympic questions on Monday: Tessa Jowell is talking about “investment” again. And we all know what that means under Labour.
This time the government is making good the shortfall in private sector contributions to the media centre and athletes’ village. It all comes out of the contingency fund, apparently, so it doesn’t really count.
Still, if anyone can make a mess of selling property in London – assuming it will be possible to sell houses again by the time the Games have taken place – it is national government.
A clue to the mind-set of those putting on the Olympics came in a Spectator diary written a few weeks ago by Roger Mosey, the man in charge of the BBC’s preparations. He blithely wrote: “£9bn is a lot of money, but the government is offering £220bn of gilts to cover our debt in this financial year alone.”
So spending £220bn on bailing out the banks means we need worry less about the cost of the Olympics? If they gave medals for bending logic....
******
John Bercow passed one early test. As part of the campaign against water companies’ higher charges on community groups for surface water drainage, some brave soul decided to bring 100 cub scouts to Westminster. But the Commons authorities said no because cubs are too young to vote. Bercow lifted this ban and allowed them to meet in Westminster Hall.
On Monday we learned of a new challenge. For the past four years school choirs from Hemel Hempstead have entertained MPs, and staff over lunch in the run-up to Christmas. In future, says the local MP, this will be banned as it inconveniences people.
Youth groups in Hemel are having a bad run. Last Christmas a shopping centre banned Brownies from carol singing because they are a “fire hazard”. Yet I know of no evidence they are any more flammable than the rest of us.
Mr Speaker should overturn this ban too.
******
This has been a depressing political season, but Liberal history always cheers me up. In recent days I have become interested in a gentleman who was MP for Barnstaple 1874-9, for Sheffield 1879-80 and for Edinburgh 1882-5.
The reason he makes me so cheerful?
It’s his name: Samuel Danks Waddy.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Samuel Danks Waddy
It has taken a while to get all the judges together, but we can now award Name of the 19th Century. And the winner is...
Samuel Danks Waddy.
Anna Raccoon, to whom this blog will be eternally grateful, has rediscovered him.
Wikipedia will tell you a little more about his career:
Samuel Danks Waddy.
Anna Raccoon, to whom this blog will be eternally grateful, has rediscovered him.
Wikipedia will tell you a little more about his career:
He was elected as the Liberal Member of Parliament (MP) for Barnstaple, Devon on 3 February 1874 but resigned this seat in December 1879 to stand in a by-election in the Sheffield constituency, taking the seat on 21 December 1879. However he held the Sheffield seat for less than four months, being voted out by just 40 votes on 3 April 1880.
He was elected as MP for Edinburgh in 1882, and when that seat was abolished, he contested, but lost, the new Hallam seat at the 1885 general election.
On 7 July 1886, at the 1886 general election, he was elected as MP for the Brigg constituency in Lincolnshire. He held the seat until 1894 when he was appointed Recorder of Sheffield.
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