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{{short description|British politician}}
'''Arthur Peters''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|CBE|JP}} (1867 – 22 March 1956), was a British [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal Party]] politician who was previously Chief Agent of the Labour Party and finally Mayor of Croydon.
'''Arthur Peters''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|CBE|JP}} (1867 – 22 March 1956), was a British [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal Party]] politician who was previously Chief Agent of the Labour Party and finally Mayor of [[Croydon]].


==Background==
==Background==
Peters was born in [[Steyning]], Sussex, the youngest son of James Peters of [[Brighton]]. He was educated at Brighton Commercial School. In 1894 he married Annie Lowe of [[Blakeney, Gloucestershire]].<ref>''The Liberal Year Book'', 1929</ref>
Peters was born in [[Steyning]], Sussex, the youngest son of James Peters of [[Brighton]]. He was educated at Brighton Commercial School. In 1894 he married Annie Lowe of [[Blakeney, Gloucestershire]].<ref>''The Liberal Year Book'', 1929</ref>


==Political career==
==Political career==
Peters started his political career as an Agent with the Liberal Party, along with [[Arthur Henderson]]. Like Henderson he left the Liberals to join the emerging Labour Party. He was the first National Agent to the Labour Party, appointed in 1908.<ref>The Times House of Commons, 1929</ref><ref>Alan Howarth and Dianne Hayter, ''Men Who Made Labour''</ref> He was a strong supporter of the suffragists and the [[National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies]]. He was also an advocate of [[Proportional representation]]. Following the outbreak of war in 1914, the Labour Party split between those like Henderson who supported the war and those like [[Ramsay Macdonald]] who opposed it. Peters sided with Henderson as a supporter of the war effort. From 1914-1917 he was Joint Honorary Secretary of the Parliamentary Recruiting Committee. In 1918 he was awarded the [[CBE]].<ref>‘PETERS, Arthur’, Who Was Who, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2015; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014 ; online edn, April 2014 [http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whowaswho/U241755, accessed 11 Sept 2015]</ref>
Peters started his political career as an Agent with the Liberal Party, along with [[Arthur Henderson]]. Like Henderson he left the Liberals to join the emerging Labour Party. He was the first National Agent to the Labour Party, appointed in 1908.<ref>The Times House of Commons, 1929</ref><ref>Alan Howarth and Dianne Hayter, ''Men Who Made Labour''</ref> He was a strong supporter of the suffragists and the [[National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies]]. He was also an advocate of [[Proportional representation]]. Following the outbreak of war in 1914, the Labour Party split between those like Henderson who supported the war and those like [[Ramsay MacDonald]] who opposed it. Peters sided with Henderson as a supporter of the war effort. From 1914-1917 he was Joint Honorary Secretary of the Parliamentary Recruiting Committee. In 1918 he was appointed a [[Commander of the Order of the British Empire|CBE]].<ref>‘PETERS, Arthur’, Who Was Who, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2015; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014; online edn, April 2014 [http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whowaswho/U241755, accessed 11 Sept 2015]</ref>


In 1918, Peters chaired a Labour Party commission examining organisation and elections. He faced criticism from within the party for signing the nomination papers of the Liberal candidate for [[Croydon North (UK Parliament constituency)|Croydon North]] at the [[1918 UK general election]], and left his post as agent after the election.<ref>Matthew Worley, ''Labour Inside the Gate'', pp.34, 38</ref>
In 1918, Peters chaired a Labour Party commission examining organisation and elections. He faced criticism from within the party for signing the nomination papers of the Liberal candidate for [[Croydon North (UK Parliament constituency)|Croydon North]] at the [[1918 United Kingdom general election|1918 general election]], and left his post as agent after the election.<ref>Matthew Worley, ''Labour Inside the Gate'', pp.34, 38</ref>


In 1921 he was appointed Deputy Housing Commissioner at the [[Department of Health (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Health]], serving for two years. Back in 1916 he had been elected as a Councillor to [[County Borough of Croydon|Croydon County Borough Council]] and later he was elected an [[Alderman]].<ref>The Times House of Commons, 1927</ref> He left the Labour Party and re-joined the Liberal Party and was actively involved as Honorary Secretary of the League of Liberal Trade Unionists and Co-operators.<ref>The Liberal Year Book, 1929</ref> He was Liberal candidate for the [[Wimbledon (UK Parliament constituency)|Wimbledon]] division of [[Surrey]] at the 1929 General Election. He did not stand for parliament again.<ref>British parliamentary election results 1918-1949, Craig, F.W.S.</ref> He served as a [[Justice of the peace]]. He served as Mayor of Croydon from 1935–37.<ref>‘PETERS, Arthur’, Who Was Who, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2015; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014 ; online edn, April 2014 [http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whowaswho/U241755, accessed 11 Sept 2015]</ref>
In 1921 he was appointed Deputy Housing Commissioner at the [[Department of Health (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Health]], serving for two years. Back in 1916 he had been elected as a Councillor to [[County Borough of Croydon|Croydon County Borough Council]] and later he was elected an [[Alderman]].<ref>The Times House of Commons, 1927</ref> He left the Labour Party and re-joined the Liberal Party and was actively involved as Honorary Secretary of the League of Liberal Trade Unionists and Co-operators.<ref>The Liberal Year Book, 1929</ref> He was Liberal candidate for the [[Wimbledon (UK Parliament constituency)|Wimbledon]] division of [[Surrey]] at the 1929 General Election. He did not stand for parliament again.<ref>British parliamentary election results 1918-1949, Craig, F.W.S.</ref> He served as a [[Justice of the peace]]. He served as Mayor of Croydon from 1935–37.<ref>‘PETERS, Arthur’, Who Was Who, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2015; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014; online edn, April 2014 [http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whowaswho/U241755, accessed 11 Sept 2015]</ref>


===Electoral record===
===Electoral record===
{{Election box begin |
{{Election box begin |
|title=[[United Kingdom general election, 1929|General Election 1929]]: Wimbledon <ref>British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig</ref>
|title=[[1929 United Kingdom general election|General Election 1929]]: Wimbledon <ref>British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig</ref>
}}
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
{{Election box candidate with party link|
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{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}


{{start box}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-ppo}}
{{s-ppo}}
{{succession box|title=National Agent of the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]]|years=1908 &ndash; 1918|before=''New position''|after=[[Egerton P. Wake]]}}
{{succession box|title=National Agent of the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]]|years=1908 – 1918|before=''New position''|after=[[Egerton P. Wake]]}}
{{end box}}
{{s-end}}

{{Authority control}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2016}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Peters, Arthur}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Peters, Arthur}}
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[[Category:1956 deaths]]
[[Category:1956 deaths]]
[[Category:Labour Party (UK) officials]]
[[Category:Labour Party (UK) officials]]
[[Category:Liberal Party (UK) politicians]]
[[Category:Liberal Party (UK) parliamentary candidates]]
[[Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:People from Steyning]]

Latest revision as of 13:58, 2 October 2024

Arthur Peters CBE JP (1867 – 22 March 1956), was a British Liberal Party politician who was previously Chief Agent of the Labour Party and finally Mayor of Croydon.

Background

[edit]

Peters was born in Steyning, Sussex, the youngest son of James Peters of Brighton. He was educated at Brighton Commercial School. In 1894 he married Annie Lowe of Blakeney, Gloucestershire.[1]

Political career

[edit]

Peters started his political career as an Agent with the Liberal Party, along with Arthur Henderson. Like Henderson he left the Liberals to join the emerging Labour Party. He was the first National Agent to the Labour Party, appointed in 1908.[2][3] He was a strong supporter of the suffragists and the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies. He was also an advocate of Proportional representation. Following the outbreak of war in 1914, the Labour Party split between those like Henderson who supported the war and those like Ramsay MacDonald who opposed it. Peters sided with Henderson as a supporter of the war effort. From 1914-1917 he was Joint Honorary Secretary of the Parliamentary Recruiting Committee. In 1918 he was appointed a CBE.[4]

In 1918, Peters chaired a Labour Party commission examining organisation and elections. He faced criticism from within the party for signing the nomination papers of the Liberal candidate for Croydon North at the 1918 general election, and left his post as agent after the election.[5]

In 1921 he was appointed Deputy Housing Commissioner at the Ministry of Health, serving for two years. Back in 1916 he had been elected as a Councillor to Croydon County Borough Council and later he was elected an Alderman.[6] He left the Labour Party and re-joined the Liberal Party and was actively involved as Honorary Secretary of the League of Liberal Trade Unionists and Co-operators.[7] He was Liberal candidate for the Wimbledon division of Surrey at the 1929 General Election. He did not stand for parliament again.[8] He served as a Justice of the peace. He served as Mayor of Croydon from 1935–37.[9]

Electoral record

[edit]
General Election 1929: Wimbledon [10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Sir John Cecil Power 21,902 53.4
Labour Thomas Braddock 9,924 24.2
Liberal Arthur Peters 9,202 22.4 n/a
Majority 11,978 29.2
Turnout
Unionist hold Swing

References

[edit]
  1. ^ The Liberal Year Book, 1929
  2. ^ The Times House of Commons, 1929
  3. ^ Alan Howarth and Dianne Hayter, Men Who Made Labour
  4. ^ ‘PETERS, Arthur’, Who Was Who, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2015; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014; online edn, April 2014 accessed 11 Sept 2015
  5. ^ Matthew Worley, Labour Inside the Gate, pp.34, 38
  6. ^ The Times House of Commons, 1927
  7. ^ The Liberal Year Book, 1929
  8. ^ British parliamentary election results 1918-1949, Craig, F.W.S.
  9. ^ ‘PETERS, Arthur’, Who Was Who, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2015; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014; online edn, April 2014 accessed 11 Sept 2015
  10. ^ British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig
Party political offices
Preceded by
New position
 National Agent of the Labour Party
1908 – 1918 		Succeeded by


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