dale , ▁the ▁son ▁of ▁John ▁and ▁Mary ▁( née ▁St ott ) ▁Gill , ▁and ▁educated ▁at ▁St . ▁Mary ' s ▁Element ary ▁School , ▁Bal der stone . ▁He ▁started ▁work ▁in ▁a ▁cot ton ▁mill ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 1 0 , ▁became ▁an ▁active ▁campaign er ▁for ▁workers ' ▁rights ▁and ▁rose ▁to ▁be ▁General ▁Secretary ▁of ▁the ▁Bol ton ▁Oper ative ▁Sp inners ▁Association , ▁a ▁locally ▁important ▁trade ▁union . ▁He ▁also ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁Justice ▁of ▁the ▁Peace ▁( J P ) ▁for ▁Bol ton ▁from ▁ 1 8 9 9 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 6 ▁he ▁entered ▁Parliament ▁as ▁the ▁junior ▁MP ▁for ▁Bol ton , ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 9 ▁original ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Parliament ary ▁Labour ▁Party . ▁Their ▁vict ories ▁in ▁the ▁pol ls ▁were ▁made ▁possible ▁by ▁a ▁deal ▁with ▁the ▁Liberal ▁Party ▁where by ▁the ▁Liber als ▁would ▁give ▁up ▁selected ▁seats ▁and ▁support ▁the ▁Labour ▁candidate ▁instead . ▁He ▁subsequently ▁held ▁the ▁seat , ▁latter ly ▁as ▁the ▁senior ▁MP , ▁until ▁his ▁death ▁from ▁an a emia . ▁Through out ▁his ▁time ▁in ▁Parliament ▁he ▁fought ▁for ▁better ▁health ▁and ▁safety ▁in ▁the ▁work place . ▁At ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁his ▁death ▁he ▁was ▁vice - ch air man ▁of ▁the ▁Parliament ary ▁Labour ▁Party . ▁ ▁He ▁died ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 4 ▁and ▁is ▁buried ▁in ▁He aton ▁C emetery , ▁Bol ton . ▁He ▁had ▁married ▁Sarah ▁Ellen