▁September ▁ 1 9 2 0 ) ▁was ▁an ▁English ▁social ist ▁politician ▁of ▁the ▁early ▁ 2 0 th ▁century . ▁A ▁Member ▁of ▁Parliament ▁( MP ) ▁from ▁ 1 9 0 7 ▁to ▁ 1 9 1 0 , ▁he ▁is ▁most ▁notable ▁for ▁his ▁sens ational ▁by - e lection ▁victory ▁at ▁Col ne ▁Valley ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 7 , ▁and ▁for ▁his ▁un exp la ined ▁disapp earance ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 0 . ▁ ▁Early ▁years ▁Albert ▁Victor ▁Gray son ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Liverpool , ▁the ▁sevent h ▁son ▁of ▁William ▁Gray son , ▁a ▁York shire ▁car p enter , ▁and ▁Elizabeth ▁Craig , ▁who ▁was ▁Scottish . ▁He ▁became ▁an ▁app rent ice ▁engineer ▁in ▁Boot le . ▁He ▁joined ▁the ▁Independent ▁Labour ▁Party ▁and ▁tou red ▁the ▁country ▁giving ▁lect ures , ▁becoming ▁a ▁well - known ▁or ator ▁despite ▁having ▁a ▁stam mer . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 7 ▁he ▁stood ▁as ▁an ▁Independent ▁Labour ▁candidate ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 0 7 ▁Col ne ▁Valley ▁by - e lection , ▁having ▁been ▁nominated ▁by ▁the ▁Col ne ▁Valley ▁Labour ▁League . ▁He ▁won ▁a ▁sens ational , ▁al beit ▁narrow , ▁victory . ▁Gray son ▁was ▁paid ▁an ▁allow ance ▁by ▁the ▁I LP ▁but ▁refused ▁to ▁sign ▁the ▁Labour ▁Party ▁constitution . ▁ ▁Gray son ▁was ▁subject ▁to ▁an ▁am using ▁assess ment ▁by ▁W inst on ▁Church ill ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 8 ,