▁was ▁a ▁British ▁Labour ▁Party ▁politician ▁and ▁trade ▁union ▁official . ▁ ▁Origin ally ▁a ▁railway ▁fire man ▁with ▁the ▁Southern ▁Railway , ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Associ ated ▁Society ▁of ▁Lo comot ive ▁Engine ers ▁and ▁Fire men , ▁serving ▁as ▁organ ising ▁secretary ▁from ▁ 1 9 3 4 ▁to ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁and ▁assistant ▁general ▁secretary ▁from ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁to ▁his ▁ret irement ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 7 . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁an ▁un success ful ▁candidate ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 9 ▁general ▁election ▁in ▁the ▁safe ▁Conserv ative ▁constitu ency ▁of ▁Re ig ate ▁in ▁Sur rey , ▁coming ▁third ▁with ▁ 2 0 . 9 % ▁of ▁the ▁votes . ▁He ▁stood ▁again ▁in ▁Re ig ate ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 1 ▁general ▁election , ▁when ▁there ▁was ▁no ▁Liberal ▁candidate , ▁and ▁he ▁came ▁second ▁with ▁only ▁ 1 7 . 3 % ▁of ▁the ▁vote , ▁a ▁Conserv ative ▁majority ▁of ▁over ▁ 6 5 %. ▁He ▁did ▁not ▁contest ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 5 ▁general ▁election . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁Labour ▁lands lide ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁general ▁election , ▁he ▁was ▁elected ▁as ▁Member ▁of ▁Parliament ▁for ▁the ▁Mer se ys ide ▁constitu ency ▁of ▁Bir ken head ▁West , ▁over turn ing ▁the ▁previous ▁Conserv ative ▁majority ▁of ▁ 3 , 7 5 3 ▁with ▁a ▁swing ▁of ▁ 1 3 . 2 %. ▁ ▁His ▁constitu