Alfred James Bailey

Alfred James Bailey (1868 – 1948), was a British Trade Unionist and Liberal Party politician, serving as Lord Mayor of Sheffield.

Alfred James Bailey

Early life and trade unionism

Bailey was born in Scredington in Lincolnshire in 1868.[1]

Bailey was Secretary of the Yorkshire branch of the National Amalgamated Union of Labour, and from 1896 served as one of its official delegates.[2][3] He also represented his union at the Trades Union Congress. In 1924 following the merger of a number of trade unions he became a district secretary of the National Union of General and Municipal Workers.[4]

Political career

Bailey was elected to Sheffield City Council as a Liberal in 1904 to represent Darnall Ward. He was re-elected in 1907 defeating the Labour Party candidate, Joseph Pointer.[2] He was Liberal candidate for the Central division of Sheffield at both 1910 General Elections, sponsored by the Sheffield Federated Trades Council. His union gave permission for the candidacy, but no financial backing.[3] Sheffield Central was a safe Conservative seat. At the first election in January he increased the Liberal vote share by 3.5% against the national trend. He narrowed the gap further in the December election, to just 184 votes. He was an Independent Labour candidate for Sheffield Central at the 1918 General Election, sponsored by his union. At this election he saw his share of the vote fall and he again finished second. He did not stand for parliament again.[5]

He continued to be elected to Sheffield City Council until 1923 when he was appointed as an Alderman.[2] After the Great War he identified with the 'Citizen's Party' against the Labour Party. He served as Lord Mayor of Sheffield from 1924-1925.[6]

Electoral record
General Election January 1910: Sheffield Central[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative James Hope 3,829 52.7 −3.5
Lib-Lab Alfred James Bailey 3,440 47.3 +3.5
Majority 389 5.4 −7.0
Turnout 7,269 83.7 +1.6
Registered electors 8,684
Conservative hold Swing −3.5
General Election December 1910: Sheffield Central[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative James Hope 3,455 51.4 −1.3
Lib-Lab Alfred James Bailey 3,271 48.6 +1.3
Majority 184 2.8 −2.6
Turnout 6,726 77.5 −6.2
Registered electors 8,684
Conservative hold Swing −1.3
General Election 1918: Sheffield Central[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
C Unionist James Hope 9,361 58.7 +7.3
Independent Labour Alfred James Bailey 5,959 37.3 −11.3
British Socialist Party Robert George Murray 643 4.0 n/a
Majority 3,402 21.4 +18.6
Turnout 15,963 43.1 −34.4
Unionist hold Swing +9.3
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

References
  1. The Labour Who's Who. London: Labour Publishing Company. 1927. p. 11.
  2. Working-class politics in Sheffield, 1900-1920 : A regional study in the origins and early growth of the Labour Party by Catherine Burke
  3. Clegg, H. A. (1964). General Union in a Changing Society. Oxford: Basil Blackwell. pp. 59, 211.
  4. Clegg, H. A. (1954). General Union. Oxford: Basil Blackwell. pp. 15–22.
  5. British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig
  6. https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/content/sheffield/home/your-city-council/mayor-history.html
  7. British Parliamentary Election Results 1885-1918, F. W. S. Craig
Trade union offices
Preceded by
New position		 Sheffield District Secretary of the National Union of General and Municipal Workers
1924–1937		 Succeeded by
J. D. S. Highman
as Yorkshire District Secretary
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