J. Batty Langley

J. Batty Langley (20 March 1834 – 19 February 1914) was a British Liberal Party politician.

J. Batty Langley
Member of Parliament for Sheffield Attercliffe
In office 1894–1909
Preceded by	Bernard Coleridge
Succeeded by	Joseph Pointer
President of the National Association of General Railway Clerks
In office 1897–1898
Preceded by	New position
Succeeded by	W. D. Leaver
Personal details
Born	(1834-03-20)20 March 1834 Uppingham, England
Died	19 February 1914(1914-02-19) (aged 79) Bournemouth, England
Resting place	Sheffield General Cemetery, England
Political party	Liberal Party

Grave of Batty Langley, in Sheffield General Cemetery

He was born in Uppingham, Rutland, the son of Thomas Langley.[1] He moved to Sheffield in the 1850s, and in 1863 commenced business on his own account as a timber merchant and became proprietor of the Sheaf Saw Mills. He was one of the city's most prominent non-conformists, attending Queen Street Congregational Church. He was elected to Sheffield Town Council in 1871, serving many years and becoming an alderman in 1890.[2]

In 1892, Langley became Mayor of Sheffield, and saw an eventful year in office. Sheffield became a city, while Langley organised a conference in the city, aiming to settle the 1893 coal strike.[2]

Claiming to represent the interests of the working class, he was elected as the Member of Parliament at the 1894 Sheffield Attercliffe by-election. As an employer, he was a controversial choice, and the Independent Labour Party stood a candidate against him.[3] He was re-elected for Sheffield Attercliffe unopposed at the 1895 and 1900 general elections[4] but in 1906, the Conservative Arnold Muir Wilson stood.[5][6] Langley retained his Parliamentary seat until he retired in 1909, due to long-term ill health.[7]

Langley became the first president of the National Association of General Railway Clerks (now Transport Salaried Staffs' Association) in 1897,[8] although he resigned due to ill health the following year.[3]