William Allen (National Liberal politician)

William Allen (1870 – 11 September 1945)[1][2] was a politician in Britain who served as a Member of Parliament (MP) from 1892 to 1900, and — after a gap of more than thirty years — from 1931 to 1935.[3] Allen was the son of William Shepherd Allen, also an MP. He first entered the House of Commons at the 1892 General Election. Aged only 22, he was elected as the Liberal Party MP for Newcastle-under-Lyme, defeating the incumbent Liberal Unionist MP, Douglas Coghill.[1][4] He was re-elected at the 1895 election, but was defeated at the 1900 general election.[4] This was on account of his active service in the Second Boer War.[5]

Allen in 1895.

He did not seek election again until the 1924 general election,[6] when he stood as a Constitutionalist candidate in the Burslem constituency. In 1924, Constitutionalist candidates were either Unionist or Liberal candidates who were supported by both local party associations. As a group, they wished to see the return of a Coalition Government. Allen narrowly lost the two-way contest to his Labour Party opponent Andrew MacLaren.[4][6]

Allen did not stand in 1929,[6] but when he stood as a Constitutionalist/National candidate[7] at the 1931 general election he won the seat from MacLaren. After the election Allen took the Liberal National whip in the House of Commons.[8] MacLaren regained the seat, defeating Allen at the 1935 general election.[2][6] Allen did not stand again.[6]

He lived at the Allen family home, Woodhead Hall, in Cheadle.[9]

References
  1. "House of Commons constituencies beginning with "N" (part 1)". Leigh Rayment's House of Commons pages. Retrieved 30 March 2009.
  2. "House of Commons constituencies beginning with "B" (part 6)". Leigh Rayment's House of Commons pages. Retrieved 30 March 2009.
  3. "Mr William Allen (Hansard)". HANSARD 1803–2005. Retrieved 30 March 2009.
  4. Craig, F. W. S. (1989) [1974]. British parliamentary election results 1885–1918 (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-27-2.
  5. Papers Past Observer 26 Poutūterangi 1904
  6. Craig, F. W. S. (1983) [1969]. British parliamentary election results 1918–1949 (3rd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.
  7. Staffordshire Advertiser, Oct 1931
  8. Liberals in Parliament 1924-1994 by Rif Winfield
  9. "Woodhead Hall" (PDF).
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Douglas Coghill		 Member of Parliament for Newcastle-under-Lyme
1892–1900		 Succeeded by
Sir Alfred Haslam
Preceded by
Andrew MacLaren		 Member of Parliament for Burslem
1931–1935		 Succeeded by
Andrew MacLaren


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