Harry Gill (politician)

(Redirected from Thomas Harry Gill)

Sir Thomas Harry Gill (5 December 1885 – 20 May 1955) was a British Labour Party politician, and Member of Parliament for Blackburn from 1929 to 1931.

Sir
Harry Gill
President of the International Co-operative Alliance
In office
1948–1955
Preceded byRobert Palmer
Succeeded byMarcel Brot
President of Co-operative Congress
In office
1949–1949
Preceded byA.J. Tapping
Succeeded byJ.W. Blower
Member of Parliament for Blackburn
In office
30 May 1929 – 7 October 1931
Preceded bySir Sidney Henn
Succeeded bySir George Elliston
Personal details
Born
Thomas Harry Gill

(1885-12-05)5 December 1885
Hutton Cranswick, East Riding of Yorkshire, England
Died20 May 1955(1955-05-20) (aged 69)
Political partyLabour

Born at Hutton Cranswick, Gill was educated at Driffield Grammar School. He became active in the Railway Clerks' Association, serving as its president from 1919 until 1932. He was also prominent in the York Co-operative Society, serving as its president in 1916.[1]

Gill was a supporter of the Labour Party, for which he stood unsuccessfully in York in 1918 and 1922, then switched to contest Blackburn. He was again unsuccessful in 1924, but won the seat in 1929, before losing it in 1931.[1]

Out of Parliament, Gill focused his time on the co-operative movement, serving on the board of the Co-operative Wholesale Society from 1932 to 1951, and as its president in 1948, as president of the Co-operative Congress in 1949, and also as president of the International Co-operative Alliance from 1948 to 1955.

From November 1948 to January 1949 he was a member of the British delegation of the Committee for the Study of European Unity, convened by the Brussels Treaty Organisation to draw up the blueprint of the future Council of Europe.

He was knighted in the 1950 King's Birthday Honours List.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Stenton, Michael; Lees, Stephen (1979). Who's Who of British Members of Parliament. Vol. III. Brighton: Harvester Press. pp. 127–128. ISBN 0855273259.
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Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Blackburn
19291931
With: Mary Hamilton
Succeeded by
Trade union offices
Preceded by
W. E. Williams
President of the Railway Clerks' Association
1919–1932
Succeeded by
Non-profit organization positions
Preceded by President of the International Co-operative Alliance
1948–1955
Succeeded by
Marcel Brot