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Stuart Samuel (politician)

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Stuart Samuel

Sir Stuart Montagu Samuel, 1st Baronet (24 October 1856 – 13 May 1926) was a British banker and Liberal politician who was Member of Parliament for Whitechapel.

Samuel was the elder brother of Herbert Samuel, 1st Viscount Samuel. He attended the Liverpool Institute and University College School, Hampstead, London. He served as Justice of the Peace for the county of London.[1]

Whitechapel 1889-1916

In 1889 he stood as a candidate for the newly formed London County Council for the Progressive Party, the municipal wing of the Liberal Party. He contested Whitechapel, and was elected with 1,523 votes, along with his running mate, Charles Tarling, who polled 1,477 votes. He served for one term, before standing down in 1892.[2]

Samuel was selected as Liberal candidate for Whitechapel in 1900, in succession to his uncle Samuel Montagu, who had been the MP. He knew the constituency well, having represented it on the LCC. He held the seat for the Liberals with an increased majority.

General election 1900: Whitechapel[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Stuart Montagu Samuel 1,679 51.1 +0.7
Conservative David Hope Kyd 1,608 48.9 −0.7
Majority 71 2.2 +1.4
Turnout 65.7 −2.3
Liberal hold Swing +0.7

In November 1902 Samuel and his wife travelled to India to attend the 1903 Delhi Durbar marking the accession of King Edward VII as Emperor of India.[4]

When the Liberal Party won the 1906 election with a landslide, he was again returned at Whitechapel.

General election 1906: Whitechapel[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Stuart Montagu Samuel 1,925 55.1 +4.0
Conservative David Hope Kyd 1,569 44.9 −4.0
Majority 356 10.2 +8.0
Turnout 81.7 +16.0
Liberal hold Swing +4.0

The Liberal Party faced the elections in 1910 against a resurgent Conservative Party. Despite this challenge, Samuel was re-elected with an increased majority, at both 1910 elections.

General election January 1910: Whitechapel[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Stuart Montagu Samuel 1,963 58.3 +3.2
Conservative Weir Greenlees 1,402 41.7 −3.2
Majority 561 16.6 +6.4
Turnout
Liberal hold Swing +3.2
General election December 1910: Whitechapel[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Stuart Montagu Samuel 1,731 59.2 +0.9
Conservative Edgar Monteagle Browne 1,191 40.8 −0.9
Majority 540 18.4 +1.8
Turnout
Liberal hold Swing +0.9

Over the course of four general election campaigns in Whitechapel, Samuel had increased the Liberal share of the vote each time, taking it from 50.4% to 59.2%, changing the constituency from a marginal to a safe seat.

In 1912 he was created Sir Stuart Samuel, Baronet of Chelwood Vetchery.

In April 1913 he undertook a contract for the Government, which required him to resign his seat and face re-election at a by-election. His Conservative opponent from 1910 ran against him in the by-election. He was re-elected with a reduced majority.

1913 Whitechapel by-election[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Sir Stuart Montagu Samuel 1,722 52.5 −6.7
Unionist Edgar Monteagle Browne 1,556 47.5 +6.7
Majority 166 5.0 −13.4
Turnout
Liberal hold Swing -6.7

Samuel retired from politics in 1916.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ 'SAMUEL, Sir Stuart Montagu', Who Was Who, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2016; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014; online edn, April 2014 accessed 1 June 2016
  2. ^ London Jewry and London Politics, 1889-1986 by Geoffrey Alderman
  3. ^ British Parliamentary Election Results 1885-1918, FWS Craig
  4. ^ "Court Circular". The Times. No. 36937. London. 28 November 1902. p. 10.
  5. ^ British Parliamentary Election Results 1885-1918, FWS Craig
  6. ^ British Parliamentary Election Results 1885-1918, FWS Craig
  7. ^ British Parliamentary Election Results 1885-1918, FWS Craig
  8. ^ British Parliamentary Election Results 1885-1918, FWS Craig
[edit]
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Whitechapel
1900–1916
Succeeded by
Baronetage of the United Kingdom
New creation Baronet
(of Chelwood Vetchery)
1912–1926
Extinct