James Wignall (21 July 1856 – 10 June 1925)[1] was a British Labour Party politician. He sat in the House of Commons for seven years from 1918 to 1925.

In 1893 Wignall was appointed Secretary of the Swansea branches of the Dockers' Union[2] and between 1905 and 1908 he was President of the union.

Wignall was first elected at the 1918 general election as the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Forest of Dean division of Gloucestershire, defeating the sitting Liberal Party MP Sir Henry Webb, Bt.[3] He was re-elected three times, in 1922, 1923 and 1924, and held the seat until his death in June 1925, aged 68.[1] At the resulting by-election on 14 July, the seat was retained for Labour by Albert Arthur Purcell.[3]

Wignall was the father of Trevor Wignall the sportswriter and author.[4]

On 10 June 1925, Wignall collapsed in the corridors of the House of Commons and was taken to hospital,[5] where he died the same day aged 58.

References

  1. ^ a b Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "F"
  2. ^ "The Swansea Branches of the Dockers's Union". Cambrian Daily Leader. Swansea. 18 April 1893. p. 3.
  3. ^ a b Craig, F. W. S. (1983) [1969]. British parliamentary election results 1918–1949 (3rd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 360. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.
  4. ^ "Lieut Trevor Wignall". Cambrian Daily Leader. Swansea. 3 March 1919. p. 1.
  5. ^ "Mr J Wignall MP - Sudden Collapse". Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney. 11 June 1925. p. 9.

External links

Parliament of the United Kingdom Preceded bySir Henry Webb, Bt Member of Parliament for Forest of Dean 1918–1925 Succeeded byA. A. Purcell Trade union offices Preceded byWilliam Mullin and James O'Grady Trades Union Congress representative to the American Federation of Labour 1904 With: William Abraham Succeeded byDavid Gilmour and William Mosses Preceded byJ. Howell President of the Dock, Wharf, Riverside and General Labourers' Union 1905–1908 Succeeded byJ. Howell


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