David Shackleton

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David Shackleton in the mid-1900s
File:Labour Representation Committee leaders 1906.jpg
Shackleton (on right) in 1906, with other leading figures in the party

Sir David James Shackleton Template:Post-nominals (21 November 1863 – 1 August 1938) was a cotton worker and trade unionist who became the third Labour Member of Parliament in the United Kingdom, following the formation of the Labour Representation Committee. He later became a senior civil servant.

Shackleton was born in Cloughfold near Rawtenstall, Lancashire. He became a cotton worker at the age of nine. He rose through the ranks of the cotton weavers' union and became general secretary of the Textile Factory Workers Association. He was a member of the Darwen Town Council, and member of the Blackburn Chamber of Commerce.

Although the textile workers had not yet joined the LRC, Shackleton was appointed its candidate for the Clitheroe by-election in 1902. Philip Snowden, who had been considered by the Independent Labour Party, withdrew from the race. The Liberals and Conservatives also withdrew, sensing Shackleton's strong lead. He was thus elected unopposed on 1 August 1902.[1][2] The textile workers' unions affiliated to the LRC shortly afterwards. Shackleton served as Chairman of the Parliamentary Labour Party for a period.

Shackleton became chairman of the Trades Union Congress in 1906, maintaining his powerful position in the trade union movement. In 1910, Winston Churchill invited him to join the civil service and Shackleton left Parliament. He quickly rose to the rank of permanent secretary in the new Ministry of Labour and is considered the first man from a working-class background to rise to such a senior position.

References

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Source

  • The Lancashire Giant: David Shackleton, Labour Leader and Civil Servant (2000), Ross M Martin, Template:ISBN

External links

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Preceded byTemplate:S-bef/checkTemplate:Succession box/check Member of Parliament for
Clitheroe

1902Dec 1910 Template:S-ttl/check
Template:S-aft/check Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded byTemplate:S-bef/checkTemplate:Succession box/check Chair of the Labour Party
1904–1905 Template:S-ttl/check
Template:S-aft/check Succeeded by
Preceded byTemplate:S-bef/checkTemplate:Succession box/check General Secretary of the
Darwen Weavers' Association

1894 – 1907 Template:S-ttl/check
Template:S-aft/check Succeeded by
Preceded byTemplate:S-bef/checkTemplate:Succession box/check Trades Union Congress representative to the
American Federation of Labour

1907
With: John Hodge Template:S-ttl/check
Template:S-aft/check Succeeded by
Preceded byTemplate:S-bef/checkTemplate:Succession box/check President of the
Northern Counties Amalgamated Association of Weavers

1906 – 1910 Template:S-ttl/check
Template:S-aft/check Succeeded by
Preceded byTemplate:S-bef/checkTemplate:Succession box/check President of the
Trades Union Congress

1908 and 1909 Template:S-ttl/check
Template:S-aft/check Succeeded by
Preceded byTemplate:S-bef/check Permanent Secretary of the
Ministry of Labour

1916–1921
With: Sir James Masterton-Smith
(1920–1921)
Template:S-ttl/check
Template:S-aft/check Succeeded by