The Right Honourable
Thomas James Macnamara
Minister of Labour
In office
19 March 1920 – 19 October 1922
MonarchGeorge V
Prime MinisterDavid Lloyd George
Preceded bySir Robert Horne
Succeeded byAnderson Montague-Barlow
Personal details
Born23 August 1861 (1861-08-23)
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Died3 December 1931 (1931-12-04) (aged 70)
Mrs. Rachel Macnamara
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Thomas James Macnamara

Thomas James Macnamara PC (23 August 1861 – 3 December 1931) was a British teacher, educationalist and radical Liberal politician.[1]

Biography

Macnamara was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, the son of a soldier originally from County Clare in Ireland.[2]: 1–2  His family returned to Britain in 1869.

He was educated first at the Depot School in Pembroke Dock and then in Exeter. He qualified as a teacher in 1876 at the Borough Road Training College for Teachers.

In 1886, he married Rachel Cameron. They had three sons and one daughter.[3]

Teaching

He was active as a teacher until 1892 in Exeter, Huddersfield and Bristol, when he became editor of The Schoolmaster. He was sometime chairman of the London School Board and in 1896 he was appointed president of the National Union of Teachers.[4]

Politics

In 1900 he was elected to the House of Commons for Camberwell North, a seat he held until 1918, and then represented Camberwell North West until 1924. He served under Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman as Parliamentary Secretary to the Local Government Board from 1907 to 1908 and under H. H. Asquith and later David Lloyd George as Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Admiralty from 1908 to 1920 and was sworn of the Privy Council in 1911. In 1920 Lloyd George appointed him Minister of Labour, with a seat in the cabinet, a position he retained until the government fell in October 1922.

Death

Macnamara died on 3 December 1931, aged 70, of prostate cancer.[2]: 359 

Elsie Cameron Elias

Elsie Elias in 1924

His daughter, Elsie Cameron Macnamara was born in 1889. In April 1913 she married Thomas Elias and became known as Elsie Cameron Elias. Her husband was Liberal candidate for Neath in 1923. At the 1924 General Election she stood as Liberal candidate for Southwark South East, finishing third.[5]

Publications

Caricature of Macnamara by "Spy" (Leslie Ward) in Vanity Fair magazine, 1907

References

  1. ^ Richard Aldrich and Peter Gordon (1989). "Thomas James Macnamara". Dictionary of British Educationists. p. 161. ISBN 9780713001778.
  2. ^ a b Robin Betts, Dr Macnamara, 1861-1931; Liverpool University Press, 1999
  3. ^ 'MACNAMARA, Rt Hon. Thomas James', Who Was Who, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2016; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014; online edn, April 2014 retrieved 7 Sept 2016
  4. ^ The Times, 8 October 1900
  5. ^ British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, F. W. S. Craig

Further reading

External links

Parliament of the United Kingdom Preceded byPhilip Dalbiac Member of Parliament for Camberwell North 1900 – 1918 Succeeded byHenry Newton Knights New constituency Member of Parliament for Camberwell North West 1918 – 1924 Succeeded byEdward Campbell Political offices Preceded byWalter Runciman Parliamentary Secretary to the Local Government Board 1907 – 1908 Succeeded byCharles Masterman Preceded byEdmund Robertson Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Admiralty 1908 – 1920 Succeeded bySir James Craig Preceded byRobert Horne Minister of Labour 1920 – 1922 Succeeded byAnderson Montague-Barlow Trade union offices Preceded byT. B. Ellery President of the National Union of Teachers 1896 Succeeded byC. J. Addiscott
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