Joseph Arch

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Joseph Arch (10 November 1826 - 12 February 1919) was an English politician.

Born in Barford, Warwickshire, Arch founded the National Agricultural Labourers Union in 1872 and became its president. A rise then came in the wages of agricultural labourers; this had the unforeseen effect of destroying the union for labourers, who deeming their object gained, ceased to agitate.

Arch nevertheless retained sufficient popularity to be re-elected to parliament for North-West Norfolk as a Liberal in 1885; and though defeated next year owing to his policy regarding Irish Rule, he regained his seat in 1892, and held it in 1895, retiring in 1900. He was said to be well-respected in the House of Commons.

Used to be a poem recited by the labourers which went:

Joseph Arch he stole a march,
Upon a spotted cow.
He scampered off to Parliament,
But where is Joseph Now?

Presumably because the labourers felt he had abandoned them when he became an MP.

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This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.