Charles Fenwick
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Charles Fenwick (5 May 1850 – 20 April 1918) was a prominent British trade unionist and politician.
Born in Cramlington, Northumberland, Fenwick became a coal miner at the age of ten and in 1863 joined the union. He gradually became prominent in the local union, and at the 1885 UK general election, was able to be elected as the Lib-Lab Member of Parliament for Wansbeck.
In 1890, Fenwick was elected Secretary of the Parliamentary Committee of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) - the post which later became the General Secretary. He held the post until 1894, despite vociferously opposing the Eight Hour Bill. He also became a Primitive Methodist preacher.
Although Fenwick's union affiliated to the Labour Party in 1907, Fenwick himself refused to join, and remained affiliated to the Liberal Party. He held his seat, but announced his intention to stand down from Parliament, shortly before his death in 1918.
[edit] References
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by New creation |
Member of Parliament for Wansbeck 1885–1918 |
Succeeded by Robert Mason |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by Henry Broadhurst |
Secretary of the Parliamentary Committee of the TUC 1890–1894 |
Succeeded by Sam Woods |
