William Edwin Harvey (1852 - 1914)

Born 5 Sep 1852 in Hasland, Derbyshire, England, United Kingdom

Husband of Harriet (Hollingworth) Harvey — married 26 Nov 1871 in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England, United Kingdom

Died 28 Apr 1914 at age 61 in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Mark Fretwell [send private message]

Biography

William was born in 1852. He passed away in 1914.

Born in Hasland, Derbyshire, Harvey worked in a coal mine from the age of ten. He joined the South Yorkshire Miners' Association (SYMA) in 1869, and was the union's local delegate by 1872. For his trade union activity, he was dismissed from the local pit, but managed to find work at Sheepbridge, then later at Morton.

Harvey became the vice-president of the Labour Electoral Association in 1894. This organisation aimed to secure the election of workers under the auspices of the Liberal Party, and Harvey was elected to Chesterfield Borough Council in 1897, serving until his death.

In 1906, Harvey became financial and corresponding secretary of the Derbyshire Miners Assoc, and his high-profile secured him the Liberal Party candidacy in the 1907 North East Derbyshire by-election. He was successful, and reluctantly joined the Labour Party in 1910, on the instructions of his union. Despite his seat in Parliament, he remained an active trade unionist, serving as Vice-President of the MFGB from 1912, and as General and Financial Secretary of the Derbyshire Miners Assoc from 1913.

Sources

Primary

• https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/people/mr-william-harvey/index.html
• FreeBMD Deaths 2Q1914: Harvey, William E. Age:61 District; Chesterfield Vol:7b Page:813

Secondary

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._E._Harvey
• https://www.myprimitivemethodists.org.uk/content/people-2/lay-people/surnames-beginning-with-h/harvey-william-edwin-m-p-1852-1914