Harry Day (politician)
Harry Day (16 September 1880 – 16 September 1939)[1] was a British theatre owner and Labour Party politician.[2]
Born in south London, he was son of David John Day. He had a poor childhood and began working at an early age selling tickets for Barnum & Bailey's travelling circus.[2] He subsequently worked as a bill poster before gaining ownership of theatres in Bristol, Bedford and Dover. He was also briefly Harry Houdini's manager.[2]
In 1901 he married Kathleen Amelia Rea, an actor with the stage name "Kitty Collyer", and they had two children.[2]
Day was elected as Member of Parliament (MP) for Southwark Central at the 1924 general election, having unsuccessfully contested the seat in 1923.[3] He was re-elected in 1929 with a much-increased majority, but when Labour split at the 1931 general election he lost the seat to a Conservative supporter of the National Government.[3]
He was elected to the London County Council as a councillor for Southwark Central in the same year he lost his parliamentary seat.[4]
Day regained his Commons seat at the 1935 general election,[3] holding both parliamentary and council seats until his death.[1]
In 1939 he became ill and travelled to Canada for his health. He died on his 59th birthday in Quebec.[2]
References
- 1 2 "Historical list of MPs: constituencies beginning with "S", part 4". Leigh Rayment's House of Commons pages. Retrieved 9 January 2010.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Obituary: Mr Harry Day MP". The Times. 18 September 1939. p. 4.
- 1 2 3 Craig, F. W. S. (1983) [1969]. British parliamentary election results 1918–1949 (3rd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 48. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.
- ↑ Jackson, W Eric (1965). Achievement. A Short History of the LCC. Longmans. p. 260.
External links
- Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Harry Day
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by James Daniel Gilbert |
Member of Parliament for Southwark Central 1924 – 1931 |
Succeeded by Ian Macdonald Horobin |
| Preceded by Ian Macdonald Horobin |
Member of Parliament for Southwark Central 1935 – 1939 |
Succeeded by John Hanbury Martin |