Geoffrey Lofthouse, Baron Lofthouse of Pontefract, JP (18 December 1925 – 1 November 2012), popularly known in his former constituency as Geoff Lofthouse, was a British Labour politician, MP and life peer.
The Lord Lofthouse of Pontefract | |
|---|---|
 Lofthouse speaking in the House of Lords, 2008 | |
| Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means | |
| In office 27 April 1992 – 14 May 1997 | |
| Speaker | Betty Boothroyd |
| Preceded by | Sir Paul Dean |
| Succeeded by | Michael Martin |
| Member of Parliament for Pontefract and Castleford | |
| In office 26 October 1978 – 8 April 1997 | |
| Preceded by | Joseph Harper |
| Succeeded by | Yvette Cooper |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 18 December 1925 Featherstone, West Riding of Yorkshire, England |
| Died | 1 November 2012 (aged 86) |
| Political party | Labour |
| Spouse |
Sarah Lofthouse
(m. 1946; died 1985) |
Early life
editHe was born in Featherstone, West Riding of Yorkshire, the son of Ernest Lofthouse, a farm labourer in Micklefield, and Emma (née Fellows). His father died at the age of 35. At the age of 14, Geoff Lofthouse went to work at Ackton Hall Colliery in Featherstone. At age 29, he was the president of the local branch of the NUM. He went to the University of Leeds, gaining a BA in Political Studies in 1957, when he was 32 years old. In 1962, he became a councillor on Pontefract Borough Council. He was mayor of Pontefract in 1967, and leader of the council from 1969 to 1973.[1]
Parliamentary career
editHe was MP for Pontefract and Castleford from a 1978 by-election until his retirement at the 1997 general election. In the House of Commons, he served from 1992 until his retirement as a Deputy Speaker of the House to Betty Boothroyd. In the Queen's Birthday Honours 1995 Lofthouse was appointed a Knight Bachelor.[2] In the Queen's Birthday Honours 1997 Lofthouse was made a life peer as Baron Lofthouse of Pontefract, of Pontefract, in the county of West Yorkshire.[3][4]
Publications
editHis autobiography, A Very Miner MP,[5] is available from Yorkshire Art Circus Publishers. He also wrote a further autobiography, From Coal Sack to Woolsack.[6]
Personal life
editHe married when he was 20 years old; he and his wife Sarah had a daughter.
Death
editLord Lofthouse died on 1 November 2012, aged 86.[1] His funeral service was held at St Giles' Church, Pontefract.
Arms
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References
edit- ^ a b "Former Pontefract MP Geoffrey Lofthouse dies". BBC News. BBC. 1 November 2012. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
- ^ "No. 54066". The London Gazette (1st supplement). 16 June 1995. pp. 1–32.
- ^ "No. 54807". The London Gazette. 16 June 1997. p. 1.
- ^ "No. 54812". The London Gazette. 20 June 1997. p. 1.
- ^ Lofthouse, Geoff (1986). A Very Miner MP (First ed.). Pontefract: Yorkshire Arts Circus. ISBN 9780947780159.
- ^ Lofthouse, Geoff (December 1999). From Coal Sack to Woolsack. Pontefract: Pontefract Press. ISBN 9781900325172.
- ^ Debrett's Peerage. 2003. p. 993.
External links
edit- Times Guide to the House of Commons, Times Newspapers Limited, 1992 and 1997 editions.
- Leigh Rayment's Peerage Pages
- Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs
- Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Geoffrey Lofthouse
- Wakefield Education Yearbook 2004[permanent dead link]
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