Sir George Heynes Radford JP (17 June 1851 – 5 October 1917) was an English solicitor and Liberal politician. He was a member of parliament for Islington East from 1906 to 1917.
Sir George Radford | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of Parliament for Islington East | |
| In office 1906–1917 | |
| Preceded by | Benjamin Cohen |
| Succeeded by | Edward Smallwood |
| Personal details | |
| Born | George Heynes Radford 17 June 1851[1] Plymouth, England |
| Died | 5 October 1917 Chiswick House, Ditton Hill, England |
| Political party | Liberal |
| Alma mater | London University |
Family and education
editRadford was born in Plymouth,[2] the eldest son of George David Radford and Catherine Agnes Heynes.[3] He went to London University to study law, where he graduated Bachelor of Laws with honours.[4] In 1882, he married Emma Louisa Radford, the daughter of a Justice of the Peace. They had four daughters and a son; Barbara, Katherine, Cecily, Ursula and George Lawrence.[5]
Career
editRadford was admitted as a solicitor in 1872.[2] He joined the firm of Radford and Frankland which had its offices in Chancery Lane, eventually becoming senior partner.[3]
Politics
editRadford was first involved in London local politics. He was Progressive Party member for West Islington on the London County Council from 1885 to 1907.[6] In the 1906 general election he became MP for Islington East, a seat he went on to hold, albeit by small majorities, until his death in 1917.[7] Radford always took a prominent part in London County Council elections and was for two years Chairman of the Council's Parliamentary Committee.[2]
Other appointments and honours
editRadford served as Chairman of the National Liberal Club Buildings Co. Ltd and was a Vice-Chairman of the Club.[8] He also served as a Justice of the Peace in Surrey, where he had his home at Ditton Hill, now part of Surbiton. He was knighted in the 1916 Birthday Honours.[2]
Transport
editRadford had a particular interest in transport in London and a passion for tramways. He noted the advanced use of trams in Budapest and led a British Parliamentary delegation to Hungary in 1906. In 1908, the first cross-river tram in London departed from Holborn Station and it is believed that Radford was responsible for the honour of the maiden trip starting in Islington.[6]
Papers
editA collection of scrapbooks of news cuttings, notices, posters etc. donated by Miss U Radford in 1975, documenting Radford's career is deposited in the London Metropolitan Archives .[9] A collection of documents including correspondence, books, photographs, campaign flyers etc. belonging to George Radford and several family members is deposited in the Islington Local History Centre Archive.[10]
Publications
editRadford had an interest in literature and published occasional verses and essays. In 1894 he wrote Shylock and Others a selection of eight literary studies (published by T Fisher Unwin) and in 1917 he published Verses and Versicles (T Fisher Unwin). But he also had an interest in Shakespeare. In 1884, the Liberal politician Augustine Birrell published a collection of essays entitled Obiter Dicta (Elliot Stock). Radford had anonymously written one of the essays, on Sir John Falstaff, and this was made public in 1887.[11]
Death
editRadford died at his residence, Chiswick House, Ditton Hill on 5 October 1917, aged 66 years.[2]
References
edit- ^ Debrett's House of Commons, and the Judicial Bench. Dean & Son, Limited. 1915. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
George Heynes Radford, son of the late George David Radford, of Plymouth; b. June 17th, 1851
- ^ a b c d e "Obituary". The Times. 8 October 1917. p. 11.
- ^ a b Who was Who; OUP online, 2007
- ^ The Times, 31 January 1872 p12
- ^ Islington Local Heritage Centre. George Radford collection.
- ^ a b Thomas Lorman (Summer 2011). "Trams below ground... ...the Hungarian connection" (PDF). Journal of the Islington Archaeology and History Society. 1 (2).
- ^ F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1885–1918;Macmillan, 1974 p23
- ^ The Times, 8 October 1917 p11
- ^ "RADFORD, Sir George Heynes (1851-1917)". aim25.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 8 March 2014. Retrieved 22 January 2012.
- ^ "George Radford Collection". islington.adlibhosting.com.
- ^ Birrell, Augustine, Obiter Dicta, Second Series, p.v (New York, Charles Scribner's Sons, 1887) (retrieved Oct. 28, 2023).