Joshua Ritson CBE (16 June 1874 in Farlam – 5 February 1955 in Sunderland)[1][2][3] was a British Labour politician who served as member of parliament (MP) for the City of Durham. He was elected in 1922, unseated in 1931, and re-elected in 1935 and remained in Parliament until 1945.[4][5] He is known for his representation of the Durham miners.[6] He became mayor of Sunderland in 1945,[7] and was appointed the C.B.E. Order of the British Empire in 1949.[8] In 1951 he was made Roll of Honorary Freeman of the former Borough of Sunderland.[9]

Quotes

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"The day has passed when we had to take off our hats to the squire and bow to the bishop"[10]

Personal

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Born in 1874, he was the son of Joshua Ritson from Bampton, Cumberland[5] and his wife Ann. His older brother John Ritson was President of the Northern Colliery Officials Association.[11] In 1900, he married Elizabeth, the daughter of Irvin Dinning.[8] His great-niece is Labour Party politician Baroness Joyce Quin.[12]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Mr Joshua Ritson", Hansard 1803–2005 → People (R) via UK Parliament
  2. ^ "Former M.P. Dies", The Bulletin, 7 February 1955
  3. ^ "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975 for Joshua Ritson" @ familysearch.org
  4. ^ "Mr Joshua Ritson" @ theyworkforyou.com
  5. ^ a b "Mr. Joshua Ritson", The Times, London, Monday, 7 February 1955; page 10, Issue 53159.
  6. ^ Hester Barron, The 1926 miners' lockout: meanings of community in the Durham coalfield, Publisher: Oxford University Press, 2010, ISBN 0-19-957504-5, ISBN 978-0-19-957504-6, 314 pages (page 40)
  7. ^ Sarah Stoner, "Wearside Echoes: A century of home comforts", Sunderland Echo, Monday 2 January 2012
  8. ^ a b Who was who: a companion to Who's who, containing the biographies of those who died, Volume 5, Publisher A. & C. Black, 1961. (page 929)
  9. ^ 8 October 1951, "Roll of Honorary Freeman of the former Borough of Sunderland", Sunderland City Council.
  10. ^ Hester Barron, The 1926 miners' lockout: meanings of community in the Durham coalfield, Publisher: Oxford University Press, 2010, ISBN 0-19-957504-5, ISBN 978-0-19-957504-6, 314 pages (page 195)
  11. ^ "John Ritson", Durham Mining Museum
  12. ^ Robert Waller, Byron Criddle, The almanac of British politics, Volume 7, Publisher Routledge, 2002, ISBN 0-415-26833-8, ISBN 978-0-415-26833-2, 929 pages (page 383)
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Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for City of Durham
19221931
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of Parliament for City of Durham
19351945
Succeeded by
Civic offices
Preceded by
John Young
Mayor of Sunderland
1945-1946
Succeeded by
Miles Walton