Albert Edward Samuels (12 May 1900 – 19 June 1982) was a

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

politician, who held leading roles on the

London County Council London County Council (LCC) was the principal local government body for the County of London throughout its existence from 1889 to 1965, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today kno ...

(LCC) and

Greater London Council The Greater London Council (GLC) was the top-tier local government administrative body for Greater London from 1965 to 1986. It replaced the earlier London County Council (LCC) which had covered a much smaller area. The GLC was dissolved in 198 ...

(GLC). Samuels was educated at Sir Walter St John's School and

King's College London King's College London (informally King's or KCL) is a public research university located in London, England. King's was established by royal charter in 1829 under the patronage of King George IV and the Duke of Wellington. In 1836, King's ...

, qualifying as a solicitor in 1921. He joined the Labour Party, and in 1922 won election to Battersea Metropolitan Borough Council, then from 1925 served on the council as an alderman. Samuels contested Battersea South unsuccessfully at the

1925 London County Council election An election to the County Council of London took place on 5 March 1925. The council was elected by First Past the Post with each elector having two votes in the two-member seats. The Municipal Reform Party retained a large majority, while the ...

. He was instead appointed to the

Metropolitan Water Board The Metropolitan Water Board was a municipal body formed in 1903 to manage the water supply in London, UK. The members of the board were nominated by the local authorities within its area of supply. In 1904 it took over the water supply functi ...

, and at the

1928 London County Council election An election to the County Council of London took place on 8 March 1928. The council was elected by First Past the Post with each elector having two votes in the two-member seats. The Labour Party made slight gains at the expense of the Municip ...

, he won a seat in

St Pancras South East St. Pancras South East was a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election. It was created in 1918 by the ...

. He lost his seat in 1931, but gained a seat in St Pancras South West in 1934, and was immediately appointed as chair of the Public Control Committee. Samuels stood down from the county council in 1937, but remained politically active. From 1941, he again served on the Metropolitan Water Board, then at the

1946 London County Council election An election to the County Council of London took place on 7 March 1946. The council was elected by First Past the Post with each elector having two votes in the two-member seats. The Labour Party once more made gains, again increasing their ma ...

, he won a seat in Balham and Tooting, and was re-appointed as chair of the Public Control Committee. His seat was abolished in 1949, and he instead contested

Clapham Clapham () is a suburb in south west London, England, lying mostly within the London Borough of Lambeth, but with some areas (most notably Clapham Common) extending into the neighbouring London Borough of Wandsworth. History Early history T ...

, where he was defeated. However, at the

1952 London County Council election An election to the County Council of London took place on 3 April 1952. The council was elected by First Past the Post with each elector having three votes in the three-member seats. The Labour Party made substantial gains and greatly increase ...

, he won a seat in Stoke Newington and Hackney North, and once more became chair of the Public Control Committee. Having finally established himself in a safe seat, he quickly became one of the most important members of the council, described as part of an "inner cabinet". In 1955, Samuels moved to chair the Establishment Committee, and in 1958/59, he was chair of London County Council. From 1961, he represented

Bermondsey Bermondsey () is a district in southeast London, part of the London Borough of Southwark, England, southeast of Charing Cross. To the west of Bermondsey lies Southwark, to the east Rotherhithe and Deptford, to the south Walworth and Peckham, a ...

, his fifth constituency. The council was abolished in 1965, but Samuels won a seat on its replacement, the Greater London Council, and was the first chair of its Public Health Services Committee. Samuels left the council in 1967, but remained a member of the London Rent Assessment Panel until 1973, and from 1968 until 1974 chaired the Redhill and Netherne Group Hospital Management Committee. In 1958, he was made a commander of the

Order of Merit of the Italian Republic The Order of Merit of the Italian Republic ( it, Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana) is the senior Italian order of merit. It was established in 1951 by the second President of the Italian Republic, Luigi Einaudi. The highest-ranking ...

, and a knight commander of the

Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (german: Verdienstorden der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, or , BVO) is the only federal decoration of Germany. It is awarded for special achievements in political, economic, cultural, intellect ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Samuels, Albert 1900 births 1982 deaths Alumni of King's College London Labour Party (UK) councillors Members of London County Council Members of the Greater London Council Knights Commander of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany