Bertie Victor Kirby
CBE
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations,
and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...
DCM (2 May 1887 – 1 September 1953) was a British politician.
He was
Labour
Labour or labor may refer to:
* Childbirth, the delivery of a baby
* Labour (human activity), or work
** Manual labour, physical work
** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer
** Organized labour and the labour ...
Member of Parliament (MP) for
Liverpool Everton from 1935 to 1950.
Kirby inspired the headline "Once Errand Boy in Local Store – Now M P" in the ''Tewkesbury Register'' of 16 November 1935
[Tewkesbury Register, 16 November 1935] after he had been elected for Labour as M.P. for Everton with a majority of 177. Kirby was described by the newspaper as a "former soldier and policemen" born in
Cheltenham
Cheltenham (), also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a spa town and borough on the edge of the Cotswolds in the county of Gloucestershire, England. Cheltenham became known as a health and holiday spa town resort, following the discovery of mineral s ...
but came to
Tewkesbury
Tewkesbury ( ) is a medieval market town and civil parish in the north of Gloucestershire, England. The town has significant history in the Wars of the Roses and grew since the building of Tewkesbury Abbey. It stands at the confluence of the Riv ...
as a baby.
[
The 1891 and 1901 censuses confirm that he was living in Mount Pleasant Road (3 Pansy Cottages; the family was still living in Pansy Cottages during the 1909 Land Tax Survey), Tewkesbury and had been born in ]Cheltenham
Cheltenham (), also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a spa town and borough on the edge of the Cotswolds in the county of Gloucestershire, England. Cheltenham became known as a health and holiday spa town resort, following the discovery of mineral s ...
. His father, Henry Kirby, was a 51-year-old gardener, born in Prestbury, Gloucestershire
Prestbury is a village and civil parish in the borough of Cheltenham in Gloucestershire, England. Located on the outskirts of Cheltenham and part of the Tewkesbury parliamentary constituency.
The parish of Prestbury had a population of 6,981 ...
and his mother, Fanny, was aged 54 and had been born in Gloucester. Bertie then had two older sisters. He was educated at the Barton Road Schools, Tewkesbury, and, on leaving, became an errand boy for Frisby's shoe shop then located at "The Cross" – the location of a War Memorial, in Tewkesbury.
It was claimed that he moved to a branch in Upton-upon-Severn
Upton-upon-Severn (or Upton on Severn, etc. and locally simply Upton) is a town and civil parish in the Malvern Hills District of Worcestershire, England. Lying on the A4104 (formerly A440), the 2011 census recorded a population of 2,881 for the ...
but, by the 1911 Census, he had joined the army and was then " Bombardier, Royal Horse Artillery
The Royal Horse Artillery (RHA) was formed in 1793 as a distinct arm of the Royal Regiment of Artillery (commonly termed Royal Artillery) to provide horse artillery support to the cavalry units of the British Army. (Although the cavalry link ...
, on sick" again living with his parents at 78 Marle Hill Parade, Cheltenham.
As a Reservist
A reservist is a person who is a member of a military reserve force. They are otherwise civilians, and in peacetime have careers outside the military. Reservists usually go for training on an annual basis to refresh their skills. This person is ...
in 1914, he is listed as "A. Kirby" on the "Memorial to Those who Volunteered" located in Tewkesbury Abbey
The Abbey Church of St Mary the Virgin, Tewkesbury–commonly known as Tewkesbury Abbey–is located in the English county of Gloucestershire. A former Benedictine monastery, it is now a parish church. Considered one of the finest examples of Nor ...
. Subsequently, he became a Battery Sergeant Major (49135) and was awarded the DCM on 22 September 1917.[Tewkesbury Weekly Record, October 1917] The newspaper reported, "While six ammunition wagons were being unloaded, a sudden and intense fire was opened, and a scene of great confusion ensued; it was very dark, and the drivers were unable to see what to do in their gas masks
A gas mask is a mask used to protect the wearer from inhaling airborne pollutants and toxic gases. The mask forms a sealed cover over the nose and mouth, but may also cover the eyes and other vulnerable soft tissues of the face. Most gas mask ...
. He removed his smoke helmet and assisted the officer in charge to restore order and by doing so saved a considerable block in the traffic which would have caused heavy casualties. His coolness and presence of mind under heavy fire set a very fine example at a time when it was most needed."
Kirby's medal record confirms the D.C.M. as well as four more general medals. As he had re-enlisted on 5 November 1914, he was awarded the 1914 Star
The 1914 Star, colloquially known as the Mons Star, is a British World War I campaign medal for service in France or Belgium between 5 August and 22 November 1914.
Institution
The 1914 Star was authorised under Special Army Order no. 350 in Nov ...
.
Despite using the testimony of his sister-in-law, the newspaper erred when it stated that he married in 1917 because the marriage was recorded[ in March qtr 1916; his bride was Alice E. Richmond of ]Ashchurch
Ashchurch is a village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Ashchurch Rural, in the Borough of Tewkesbury, Tewkesbury district, in the county of Gloucestershire, England, east of the town of Tewkesbury, southwest of Evesham, north of ...
, whose father H. Richmond worked for Midland Railway
The Midland Railway (MR) was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844. The Midland was one of the largest railway companies in Britain in the early 20th century, and the largest employer in Derby, where it had its headquarters. It am ...
.
After the war, Kirby joined the Liverpool City Police
Liverpool City Police was the police force operating in the city of Liverpool, England, established in 1836.
In 1967, the force merged with Bootle Borough Police to create the Liverpool and Bootle Constabulary
Liverpool and Bootle Constabulary w ...
.However, in his obituary it is claimed that "A year before the war broke out he had gone to Liverpool and, soon after the war, became district official of the National Union of Clerks and Administrative Workers.[Obituary from the Times, 1953]
Kirby was first elected to the Liverpool City Council
Liverpool City Council is the governing body for the city of Liverpool in Merseyside, England. It consists of 90 councillors, three for each of the city's 30 wards.
The council is currently controlled by the Labour Party and is led by Mayor ...
in 1924, when he won the Everton ward from the Conservatives. In 1939 he was elected an Alderman
An alderman is a member of a Municipal government, municipal assembly or council in many Jurisdiction, jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council membe ...
. His work in Liverpool – other than his tireless efforts in the Labour interest – included the deputy chairmanship of the Liverpool Education Committee (as well as membership of others) and the representation of organised Labour on the Merseyside Hospitals Council, and many other bodies.
In 1935 he won the Everton division of Liverpool from the Conservatives and he held the seat until the division ceased to exist in 1950 after the redistribution of constituencies. The new M.P. wrote a letter of thanks on 20 November 1935 when living at 710 Queens Drive, Knotty Ash
Knotty Ash is an area of Liverpool, Merseyside, England, and a Liverpool City Council Ward. Historically in Lancashire, the population at the 2001 Census was 13,200, increasing to 13,312 at the 2011 Census. Knotty Ash is well known as the home o ...
, Liverpool 13.[Tewkebury Register, 23 November 1935] He wrote, "I spent all my young life in Tewkesbury, of which I am quite proud.......".[
After his election, he was known as Captain Bertie Kirby (1887 – 1 September 1953) and represented the Everton Constituency until it was abolished on 23 February 1950. In total, ]Hansard
''Hansard'' is the traditional name of the transcripts of parliamentary debates in Britain and many Commonwealth countries. It is named after Thomas Curson Hansard (1776–1833), a London printer and publisher, who was the first official print ...
records 825 interventions, the first dated 6 December 1935 when, in the Debate on the Address he criticised the means test
A means test is a determination of whether an individual or family is eligible for government assistance or welfare, based upon whether the individual or family possesses the means to do without that help.
Canada
In Canada, means tests are use ...
ing of the unemployed. His last recorded contribution was on 9 December 1948 when he received a Written Answer concerning the Departmental Claims Branch, Liverpool.[
His obituary continues, "In the ]House of Commons
The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. ...
, Kirby was a hard working back-bench member. He was a member of the famous Select Committee on National Expenditure during the war, a member of the Public Accounts Committee after the war, and chairman of the Select Committee Select committee may refer to:
*Select committee (parliamentary system), a committee made up of a small number of parliamentary members appointed to deal with particular areas or issues
*Select or special committee (United States Congress)
*Select ...
on Estimates from 1946 to 1950. Such a member is invaluable in the House, giving disinterested service and seeking none of the limelight. Few men more thoroughly earned the honour which he was given in 1947, when he was created CBE
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations,
and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...
for public services."[
He then fought the newly created ]West Derby
West Derby ( ) is an affluent suburb of Liverpool, England. It is located East of the city and is also a Liverpool City Council ward. At the 2011 Census, the population was 14,382.
History West Derby
Mentioned in the ''Domesday Book'', West ...
division of Liverpool but was defeated by Sir David Maxwell-Fyfe
David Patrick Maxwell Fyfe, 1st Earl of Kilmuir, (29 May 1900 – 27 January 1967), known as Sir David Maxwell Fyfe from 1942 to 1954 and as Viscount Kilmuir from 1954 to 1962, was a British Conservative politician, lawyer and judge who combine ...
.[
Kirby's death, aged 66, was registered in the September qtr. of 1953 in the Liverpool North District Vol. 10d, page 301][ His obituary appeared in '']The Times
''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fou ...
''.[
]
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kirby, Bertie
1887 births
1953 deaths
UK MPs 1935–1945
UK MPs 1945–1950
Association of Professional, Executive, Clerical and Computer Staff-sponsored MPs
Labour Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies
Liverpool City Police officers
Labour Party (UK) councillors in Liverpool
Royal Artillery soldiers
British Army personnel of World War I
Recipients of the Distinguished Conduct Medal
Commanders of the Order of the British Empire