Edwin Stanley Gange (1871 – 29 February 1944) was an English

merchant A merchant is a person who trades in commodities produced by other people, especially one who trades with foreign countries. Historically, a merchant is anyone who is involved in business or trade. Merchants have operated for as long as indust ...

and

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

politician.

Personal life and career

Gange was born in

Bristol Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...

, the son of the Reverend Edwin Gorsuch Gange, a nationally known

Baptist Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only (believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compete ...

minister who was the

pastor A pastor (abbreviated as "Pr" or "Ptr" , or "Ps" ) is the leader of a Christian congregation who also gives advice and counsel to people from the community or congregation. In Lutheranism, Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy and ...

of the Broadmead Chapel for nearly 25 years . In 1895, at Bristol, he married Alice Maud Denning and they had two sons, William (b. 1896) and Gerald (b. 1900) Gange went into trade and is usually described as a merchant. He also had interests in property and was Director of Lennards, a Bristol property company.

Political and public life

Gange was drawn into politics, his

nonconformist Nonconformity or nonconformism may refer to: Culture and society * Insubordination, the act of willfully disobeying an order of one's superior *Dissent, a sentiment or philosophy of non-agreement or opposition to a prevailing idea or entity ** ...

religion and his commercial interests attracting him to the Liberal Party. He was a co-opted member of Bristol Town Council and was he Chairman of Bristol North Liberal Association during the time

Augustine Birrell Augustine Birrell King's Counsel, KC (19 January 185020 November 1933) was a British Liberal Party (UK), Liberal Party politician, who was Chief Secretary for Ireland from 1907 to 1916. In this post, he was praised for enabling tenant farmers t ...

(also a Baptist) was MP for the constituency. He involved himself in the public life of Bristol, serving as a

Justice of the Peace A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or ''puisne'' court, elected or appointed by means of a commission ( letters patent) to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the sa ...

and in 1931–32, he was Sheriff of Bristol. After a long Parliamentary and ministerial career, but one which ended in comparative failure with his resignation as

Chief Secretary for Ireland The Chief Secretary for Ireland was a key political office in the British administration in Ireland. Nominally subordinate to the Lord Lieutenant, and officially the "Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant", from the early 19th century un ...

in the aftermath of the

Easter Rising The Easter Rising ( ga, Éirí Amach na Cásca), also known as the Easter Rebellion, was an armed insurrection in Ireland during Easter Week in April 1916. The Rising was launched by Irish republicans against British rule in Ireland with the a ...

, Augustine Birrell decided not to contest the 1918 general election. Bristol Liberals selected Gange as his successor and he fought Bristol North as a

Coalition Liberal The Coalition Coupon was a letter sent to parliamentary candidates at the 1918 United Kingdom general election, endorsing them as official representatives of the Coalition Government. The 1918 election took place in the heady atmosphere of victo ...

. He was not opposed by the Unionists and he was presumably awarded the

Coalition coupon The Coalition Coupon was a letter sent to parliamentary candidates at the 1918 United Kingdom general election, endorsing them as official representatives of the Coalition Government. The 1918 election took place in the heady atmosphere of victory ...

. In a three cornered fight with

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 ...

and National Party candidates he won over 60% of the vote, with a majority of 6,393 over Labour. However he did not stand for re-election in 1922 and did not contest any further Parliamentary elections. Gange retained his association with the Liberals after 1922, serving as the President of the Bristol Liberal Club after leaving

Parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...

. After the political crisis which led to the formation of the National Government in 1931, he supported the Liberal Nationals, lending his weight to campaigns supporting Robert Bernays, the National candidate in Bristol North.

Papers

There are some papers relating to Gange deposited in the

Bristol Archives Bristol Archives (formerly Bristol Record Office) was established in 1924. It was the first borough record office in the United Kingdom, since at that time there was only one other local authority record office (Bedfordshire) in existence. It ...

. These are biographical notes, giving family and business details as well covering his political career. There news cuttings and a visitors’ book relating to his time as Sheriff in 1931–32.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gange, Stanley 1871 births 1944 deaths UK MPs 1918–1922 Liberal Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies Councillors in Bristol High Sheriffs of Bristol