Herbert Charles Woodcock (2 June 1871 – 18 January 1950) was a British businessman and

Conservative Party The Conservative Party is a name used by many political parties around the world. These political parties are generally right-wing though their exact ideologies can range from center-right to far-right. Political parties called The Conservative P ...

politician. The son of Charles Woodcock of

Smethwick Smethwick () is an industrial town in Sandwell, West Midlands, England. It lies west of Birmingham city centre. Historically it was in Staffordshire. In 2019, the ward of Smethwick had an estimated population of 15,246, while the wider bu ...

and his wife, Annie (''née'' Robertson) of

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 ...

, he entered business and local politics in the latter city. He was 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 ...

on Bristol City Council for many years and a member of the Bristol Stock Exchange from 1898. He was a director of a number of public companies including the Metropolitan Cinema Investment Corporation Limited and the British Benzol and Coal Distillation Limited. Woodcock held a commission in the

Volunteer Force The Volunteer Force was a citizen army of part-time rifle, artillery and engineer corps, created as a popular movement throughout the British Empire in 1859. Originally highly autonomous, the units of volunteers became increasingly integrated ...

and its successor the

Territorial Force The Territorial Force was a part-time volunteer component of the British Army, created in 1908 to augment British land forces without resorting to conscription. The new organisation consolidated the 19th-century Volunteer Force and yeomanry i ...

, and in 1911 became commanding officer of the 6th Battalion, The

Gloucestershire Regiment The Gloucestershire Regiment, commonly referred to as the Glosters, was a line infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 until 1994. It traced its origins to Colonel Gibson's Regiment of Foot, which was raised in 1694 and later became the ...

. With the outbreak of

war War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular o ...

in 1914 he mobilised with the battalion, serving on the Western Front and in Italy. Woodcock was elected at the 1922 general election as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Thornbury division of

Gloucestershire Gloucestershire ( abbreviated Glos) is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn and the entire Forest of Dean. The county town is the city of Gl ...

, defeating the sitting

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 ...

Athelstan Rendall Athelstan Rendall (16 November 1871 – 12 July 1948) was a Liberal Party (UK), Liberal Party, later Labour Party (UK), Labour politician in the United Kingdom. Family and education Rendall was the son of Henry Rendall Justice of the Peace, J ...

by a majority only 104 votes (0.3% of the total). However, he lost the seat to Rendall at the next election, in 1923. Woodcock returned to

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 ...

a year later, when he was elected at the 1924 general election as MP for the Everton division of

Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...

. He held that seat until the 1929 general election, which he did not contest. He was appointed in November 1922 as a Deputy Lieutenant of

. He was master of the court of the

Worshipful Company of Wheelwrights The Worshipful Company of Wheelwrights is one of the Livery Companies of the City of London, England. An organisation of Wheelwrights and Coachmakers petitioned for incorporation in 1630. The petition was granted forty years later, in 1670, ...

, a Chevalier de la

Légion d’Honneur The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon B ...

and a Commander of the

Order of St John of Jerusalem The Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem ( la, Ordo Fratrum Hospitalis Sancti Ioannis Hierosolymitani), commonly known as the Knights Hospitaller (), was a medieval and early modern Catholic military order. It was headq ...

. He also served as vice-president of the

Royal Life Saving Society The Royal Life Saving Society UK is a drowning prevention charity founded in 1891 in the UK. It has had Royal Patronage since 1904. History The Royal Life Saving Society UK is a national charity, founded in 1891 by William Henry, with the aim of ...

. He died at his home in

Clifton, Bristol Clifton is both a suburb of Bristol, England, and the name of one of the city's thirty-five council wards. The Clifton ward also includes the areas of Cliftonwood and Hotwells. The eastern part of the suburb lies within the ward of Clifton Do ...

in January 1950, aged 78.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Woodcock, Herbert C 1871 births 1950 deaths Chevaliers of the Légion d'honneur Commanders of the Order of St John Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies Deputy Lieutenants of Gloucestershire Gloucestershire Regiment officers Businesspeople from Bristol UK MPs 1922–1923 UK MPs 1924–1929 Politicians from Bristol