Walter Halls (16 June 1871 – 20 October 1953) 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, ...

trade unionist A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and Employee ben ...

and

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, a ...

. Born in

Gaulby Gaulby (or Galby) is a village in Leicestershire, England, 7 miles east of the city of Leicester. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 131, (including Frisby). The 2011 census for Gaulby returned 52 houses and 141 residents. Histo ...

Leicestershire Leicestershire ( ; postal abbreviation Leics.) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East Midlands, England. The county borders Nottinghamshire to the north, Lincolnshire to the north-east, Rutland to the east, Northamptonshire t ...

, Halls was educated locally before finding work on the railways. He became an active trade unionist, and was elected as an organiser of the

National Union of Railwaymen The National Union of Railwaymen was a trade union of railway workers in the United Kingdom. The largest railway workers' union in the country, it was influential in the national trade union movement. History The NUR was an industrial union ...

in 1909. He was also active in the Labour Party, standing unsuccessfully for it in

Northampton Northampton () is a market town and civil parish in the East Midlands of England, on the River Nene, north-west of London and south-east of Birmingham. The county town of Northamptonshire, Northampton is one of the largest towns in England; ...

at the 1918 general election. He stood again in the 1921 Heywood and Radcliffe by-election, winning the seat, but lost it at the 1922 general election and again failed to win it in 1923. In

1931 Events January * January 2 – South Dakota native Ernest Lawrence invents the cyclotron, used to accelerate particles to study nuclear physics. * January 4 – German pilot Elly Beinhorn begins her flight to Africa. * January 22 – Sir I ...

, he stood instead in

Derby Derby ( ) is a city and unitary authority area in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the banks of the River Derwent in the south of Derbyshire, which is in the East Midlands Region. It was traditionally the county town of Derbyshire. Derby gai ...

, but was once more unsuccessful.Michael Stenton and Stephen Lees, ''Who's Who of British MPs'', vol.3, p.147 Halls also served on

Nottingham City Council Nottingham City Council is the local authority for the unitary authority of Nottingham in Nottinghamshire, England. It consists of 55 councillors, representing a total of 20 wards, elected every four years. The council is led by David Mellen, of ...

, and was Lord Mayor of Nottingham in 1940/41.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Halls, Walter 1871 births 1953 deaths Labour Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies National Union of Railwaymen-sponsored MPs Nottingham City Councillors People from Harborough District UK MPs 1918–1922