Garnham Edmonds

Garnham Edmonds JP (20 April 1865 – 9 April 1946) was a British butcher and Liberal politician who was both an MP and Mayor of Bethnal Green.

Background

Edmonds was described as tall, handsome, with a great shock of hair.[1] He had a daughter, Kate E. Rawles who was awarded the MBE.[2]

Professional career

Edmonds was a butcher in Bethnal Green, East London, trading as Edmonds and Mears tripe dressers.[3] His butchers shop was located in Bethnal Green Road and sold tripe and offal. After his election to parliament he continued to serve behind the counter and would travel each morning at 6.30am to Smithfield Market to make purchases.[1] He was also a religious and social worker.

Political career

Edmonds was President of the local Liberal association. In 1902 he was elected a member of Bethnal Green Metropolitan Borough Council, and was mayor of the borough from 1907–08.[3] In 1910 he was elected as a Progressive Party member of the London County Council, holding his seat until retiring in 1922. In the general election of that year he was elected as member of parliament for Bethnal Green North East with a majority of 115 votes over Walter Windsor of the Labour Party. However, a further election was held in 1923, and Edmonds was unseated by Windsor.[4] He again contested the seat in 1924 but lost by 95 votes. He continued as prospective Liberal candidate until resigning in 1926.[5] He did not stand for parliament again. He did return to local politics, being elected again to Bethnal Green Council, serving as Chairman of the Baths Committee.[6] He served as a Justice of the peace for the County of London.[7]

Electoral record
Bethnal Green North East
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Progressive Garnham Edmonds 3,423 36.6
Progressive Edward A Smith 3,369 36.1
Municipal Reform Alexander Edwards 1,327 14.2
Municipal Reform William Long Restall 1,221 13.1
Majority 2,042 21.9
Progressive hold Swing
Bethnal Green North East[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Progressive Garnham Edmonds 2,731 29.4 -7.2
Progressive Edward A Smith 2,667 28.7 -7.4
Municipal Reform G. Allen 1,961 21.1 +6.9
Municipal Reform Thomas Andrew Blane 1,941 20.9 +7.8
Majority 706 7.6 -14.3
Progressive hold Swing -7.1
London County Council election, 1919: Bethnal Green North East
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Progressive Sir Edward A Smith Unopposed n/a n/a
Progressive Garnham Edmonds Unopposed n/a n/a
Progressive hold Swing n/a
Progressive hold Swing n/a
General election 1922: Bethnal Green North East [9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Garnham Edmonds 5,774 36.1 -20.3
Communist Walter Windsor 5,659 35.3 n/a
Unionist Eric Alfred Hoffgaard 2,806 17.5 n/a
National Liberal George Garro-Jones 1,780 11.5 n/a
Majority 115 0.8 -26.3
Turnout 27,262 58.8 +27.6
Liberal hold Swing n/a
General election 1923: Bethnal Green North East [9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Walter Windsor 7,415 45.7 +12.4
Liberal Garnham Edmonds 6,790 41.8 +5.7
Unionist Robert Tasker 2,035 12.5 -5.0
Majority 625 3.9 4.7
Turnout 27,468 59.1 +0.3
Labour gain from Liberal Swing +3.3
General election 1924: Bethnal Green North East [9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Walter Windsor 9,560 50.2 +4.5
Liberal Garnham Edmonds 9,465 49.8 +8.0
Majority 95 0.4 -3.5
Turnout 27,827 68.4 +9.3
Labour hold Swing -1.8

Death

Edmonds died at his home in Woodford Green, Essex in April 1946, aged 81.[10]

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References

Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs

  1. Forty Years in and out of Parliament by Percy Harris
  2. The Women's Who's who, 1934
  3. T F T Baker (editor) (1998). "Bethnal Green: Local Government". A History of the County of Middlesex Volume 11: Stepney, Bethnal Green. British History Online. Retrieved 8 December 2008.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  4. East-End Contests, The Times, 3 December 1923, p. 19
  5. Strong for Service, by H Montgomery Hyde
  6. Municipal Journal , 1929
  7. Law Reporter, 1916
  8. London Municipal Notes, 1913
  9. British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig
  10. Deaths, The Times, 11 April 1946, p.1
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Sir Edwin Cornwall		 Member of Parliament for Bethnal Green North East
1922 – 1923		 Succeeded by
Walter Windsor
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