Harold Finch

Sir Harold Josiah Finch (2 May 1898 – 16 July 1979) was a Welsh Labour Party politician born in Barry, Glamorgan.

This article is about the UK Labour Party politician. For the fictional character, see Harold Finch (Person of Interest). For an English politician and Australian federationist, see Harold Finch-Hatton.

A miners' agent in Blackwood after the First World War, Finch was a contemporary of Aneurin Bevan and accompanied him as a miners' delegate to the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool in 1925.[1] He was elected as Member of Parliament for Bedwellty at the 1950 general election and was Under-secretary of State at the Welsh Office from 1964 to 1966 during Harold Wilson's first administration. He held the seat until he retired from the House of Commons at the 1970 general election. His successor was Neil Kinnock, who later became leader of the Labour Party.

Harold Finch was knighted in the 1976 Birthday Honours for his services to politics and the trade union movement. He was the first 'Freeman' of Islwyn Borough Council and the Sir Harold Finch Memorial Park was created in 1982 at Pontllanfraith.

He died in Newport, aged 81.[2]

References

1. Foot, Michael (1975). Aneurin Bevan 1897–1945 (2nd ed.). St Albans: Paladin. pp. 34, 70. ISBN 0-586-08194-1.
2. England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Sir Charles Edwards	Member of Parliament for Bedwellty 1950–1970	Succeeded by Neil Kinnock