John Sharp Higham

John Sharp Higham (14 June 1857 – 5 January 1932) was a British Liberal Party politician and cotton manufacturer.

Background

A son of Eli Higham, a cotton manufacturer from Accrington. He was educated privately.[1] He married in 1899, Pollie Hartley, daughter of William Pickles Hartley of Southport. They had three sons and one daughter.

Career

He was Chairman of his father-in-law's business, W. P. Hartley Ltd, jam manufacturers. He was also Chairman of his family cotton manufacturing business, Highams Ltd of Accrington, Rochdale and Manchester. He served on Accrington Town Council.[2] He was Mayor of Accrington from 1899–1901. He was a member of Lancashire County Council for twelve years.[3] He was a Justice of the Peace in Accrington.[4] He was Liberal MP for the Sowerby Division of Yorkshire from 1904–18. He was elected at the first time of asking in 1904, holding the Liberal seat at a by-election;

Sowerby in Yorkshire, 1885-1918
1904 Sowerby by-election[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal John Sharp Higham 6,049 60.9
Conservative William Algernon Simpson-Hinchliffe 3,877 39.1
Majority 2,172 21.8
Turnout 80.6
Liberal hold Swing
General election 1906: Sowerby[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal John Sharp Higham 6,482 61.6 +0.7
Conservative William Algernon Simpson-Hinchliffe 4,034 38.4 -0.7
Majority 2,448 23.2
Turnout 84.2
Liberal hold Swing +0.7

In parliament, he was an advanced radical in favour of Church Disestablishment, Irish Home Rule and the Nationalization of the Railways.

General election January 1910: Sowerby[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal John Sharp Higham 6,811 58.8 -2.8
Conservative William Algernon Simpson-Hinchliffe 4,781 41.2 +2.8
Majority 2,030 17.6 -5.6
Turnout 90.5 +6.3
Liberal hold Swing -2.8

At the General Election of December 1910, he was re-elected unopposed. He was a Member of the Land Values Group which favoured rating reform.[8] He defended his seat at the General Election of 1918, the 'coupon' election; he stood as a Liberal but when offered endorsement from the Coalition Government, rejected it. As a result, he finished third;

General election 1918: Sowerby[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
NADSS Robert Hewitt Barker 8,287 37.0 n/a
Labour John William Ogden 7,306 32.7
Liberal John Sharp Higham 6,778 30.2
Majority 981 4.3
Turnout 65.2
Independent gain from Liberal Swing

After the war he served as President of Southport Liberal Association. He was Treasurer of Lancashire and Cheshire Band of Hope and Temperance Union. He was President of the United Kingdom Commercial Travellers’ Association from 1926–27.[10]

Sources
  • Who Was Who
  • British parliamentary election results 1885–1918, Craig, F. W. S.
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References
  1. Debretts House of Commons 1916
  2. Who Was Who
  3. Who Was Who
  4. Debretts House of Commons 1916
  5. British parliamentary election results 1885-1918, Craig, F. W. S.
  6. British parliamentary election results 1885-1918, Craig, F. W. S.
  7. British parliamentary election results 1885-1918, Craig, F. W. S.
  8. Debretts House of Commons 1916
  9. British parliamentary election results 1885-1918, Craig, F. W. S.
  10. Who Was Who
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
John William Mellor		 Member of Parliament for Sowerby
1904–1918		 Succeeded by
Robert Hewitt Barker
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