Frank Murrell

Frank Edric Joseph Murrell (17 March 1874 – 1 April 1931) was a British businessman and Liberal Party politician who sat as Member of Parliament for Weston-super-Mare constituency.

Background

Murrell was born in Tottenham, Middlesex, the son of Capt. Frederick Murrell JP of Barry. He was educated at Lewisham House, Weston-super-Mare. In 1906 he married Mary Gwendoline Howell.[1]

Professional career

Murrell was a businessman with many interests in the printing industry. He co-founded the paper merchant Davies Harvey & Murrell in 1919.[2] He was a Director of Associated Printers, Ltd.[3] He was a liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Stationers and a Freeman of the City of London. He served on the executive of the Federation of Master Printers.[4] He was a Member of the Joint Industrial Council for the Printing and Allied Trades.[5]

Political career

Murrell was elected a member of Barry Urban District Council and sat from 1908–15.[6]

He was selected to fight the Weston-super-Mare constituency at the 1922 General Election. Although listed in contemporary records as a member of the Liberal faction led by Asquith, he preferred not to be associated with either of the two factions of the Liberal Party. He called himself an 'Independent Liberal' and stated he would work with either faction if in agreement with their policies.[7] He failed to take the seat at the 1922 election.

The Liberals were reunited at the 1923 General Election and Murrell again stood in Weston-super-Mare. He won the seat with a majority of 905, defeating the Conservative MP, Lord Erskine.

In parliament he proposed and received a Second Reading on a bill giving to local joint industrial councils, compulsory powers of enforcement of their decisions. The bill did not pass. Subsequently, his industrial proposals were formally taken up by the Liberal Party in their industrial policy programme for the 1929 General Election contained in the 'Yellow Book'.[8]

Murrell was heavily defeated at the 1924 General Election.

He did not stand for parliament again.[9]

Electoral record

General Election 1922: Weston-super-Mare
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Unionist John Francis Ashley Erskine, Lord Erskine 15,552 55.1 -10.4
Liberal Frank Edric Joseph Murrell 12,674 44.9 +10.4
Majority 2,878 10.2 -20.8
Unionist hold Swing -10.4
General Election 1923: Weston-super-Mare
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Frank Edric Joseph Murrell 15,223 51.5 +6.6
Unionist Lord John Erskine 14,318 48.5 -6.6
Majority 905 3.0 13.2
Liberal gain from Unionist Swing +6.6
General Election 1924: Weston-super-Mare
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Unionist John Francis Ashley Erskine, Lord Erskine 17,987 55.8 +4.3
Liberal Frank Edric Joseph Murrell 12,895 40.0 -8.5
Labour Raphael Neft 1,343 4.2 n/a
Majority 5,092 15.8 +12.8
Turnout 32,225 81.7
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +6.4

References

  1. ↑ ‘MURRELL, Frank Edric Joseph’, Who Was Who, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2016; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014 ; online edn, April 2014 accessed 31 Aug 2016
  2. ↑ Davies, Harvey and Murrell."Company History".
  3. ↑ ‘MURRELL, Frank Edric Joseph’, Who Was Who, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2016; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014 ; online edn, April 2014 accessed 31 Aug 2016
  4. ↑ The Times election supplement, 8 Dec. 1923.
  5. ↑ ‘MURRELL, Frank Edric Joseph’, Who Was Who, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2016; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014 ; online edn, April 2014 accessed 31 Aug 2016
  6. ↑ ‘MURRELL, Frank Edric Joseph’, Who Was Who, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2016; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014 ; online edn, April 2014 accessed 31 Aug 2016
  7. ↑ Weston Mercury, report on 1922 General Election.
  8. ↑ Liberal Politics in Britain by Arthur I. Cyr
  9. ↑ British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Lord Erskine		 Member of Parliament for Weston-super-Mare
1923–1924 		Succeeded by
Lord Erskine
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