Henry Brockhouse (11 July 1868 – 21 February 1921) was aBritish socialist politician.
Born inWest Bromwich, Brockhouse's father was the owner of J. Brockhouse & Company, which madeaxles. Harry became apupil teacher at the West Bromwich Board School, then qualified as a schoolteacher. However, by 1911, he was the company secretary for his father's firm. He later took up an important position atVickers.[1]
In his youth, Brockhouse was a supporter of theLiberal Party, and was a prominent localnonconformist. He became interested inGeorgism, and founded a local Democratic Club to promote the principle, then when he was twenty-seven, he heard a talk byCaroline Martyn which convinced him to become a socialist. He joined theIndependent Labour Party (ILP), and served for many years as president of its West Bromwich branch.[1] He proposed the formation of district councils and federations within the party. This was approved, and by 1906, Brockhouse was president of the party's South Staffordshire Federation. That year, he was elected to the ILP's National Administrative Committee, serving for three years as the representative of its Midlands Division.[1][2] From 1903, he also served as chair of the party's Divisional Council.[1]
Brockhouse's married Amy Brocklehurst, who was active in theWomen's Social and Political Union. When theUnited Kingdom census, 1911 was conducted, she made herself absent from the house, along with their eldest daughter, Doreen, in accordance with the WSPU policy to boycott the census. Harry himself was active in theMen's League for Women's Suffrage.[3] For many years, Brockhouse was a strong supporter of theClarion movement. Along with the majority of the ILP, he opposedWorld War I, and therefore cut his ties with theClarion.[1]
Brockhouse also served on West Bromwich Town Council for many years,[2] founded the West BromwichLabour Church,[1] and was president of the national Labour Church Union in 1907.[4]
| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by New position | Midlands Division representative on the National Administrative Council of theIndependent Labour Party 1906–1909 | Succeeded by |
.svg)
