William Norton | |
|---|---|
 Norton,c. 1940s | |
| Tánaiste | |
| In office 2 June 1954 – 20 March 1957 | |
| Taoiseach | John A. Costello |
| Preceded by | Seán Lemass |
| Succeeded by | Seán Lemass |
| In office 18 February 1948 – 13 June 1951 | |
| Taoiseach | John A. Costello |
| Preceded by | Seán Lemass |
| Succeeded by | Seán Lemass |
| Leader of the Labour Party | |
| In office 19 July 1932 – 2 March 1960 | |
| Preceded by | Thomas J. O'Connell |
| Succeeded by | Brendan Corish |
| Minister for Social Welfare | |
| In office 18 February 1948 – 13 June 1951 | |
| Taoiseach | John A. Costello |
| Preceded by | Seán Lemass |
| Succeeded by | Seán Lemass |
| Minister for Industry and Commerce | |
| In office 2 June 1954 – 20 March 1957 | |
| Taoiseach | John A. Costello |
| Preceded by | Seán Lemass |
| Succeeded by | Seán Lemass |
| Teachta Dála | |
| In office February 1948 – 4 December 1963 | |
| Constituency | Kildare |
| In office February 1937 – February 1948 | |
| Constituency | Carlow–Kildare |
| In office February 1932 – July 1937 | |
| Constituency | Kildare |
| In office February 1926 – June 1927 | |
| Constituency | Dublin County |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1900-11-02)2 November 1900 Abbotstown,Dublin, Ireland |
| Died | 4 December 1963(1963-12-04) (aged 63) Dublin, Ireland |
| Political party | Labour Party |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 5, includingPatrick |
William Joseph Norton (2 November 1900 – 4 December 1963) was an IrishLabour Party politician who served asTánaiste from 1948 to 1951 and from 1954 to 1957,Leader of the Labour Party from 1932 to 1960,Minister for Social Welfare from 1948 to 1951 andMinister for Industry and Commerce from 1954 to 1957. He was aTeachta Dála (TD) from 1926 to 1927 and from 1932 to 1961.[1]
Norton was born inDublin in 1900.[2] He joined the postal service in 1916. By 1920, he was a prominent member of theIrish Postal Union and the wider trade union movement inIreland. From 1924 to 1957, he served as Secretary of the Post Office Workers' Union.[3]
He was elected as a Labour PartyTD forDublin County at aby-election in 1926, but was defeated at theJune 1927 general election. On constitutional matters, Norton opposed the introduction into force of theExecutive Authority (External Relations) Act 1936 which continued a role for the British King after the King was removed from theConstitution of Ireland. In Norton’s view, the association with the British King should have ended whenEdward VIII “voluntarily relinquished his objectionable role here”.[4]
In Professor Tom Garvin's review of the 1950s 'News from a New Republic', he comes in for praise as a moderniser. Garvin places him with a cross party group includingGerard Sweetman andDaniel Morrissey ofFine Gael as well asSeán Lemass ofFianna Fáil who were pushing a modernising agenda. He representedKildare from 1932 until his death in 1963.[5]
In 1932, he became leader of the Labour Party. In theFirst Inter-Party Government from 1948 to 1951, Norton became Tánaiste and Minister for Social Welfare. In theSecond Inter-Party Government from 1954 to 1957, Norton served as Tánaiste and Minister for Industry and Commerce.
William Norton died in Dublin in 1963. His sonPatrick Norton served as a TD for Kildare from 1965 to 1969.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Minister for Social Welfare 1948–1951 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Tánaiste 1948–1951 | Succeeded by |
| Minister for Industry and Commerce 1954–1957 | ||
| Preceded by | Tánaiste 1954–1957 | Succeeded by |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Leader of the Labour Party 1932–1960 | Succeeded by |
| Trade union offices | ||
| Preceded by New position | General Secretary of thePost Office Workers' Union 1924–1957 | Succeeded by William Bell |
| Preceded by | President of thePostal, Telegraph and Telephone International 1957–1960 | Succeeded by |
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