Bottomley, Arthur George, 1907-1995

Arthur George Bottomley, 1907-1995, was educated at Gamuel Road Council School and took extension classes at Toynbee Hall. He entered politics in 1929 as a councillor in the Borough of Walthamstow, holding the office of mayor 1945-1946. He was the Labour Party MP for Chatham Division of Rochester 1945-1950, for Rochester and Chatham, 1950-1959, for Middlesborough East, 1962-1974, and for Teeside, Middlesborough 1974-1983. His Parliamentary career focused on trade and the Commonwealth. His positions included Parliamentary Under-Secretary for State for the Dominions, 1947-1951; Secretary for Overseas Trade, Board of Trade, 1947-1951; Chairman of the Commonwealth Relations and Colonies Group of the Parliamentary Labour Party in 1963; Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs, 1964 - 1966; and Minister for Overseas Development, 1966 - 1967. He also participated in many government missions and delegations overseas during the course of his career. He was created a life peer in 1984.

c 1911 carriage cleaner, LMS workshops in Kentish Town; 1929-1949 councillor, Walthamstow borough council; 1945-1946 mayor, Walthamstow borough council; 1935-1945 London organizer, the National Union of Public Employees; 1939-1941 chairman, the emergency committee and air raid precautions controller for London; 1941 OBE; 1941-1945 deputy regional commissioner for south-east England; 1945-1950 Member of Parliament for Chatham; 1946-1947 under-secretary for the dominions; 1947 led UK government mission to Burma; 1947-1951 secretary for overseas trade, the Board of Trade; 1951 privy councillor; 1950-1959 Member of Parliament for Rochester and Chatham; 1952-1954 member of the consultative assembly of the Council of Europe; 1959-1962 returned to the National Union of Public Employees; 1962-1974 Member of Parliament for Middlesbrough East; 1964-1966 secretary of state for Commonwealth relations; 1966-1967 minster for overseas development; 1967-1970 chairman, select committee on race relations; 1974-1983 Member of Parliament for Teeside; 1976 chairman, select committee on Commons services; 1978- chairman, the Attlee Foundation; 1980-1983 chairman, the House of Commons Commission; 1983 entered the House of Lords (Life Peer).

Epithet: politician

Title: Baron Bottomley