FROM THE PIT TO THE PRIVY COUNCIL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 243, 2 July 1918, Page 6

FROM THE PIT TO THE PRIVY COUNCIL

DEATH OP THE MINERS' M.P.

The life story of Mr. Charles Fenwick, the millers' M.P., who died at New-castle-on-Tyne, is a real romance of a pit boy who became n Privy Councillor. The son of a. miner, Mr. fenwick was born on May 5, 1850, nt Cramlingtoii, a villago in the centre of the Wansbeck Division, the constituency he was destined to represent in Parliament for thirty-two yen-s. Ho began to work ,on the pitbank at the age of nine, and <111 his tenth birthday he went down the pit. He reniaitjed u miner until 1885, when 110 became a membo.r" of Parliament. Like many other examples of self-help, the career of Charles Feinvick was one of strenuous application, and he educated himself' in . the intervals of his working hours. He held various offices under the Northumberland Miners' Association, and when the Wansbeck Division was, created the miners considered him an ideal candidate. He stood in the Liberal-Labour interest, and was elected by a majority of '3155 votes. When he entered the House of Commons there were nine Labour representatives there, and before that there had been only two. Mr. Fenwick represented rather the Couservative side of Labour, being always a strong advocate of progress on permanent lines,,and he never associated himself with the extremists. Like' Mr. Burt and the late Mr. John Wilson, two of his 'ifelong colleagues, who also went from the mines to Westminster, he declined to sign the Labour Party Constitution some years ago, but so far as the Northumberland miners wero concerned he alwnys enjayed perfect freedom of action, being in this respect not a mere delegate. During his Parliamentary carter ho served on several Koval Commissions, notably the Coal Dust Commission, the Secondary Education (England and Wales) Commission, and the inquiry into the causes of injuries to railway servants. For a number of years lie served on the Committee of Selection, being the first Labour member to have that honour. He also presided over the House of Commons in Committee 011 several occasions. About seven ye.irs ago he was sworn of the Privy Council.