Arthur Woodburn facts for kids

Arthur Woodburn (born October 25, 1890 – died June 1, 1978) was a Scottish politician from the Labour Party. He was an important figure in Scottish politics for many years.

Early Life and Education

Arthur Woodburn was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. He studied at Heriot-Watt College. During World War I, he was a conscientious objector. This means he refused to fight in the war because of his strong personal beliefs. For this, he was put in prison.

After the war, Woodburn worked in engineering and helped manage iron foundries. He was also a teacher and a national secretary for the Scottish Labour College. This college helped educate working people.

A Career in Politics

Arthur Woodburn was very involved with the Labour Party. From 1932 to 1939, he was the Secretary of the Scottish Council of the Labour Party. He also led the National Council of Labour Colleges for many years, from 1937 to 1965. In the 1930s, he was part of a group in Edinburgh called 'Hands off Russia'.

Becoming a Member of Parliament

Woodburn tried to become a Member of Parliament (MP) twice before he succeeded. An MP is someone elected to represent people in the UK Parliament. He ran for election in Edinburgh South in 1929 and Edinburgh Leith in 1931, but he didn't win.

Finally, in 1939, he was elected as the MP for Clackmannan and East Stirlingshire. He held this position for a very long time, until 1970.

Roles in Government

During his time in Parliament, Arthur Woodburn held several important jobs:

• In 1941, he worked as a Parliamentary Private Secretary for Tom Johnston.
• From 1945 to 1947, he was a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Ministry of Supply. This ministry was important for providing supplies during and after the war.
• His most significant role was Secretary of State for Scotland. He held this position from 1947 to 1950 in the government led by Clement Attlee. As Secretary of State, he was responsible for many important decisions affecting Scotland.
• In 1947, he was also made a Privy Councillor. This is an honour given to important people who advise the King or Queen.

Later Life and Interests

In 1968, Heriot-Watt University gave Arthur Woodburn an Honorary Doctorate. This was a special award to recognize his achievements.

Woodburn had many interests. He was very keen on economics, education, and the idea of European unity. He also cared about international relations, learning modern languages, and Scottish history. In 1961, he joined the board of trustees for the National Library of Scotland. His personal papers and documents are now kept there.

Arthur Woodburn was married to Barbara Woodburn. She was a teacher and was also elected to the Edinburgh Town Council.