Charles Key facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Charles Key
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| Minister of Works | |
| In office 10 February 1947 – 28 February 1950 |
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| Prime Minister | Clement Attlee |
| Preceded by | George Tomlinson |
| Succeeded by | Richard Stokes |
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health | |
| In office 4 August 1945 – 12 February 1947 |
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| Prime Minister | Clement Attlee |
| Preceded by | Hamilton Kerr |
| Succeeded by | John Edwards |
| Member of Parliament for Poplar Bow and Bromley (1940–1950) |
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| In office 12 June 1940 – 25 September 1964 |
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| Preceded by | George Lansbury |
| Succeeded by | Ian Mikardo |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 8 August 1883 |
| Died | 6 December 1964 (aged 81) |
| Political party | Labour |
Charles William Key (8 August 1883 – 6 December 1964) was a British school teacher and a Labour Party politician. He grew up in a very poor family. Thanks to a kind family friend, he was able to train as a teacher.
Charles Key entered politics through his local council in Poplar. He was later elected to the British Parliament. He served in important government roles and remained a Member of Parliament until he was 80 years old.
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Early Life and Challenges
Charles Key was born in a village called Chalfont St Giles. His father worked in the brickfields. When Charles was only six, his father passed away. His mother raised him by herself.
His family was very poor. His mother worked hard cleaning houses. Young Charles also had to work delivering goods for a local shop. They often relied on help for the poor. Charles remembered collecting a small amount of money and bread. He once promised his mother he would become a Member of Parliament and help change unfair laws for the poor.
Becoming a Teacher
Charles Key did well in his village school. To help make ends meet, his mother rented out rooms in their home. One of their lodgers was a young chemist. This chemist saw Charles's talent and decided to help him.
The chemist provided money so Charles could continue his education. He trained at a special center and got practical experience at a school. Charles then won a scholarship to a teacher training college. He became a qualified teacher and started working at a school in Mile End.
Working in Local Government
During the First World War, Charles Key served in the army. After the war, he became a headmaster in schools in Hoxton and Poplar. In 1919, while working in Poplar, he joined the Labour Party.
He was elected to the Poplar Borough Council. This council was known for its strong support of working-class people. Charles Key deeply cared about the poor in his area. He saw how poverty affected the children at his school every day. He believed that most people in Poplar were living on the edge of poverty.
The Poplar Rates Protest
Poplar Council spent a lot of money to help its poor residents. This led to higher local taxes, called "rates." These taxes became a heavy burden on local families. In 1921, the Poplar councillors decided to protest. They refused to collect some of these taxes for the London County Council (LCC).
Charles Key supported this protest. He argued that the LCC and the government had not kept their promises to fund schemes in Poplar. The LCC took legal action against 30 Poplar councillors. These councillors were sent to prison for refusing to collect the taxes.
Charles Key was not among those sent to prison. He became the Deputy Mayor while the Mayor was in jail. He played a key role in organizing the successful effort to get the councillors released. This protest helped create a fairer system for local taxes in poorer areas.
Serving as Mayor
Poplar Council continued to fight for other causes. They pushed for a minimum wage for their workers. Charles Key served as the Mayor of Poplar three times: in 1923–24, 1926–27, and 1932–33. He also worked as a Poor Law Guardian, helping to manage aid for the poor.
Entering Parliament
When World War II began in 1939, Charles Key left teaching. He became a civil defense worker in London. He helped organize protection for people during air raids in Poplar.
In 1940, the Member of Parliament for Bow and Bromley, George Lansbury, passed away. Charles Key was elected to take his place in a special election. From 1941 until the end of the war, he was in charge of civil defense in London. He focused especially on shelters for people during bombings.
Becoming a Government Minister
After the war, Clement Attlee became Prime Minister. Charles Key was appointed as a junior minister in the Ministry of Health. He helped pass the important National Health Service Act. This act created a healthcare system where everyone could get medical care, no matter how much money they had.
Later, another politician had the honor of finally ending the old Poor Law system. This was a law Charles Key had promised his mother he would help change.
Minister of Works
In 1947, Charles Key was promoted to Minister of Works. In this role, he was responsible for rebuilding the House of Commons chamber after it was damaged in the war. He also helped plan the Festival of Britain, a big national event.
In 1947, he became a member of the Privy Council. This meant he could be called "The Right Honourable Charles Key." One of his jobs was to make sure there were enough building materials for new public housing.
In 1948, he was questioned as part of an investigation into building supplies. However, no accusations against him were proven. In 1950, he was re-elected as an MP. He then left the government due to his age.
Later Years in Politics
In 1953, Charles Key received the Freedom of the Borough of Poplar award. This honor made him very proud. He continued to serve as a Member of Parliament, though he spoke less often in the House of Commons.
He announced his retirement in 1961. In 1963, he helped oversee the voting for the new leader of the Labour Party.
