Fred Messer facts for kids

Sir Frederick Messer (born May 12, 1886 – died May 8, 1971) was an important British politician and trade union leader. He was a member of the Labour Party. He served in the House of Commons, which is part of the UK Parliament. He also led the Middlesex County Council.

Early Life and First Jobs

Frederick Messer was born in north London. His father worked as a poor law officer, helping people in need. Frederick went to Thornhill Primary School in Islington. After school, he started an apprenticeship to become a French polisher. This meant he learned the skill of polishing furniture.

He was one of the first people to join the French Polishers Union. A trade union is a group that helps workers get fair pay and good working conditions. Later, he changed his job. He became a national organiser for the Industrial Orthopaedic Society. This group helped people with bone and muscle problems.

Becoming a Member of Parliament

Frederick Messer joined the Labour Party. In 1929, he was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Tottenham South. An MP is someone elected to represent a local area in the UK Parliament.

Two years later, in 1931, there was another election. Messer lost his seat to a candidate from the National Labour group, Francis Palmer. But he won it back from Palmer in the next general election in 1935.

He kept his seat for Tottenham South until 1950. After that, he became the MP for the new area called Tottenham. He continued to serve as an MP until he retired from Parliament in 1959.

Awards and Recognition

In 1948, Frederick Messer was given a special award. He was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). This award was for his "political and public services," meaning his work in politics and for the public.

In 1953, he was made a knight during the Coronation Honours List. This meant he could use the title "Sir" before his name.

Work in Local Government

Besides being an MP, Sir Frederick Messer was also a member of the Middlesex County Council for many years. This council helped manage local services in the Middlesex area.

For 15 years, he was the leader of the Labour group on the council. In 1938, he became an alderman. An alderman was a senior member of the council. From 1947 to 1948, he was the chairman of the council. He was the very first Labour Party member to hold this important position.

Sir Frederick Messer was also part of a group called "Victory for Socialism." This was a left-wing group within the Labour Party that wanted to push for certain ideas. He became its first president in 1958.