Norval Helme facts for kids
Sir Norval Watson Helme (born September 22, 1849 – died March 6, 1932) was an important English businessman and politician. He was a member of the Liberal Party and came from Lancaster. Before becoming a national politician, he held many important jobs in his local community. In 1900, he won a seat in the House of Commons, which is the main law-making body in the United Kingdom.
Early Life and Business
Norval Helme was the son of James Helme, who also lived in Lancaster. He went to school at the Lancaster Royal Grammar School. After finishing school, he joined his father's business, James Helme and Company.
Their company, located at Halton Mills, made special fabrics. These included oilcloth, which is a waterproof fabric, and baize, a soft, felt-like material. They also produced leathercloth, which looks like leather but is made differently. By the year 1900, Norval Helme had become the senior partner, meaning he was one of the main leaders of the company.
Local Government Roles
Norval Helme was very active in his local community. For many years, he was a member of the Lancaster City Council. This council helps to run the city of Lancaster. He later became an alderman, which is a senior member of the council.
From 1896 to 1897, he served as the Mayor of Lancaster. This was a very important leadership role in the city. When the Lancashire County Council was created in 1889, he was elected to represent Lancaster. He continued to serve on the County Council until at least 1900. He was often re-elected without anyone running against him, showing how much people trusted him.
Member of Parliament
In the general election of 1900, Norval Helme ran for a national political job. He was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) for the Lancaster area of Lancashire. He won by a very small number of votes, just 44, against the sitting Conservative MP, William Henry Foster.
He was re-elected in the 1906 election with a much larger lead. He won by 884 votes over Foster that time. He continued to hold his seat in both the January and December elections of 1910.
In July 1912, Norval Helme was made a Knight Bachelor. This meant he could use the title "Sir" before his name. However, in the 1918 election, he lost his seat. He was defeated by Sir Archibald Hunter, who was a candidate from the Coalition Conservative party.
