John Sharp Higham

John Sharp Higham (14 June 1857 – 5 January 1932) was a British Liberal Party politician and cotton manufacturer.

Background

A son of Eli Higham, a cotton manufacturer from Accrington. He was educated privately.Debretts House of Commons 1916 He married in 1899, Pollie Hartley, daughter of William Pickles Hartley of Southport. They had three sons and one daughter.

Career

He was Chairman of his father-in-law's business, W. P. Hartley Ltd, jam manufacturers. He was also Chairman of his family cotton manufacturing business, Highams Ltd of Accrington, Rochdale and Manchester. He served on Accrington Town Council.Who Was Who He was Mayor of Accrington from 1899 to 1901. He was a member of Lancashire County Council for twelve years.Who Was Who He was a Justice of the Peace in Accrington.Debretts House of Commons 1916 He was Liberal MP for the Sowerby Division of Yorkshire from 1904 to 1918. He was elected at the first time of asking in 1904, holding the Liberal seat at a by-election;

File:1885-1918_Sowerby.png

{{Election box begin | title=1904 Sowerby by-electionBritish parliamentary election results 1885-1918, Craig, F. W. S.

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{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = John Sharp Higham

|votes = 6,049

|percentage = 60.9

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = William Algernon Simpson-Hinchliffe

|votes = 3,877

|percentage = 39.1

|change =

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 2,172

|percentage = 21.8

|change =

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes =

|percentage = 80.6

|change =

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{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Liberal Party (UK)

|swing =

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{{Election box begin | title=General election 1906: SowerbyBritish parliamentary election results 1885-1918, Craig, F. W. S.

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = John Sharp Higham

|votes = 6,482

|percentage = 61.6

|change = +0.7

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = William Algernon Simpson-Hinchliffe

|votes =4,034

|percentage = 38.4

|change = -0.7

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 2,448

|percentage = 23.2

|change =

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes =

|percentage = 84.2

|change =

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Liberal Party (UK)

|swing = +0.7

}}

In parliament, he was an advanced radical in favour of Church Disestablishment, Irish Home Rule and

the Nationalization of the Railways.

{{Election box begin |

|title=General election January 1910: SowerbyBritish parliamentary election results 1885-1918, Craig, F. W. S.}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = John Sharp Higham

|votes = 6,811

|percentage = 58.8

|change = -2.8

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Conservative Party (UK)

|candidate = William Algernon Simpson-Hinchliffe

|votes = 4,781

|percentage = 41.2

|change = +2.8

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 2,030

|percentage = 17.6

|change = -5.6

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes =

|percentage = 90.5

|change = +6.3

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Liberal Party (UK)

|loser =

|swing = -2.8

}}

At the General Election of December 1910, he was re-elected unopposed.

He was a Member of the Land Values Group which favoured rating reform.Debretts House of Commons 1916 He defended his seat at the General Election of 1918, the 'coupon' election; he stood as a Liberal but when offered endorsement from the Coalition Government, rejected it. As a result, he finished third;

{{Election box begin |

|title=General election 1918: SowerbyBritish parliamentary election results 1885-1918, Craig, F. W. S.

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{{Election box candidate|

|party = NADSS

|candidate = Robert Hewitt Barker

|votes = 8,287

|percentage = 37.0

|change = n/a

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Labour Party (UK)

|candidate = John William Ogden

|votes = 7,306

|percentage = 32.7

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Liberal Party (UK)

|candidate = John Sharp Higham

|votes = 6,778

|percentage = 30.2

|change =

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 981

|percentage = 4.3

|change =

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes =

|percentage = 65.2

|change =

}}

{{Election box gain with party link|

|winner = Independent (politician)

|loser = Liberal Party (UK)

|swing =

}}

After the war he served as President of Southport Liberal Association. He was Treasurer of Lancashire and Cheshire Band of Hope and Temperance Union. He was President of the United Kingdom Commercial Travellers’ Association from 1926 to 1927.Who Was Who