Ernest Emil Darwin Simon, 1st Baron Simon of Wythenshawe (9 October 1879 – 3 October 1960) was a British industrialist, politician and public servant. Lord Mayor of Manchester in 1921–1922, he was a member of parliament for two terms between 1923 and 1931 before being elevated to the peerage and serving as the Chairman of the BBC Board of Governors.
In 1912 he married Shena Dorothy Potter (1883–1972), a noted social reformer. They had three children: Roger, a solicitor and journalist; Brian, an educationalist and historian; and a daughter Antonia (Tony) who died in childhood.[1] His nephew is C. G. H. Simon.[citation needed]
Engineeringedit
After leaving Cambridge on the death of his father, he entered the family's engineering business, Simon Carves, manufacturers of flour milling machinery and coke ovens. He successfully expanded the company into building grain silos, and with the wealth generated by the business pursued outside interests, including politics.[1]
Simon served as a member of Manchester City Council from 1912 to 1925, and as Lord Mayor of Manchester in 1921–1922, the youngest person at the time to have held the office.[1] He is chiefly remembered for the slum clearances and housing projects he initiated in the city. He purchased Wythenshawe Hall and park from Robert Henry Grenville Tatton in 1926 and donated them to the city; the estate farmland became one on Britain's largest housing estates, Wythenshawe.[3][4]
He was close friends with Sidney and Beatrice Webb, and he contributed £1000 towards their establishment of the New Statesman political newspaper in 1913.[8] He also had long association with the Victoria University of Manchester; except for a short period, he was a member of the court and council from 1915 until his death, and he served as chairman of the Council between 1941 and 1957.[1][7]
Simon died on 3 October 1960 in Withington, Manchester, after suffering a stroke whilst on holiday. His eldest son Roger succeeded to the barony.[1]
Publicationsedit
Simon, E. D.; Fitzgerald, Marion (1922). A City Council from Within. London: Longmans.
Simon, E. D. (1926). A City Council from Within. London: Longmans.
Simon, E. D. (1933). The Anti-Slum Campaign. London: Longmans.
Simon, E. D.; Inman, John (1935). The Rebuilding of Manchester. London: Longmans.
Simon, E. D. (1945). Rebuilding Britain: A Twenty Year Plan. London: Victor Gollancz.
Simon, E. D. (1953). The BBC from Within. London: Victor Gollancz.
Referencesedit
^ abcdefJones, Brendon (January 2011). "Simon, Ernest Emil Darwin, first Baron Simon of Wythenshawe (1879–1960)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/36095. Retrieved 21 December 2012. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
^"Simon, Ernest Emil Darwin (SMN898EE)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
^Linton, Deborah (1 June 2011). . Manchester Evening News. Archived from the original on 12 November 2012. Retrieved 21 December 2012.
^"Wythenshawe Park: The park's history". Manchester City Council. Retrieved 21 December 2012.
ernest, simon, baron, simon, wythenshawe, ernest, emil, darwin, simon, baron, simon, wythenshawe, october, 1879, october, 1960, british, industrialist, politician, public, servant, lord, mayor, manchester, 1921, 1922, member, parliament, terms, between, 1923, . Ernest Emil Darwin Simon 1st Baron Simon of Wythenshawe 9 October 1879 3 October 1960 was a British industrialist politician and public servant Lord Mayor of Manchester in 1921 1922 he was a member of parliament for two terms between 1923 and 1931 before being elevated to the peerage and serving as the Chairman of the BBC Board of Governors The Right HonourableThe Lord Simon of WythenshaweChairman of the BBC Board of GovernorsIn office 1947 1952Preceded byPhilip InmanSucceeded byAlexander CadoganPersonal detailsBornErnest Emil Darwin Simon 1879 10 09 9 October 1879Didsbury Manchester EnglandDied3 October 1960 1960 10 03 aged 80 Withington Manchester EnglandPolitical partyLabour from 1946 Liberal prior to the 1940s SpouseShena Dorothy Potter m 1912 wbr ChildrenRoger SimonBrian SimonAlma materPembroke College CambridgeProfessionIndustrialist politician and public servant Contents 1 Early life and family 2 Engineering 3 Political and public life 4 Publications 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksEarly life and family editSimon was born in Didsbury Manchester as the eldest son of Henry Gustav Simon and Emily Stoehr 1 He was educated at Rugby School and studied mechanical sciences at Pembroke College Cambridge 2 In 1912 he married Shena Dorothy Potter 1883 1972 a noted social reformer They had three children Roger a solicitor and journalist Brian an educationalist and historian and a daughter Antonia Tony who died in childhood 1 His nephew is C G H Simon citation needed Engineering editAfter leaving Cambridge on the death of his father he entered the family s engineering business Simon Carves manufacturers of flour milling machinery and coke ovens He successfully expanded the company into building grain silos and with the wealth generated by the business pursued outside interests including politics 1 Political and public life editWythenshawe Hall and Park nbsp The hall and surrounding park were donated to the City of Manchester by Lord and Lady Simon of Wythenshawe in 1926 nbsp as commemorated with a blue plaque Simon served as a member of Manchester City Council from 1912 to 1925 and as Lord Mayor of Manchester in 1921 1922 the youngest person at the time to have held the office 1 He is chiefly remembered for the slum clearances and housing projects he initiated in the city He purchased Wythenshawe Hall and park from Robert Henry Grenville Tatton in 1926 and donated them to the city the estate farmland became one on Britain s largest housing estates Wythenshawe 3 4 Simon sat as a Liberal Member of Parliament for Manchester Withington from 1923 to 1924 and from 1929 to 1931 Appointed a Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health in August 1931 to remain in office he contested Penryn and Falmouth he had previously decided not to contest the Withington seat again in October 1931 however he was unsuccessful He was knighted in 1932 5 After the Second World War he again stood for parliament as an independent candidate for the Combined English Universities seat during the 1946 by election He was unsuccessful and later that year joined the Labour Party In 1947 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Simon of Wythenshawe of Didsbury in the City of Manchester 6 and he was appointed chairman of the BBC Board of Governors a post which he held until 1952 7 He was close friends with Sidney and Beatrice Webb and he contributed 1000 towards their establishment of the New Statesman political newspaper in 1913 8 He also had long association with the Victoria University of Manchester except for a short period he was a member of the court and council from 1915 until his death and he served as chairman of the Council between 1941 and 1957 1 7 Simon died on 3 October 1960 in Withington Manchester after suffering a stroke whilst on holiday His eldest son Roger succeeded to the barony 1 Publications editSimon E D Fitzgerald Marion 1922 A City Council from Within London Longmans Simon E D 1926 A City Council from Within London Longmans Simon E D 1933 The Anti Slum Campaign London Longmans Simon E D Inman John 1935 The Rebuilding of Manchester London Longmans Simon E D Hubback Eva 1935 Training for Citizenship London Oxford University Press Simon E D 1945 Rebuilding Britain A Twenty Year Plan London Victor Gollancz Simon E D 1953 The BBC from Within London Victor Gollancz References edit a b c d e f Jones Brendon January 2011 Simon Ernest Emil Darwin first Baron Simon of Wythenshawe 1879 1960 Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online ed Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 ref odnb 36095 Retrieved 21 December 2012 Subscription or UK public library membership required Simon Ernest Emil Darwin SMN898EE A Cambridge Alumni Database University of Cambridge Linton Deborah 1 June 2011 Budget crisis could lead Manchester council to give away Heaton Hall and Wythenshawe Hall Manchester Evening News Archived from the original on 12 November 2012 Retrieved 21 December 2012 Wythenshawe Park The park s history Manchester City Council Retrieved 21 December 2012 No 33804 The London Gazette 1 March 1932 pp 1417 1418 No 37872 The London Gazette 4 February 1947 p 613 a b Simon of Wythenshawe 1st Baron Who Was Who Oxford University Press December 2007 Retrieved 21 December 2012 About Us New Statesman Jobs Archived from the original on 2 January 2013 Retrieved 21 December 2012 Further reading editStocks Mary 1963 Ernest Simon of Manchester Manchester Manchester University Press External links editHansard 1803 2005 contributions in Parliament by Ernest Simon Faculty of Humanities Manchester Brendon Jones biographical article Simon Report of 1944 on Placing and Management of Building Contracts 1944 and on Distribution of Building Materials and Components 1948 Parliament of the United Kingdom Preceded byThomas Watts Member of Parliament for Manchester Withington1923 1924 Succeeded byThomas Watts Preceded byThomas Watts Member of Parliament for Manchester Withington1929 1931 Succeeded byEdward Fleming Media offices Preceded byPhilip Inman Chairman of the BBC Board of Governors1947 1952 Succeeded byAlexander Cadogan Peerage of the United Kingdom New creation Baron Simon of Wythenshawe1947 1960 Succeeded byRoger Simon Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ernest Simon 1st Baron Simon of Wythenshawe amp oldid 1213679481, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
