He was the youngest son of Henry James Underhill and his wife Alice Maud Butler.[2] Underhill was educated at Leyton Central School and left it in 1929.[3] Aged only sixteen, he joined the Labour Party in the following year and was a Lloyd's Underwriter until 1933.[3]
Careeredit
Subsequently, Underhill began working as a junior clerk in the party's head office and became vice-chairman in the constituency of Leyton West.[3] He was appointed an honorary secretary of the British Workers' Sports Association and in 1936 travelled with the British delegation to the People's Olympiad in Barcelona.[4] During the Second World War, Underhill refused to fight, citing his socialism, however served in the National Fire Service in London, often acting as a driver.[3]
In 1945, after the end of the war, he was assistant to Morgan Phillips, at that time the General Secretary of the Labour Party.[3] He was then administrative assistant to the party's national agent until 1947 and worked as propaganda officer until the next year.[3] From 1948, Underhill served as Labour's regional organiser in the West Midlands until 1960, when he was chosen assistant national agent.[3]
In 1972, he finally became the National Agent of the Labour Party.[5] His work involved reporting on the Militant tendency as entrists into the Labour Party, eventually leading to their expulsion from the party.[6] Underhill was awarded a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1976 Prime Minister's Resignation Honours[7] and on his retirement from his post in 1979, he was created a life peer with the title Baron Underhill, of Leyton, in Greater London on 12 July.[8] He became Labour's Opposition front bench spokesman on transport in the House of Lords in 1980 and on electoral affairs in 1983.[3] On the resignation of Cledwyn Hughes in 1982, Underhill was elected deputy leader of Labour in the House, a post he held until 1989.[9] He was a founding member of the reformed Association of Professional, Executive, Clerical and Computer Staff and received the union's gold medal.[3]
Familyedit
He married Flora Philbrick in 1937.[9] Underhill died in a hospital in Epping in 1993 and left a daughter, Joan, and two sons, Terry and Bob.[9]
Referencesedit
^. Archived from the original on 8 June 2008. Retrieved 14 November 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
underhill, henry, reginall, underhill, baron, underhill, 1914, march, 1993, british, party, worker, labour, politician, contents, background, career, family, references, external, linksbackground, edithe, youngest, henry, james, underhill, wife, alice, maud, b. Henry Reginall Underhill Baron Underhill CBE 8 May 1914 12 March 1993 1 was a British party worker and Labour politician Contents 1 Background 2 Career 3 Family 4 References 5 External linksBackground editHe was the youngest son of Henry James Underhill and his wife Alice Maud Butler 2 Underhill was educated at Leyton Central School and left it in 1929 3 Aged only sixteen he joined the Labour Party in the following year and was a Lloyd s Underwriter until 1933 3 Career editSubsequently Underhill began working as a junior clerk in the party s head office and became vice chairman in the constituency of Leyton West 3 He was appointed an honorary secretary of the British Workers Sports Association and in 1936 travelled with the British delegation to the People s Olympiad in Barcelona 4 During the Second World War Underhill refused to fight citing his socialism however served in the National Fire Service in London often acting as a driver 3 In 1945 after the end of the war he was assistant to Morgan Phillips at that time the General Secretary of the Labour Party 3 He was then administrative assistant to the party s national agent until 1947 and worked as propaganda officer until the next year 3 From 1948 Underhill served as Labour s regional organiser in the West Midlands until 1960 when he was chosen assistant national agent 3 In 1972 he finally became the National Agent of the Labour Party 5 His work involved reporting on the Militant tendency as entrists into the Labour Party eventually leading to their expulsion from the party 6 Underhill was awarded a Commander of the Order of the British Empire CBE in the 1976 Prime Minister s Resignation Honours 7 and on his retirement from his post in 1979 he was created a life peer with the title Baron Underhill of Leyton in Greater London on 12 July 8 He became Labour s Opposition front bench spokesman on transport in the House of Lords in 1980 and on electoral affairs in 1983 3 On the resignation of Cledwyn Hughes in 1982 Underhill was elected deputy leader of Labour in the House a post he held until 1989 9 He was a founding member of the reformed Association of Professional Executive Clerical and Computer Staff and received the union s gold medal 3 Family editHe married Flora Philbrick in 1937 9 Underhill died in a hospital in Epping in 1993 and left a daughter Joan and two sons Terry and Bob 9 References edit Leigh Rayment Peerage Archived from the original on 8 June 2008 Retrieved 14 November 2009 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint unfit URL link Charles Roger Dod Robert Phipps Dod 1990 Dod s Parliamentary Companion p 305 ISBN 0 905702 16 6 a b c d e f g h i Lord Ardwick 15 March 1993 Obituary Lord Underhill The Independent Retrieved 8 June 2009 Sturgis Matthew 19 March 1993 Obituary Lord Underhill The Independent Retrieved 8 June 2009 Benn Tony 1991 Ruth Winstone ed Conflicts of Interest Diaries 1977 80 Arrows p 615 ISBN 0 09 989870 5 Michael Crick 11 August 2015 Why entrism is such a small part of Jeremy Corbyn s rise Channel 4 News London Retrieved 14 August 2015 No 46916 The London Gazette Supplement 1 June 1976 p 7824 No 47907 The London Gazette 17 July 1979 p 9009 a b c Lord Underhill Dead A Labour Stalwart 78 The New York Times 14 March 1993 Retrieved 29 October 2006 External links editHansard 1803 2005 contributions in Parliament by Henry Underhill Baron UnderhillParty political officesPreceded byRon Hayward Labour Party National Agent1973 1979 Succeeded byDavid Hughes Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Reg Underhill amp oldid 1185408526, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
