Albert Hillary

Albert Ernest Hillary (20 January 1868 – 10 February 1954) was an English chocolate manufacturer and Liberal politician.

Albert Ernest Hillary
Member of Parliament for Harwich
In office 15 November 1922 – 29 October 1924
Preceded by	Harry Newton
Succeeded by	Sir Frederick Gill Rice
Personal details
Born	25 January 1880 Tow Law, County Durham
Died	10 February 1954 (aged 74) Frinton-on-Sea, Essex
Nationality	British
Political party	Liberal
Spouse(s)	Annie Bartleet

Family

Hillary was the son of John Hillary of Dans Castle, Tow Law, County Durham. In 1897 he married Annie Maud Mary Bartleet of Sparkhill. They had one son and a daughter. Annie Hillary died in 1945 but Hillary did not re-marry.[1]

Career

By profession Hillary was managing director of Carson’s Ltd. chocolate manufacturers of Glasgow. He also served as a Justice of the Peace.[2]

Politics

Hillary first stood for Parliament for the Barnard Castle Division of County Durham as a Liberal at the 1918 general election but came third in a four cornered contest, behind the victorious Labour candidate, John Edmund Swan, and the Coalition Conservative, John Rogerson. The Independent, O Monkhouse, standing on a ticket of agricultural and farming affairs came fourth.[3]

For the 1922 general election, Hillary switched seats to the Harwich Division of Essex. In a straight fight with the Conservative candidate, G StJ Strutt, Hillary won the seat by a majority of 764 votes – rather against the expected result, given the strength of the Conservative Party in the county.[4] He held the seat in the 1923 general election, again in a straight fight with the Tories who were this time represented by Sir Frederick Gill Rice, by a majority of 1,917. However in the 1924, with the Liberals in national decline and with the intervention of a Labour candidate, Rice won the seat from Hillary by a majority of 2,315 with Labour losing their deposit.[5]

Hillary carried on as Liberal candidate in Harwich until 1928 but then resigned.[6] He did not try for election to the House of Commons again.

Death

Hillary died on 10 February 1954 at the age of 86 years.[2] At the time of his death he resided at Royston, Frinton-on-Sea, Essex.[1])

References

1. Who was Who, OUP 2007
2. The Times, 13 February 1954 p8
3. F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949; Political Reference Publications, Glasgow, 1949 p338
4. The Times, 27 October 1922 p14
5. F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949; Political Reference Publications, Glasgow, 1949 p352
6. The Times, 15 October 1928 p13

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Albert Ernest Hillary