Charles Duncan

Who was Charles Duncan?

Charles Duncan was a British Labour Party politician.

Born in Middlesbrough, Duncan was the son of a ship's pilot. He was apprenticed to the engineering industry, and Elswick Ordnance Factory, Newcastle upon Tyne. He joined Amalgamated Society of Engineers, and was active in the trade union movement for the rest of his life.

When the Workers Union was founded in 1898 by Tom Mann, Duncan was its first president. In 1900 he was elected secretary of the union, an office he held until 1929. In that year the Workers Uinion was merged into the Transport and General Workers' Union.

He was elected at the 1906 general election as Member of Parliament for Barrow-in-Furness, and held the seat until his narrow defeat at the 1918 general election by the Coalition Conservative candidate.

Duncan attempted unsuccessfully to re-enter the Commons when two by-elections were held in The Wrekin, Shropshire, in quick succession in February and November 1920. At the 1922 election, he stood in the Derbyshire mining constituency of Clay Cross, winning the seat by a large majority from a divided Liberal Party. He was re-elected at the next four general elections, holding the seat until his death. He died at the Manor House Hospital, Hampstead, London in July 1933 aged 68.