Joseph Mallalieu

Who was Joseph Mallalieu?

Sir Joseph Percival William Mallalieu was a British Labour Party politician, journalist and author.

Mallalieu was educated at the Dragon School in Oxford, Cheltenham College, Trinity College, Oxford and the University of Chicago. He was President of the Oxford Union in 1930 and a Rugby blue. He served in the Royal Navy 1942-45. His novel, Very Ordinary Seaman, is based on his experiences in the navy.

Mallalieu was Member of Parliament for Huddersfield from 1945 to 1950, and for Huddersfield East after boundary changes from 1950 to 1979. He had various ministerial positions under Harold Wilson, including Defence for the Royal Navy, the Board of Trade and Technology.

Mallalieu's father Frederick and brother Lance were also Members of Parliament. His daughter, Ann, is a Labour peer.

Mallalieu is the author of Rats! under the pseudonym 'The Pied Piper'.

A collection of his writing on various sports, mostly written for The Spectator magazine, was published as Sporting Days.