12 Facts About Arthur Greenwood

1.

Arthur Greenwood was born in Hunslet, Leeds, the son of a painter and decorator.

2.

Arthur Greenwood was educated at the Yorkshire College, where he took a BSc.

3.

Arthur Greenwood was first elected to the House of Commons at the 1922 general election for the constituency of Nelson and Colne in Lancashire.

4.

Arthur Greenwood held the seat until being defeated at the 1931 election, but returned to Parliament the following year, winning a by-election in the Yorkshire constituency of Wakefield.

5.

Arthur Greenwood continued to represent Wakefield until his death in 1954.

6.

Arthur Greenwood was an active freemason, associated with the New Welcome Lodge.

7.

In 1929, Arthur Greenwood was appointed Minister of Health remaining in the post until the collapse of the Labour government in August 1931; he was sworn into the Privy Council at the time of his appointment.

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8.

Arthur Greenwood became Deputy Leader of the Labour Party under Clement Attlee.

9.

Arthur Greenwood was generally seen as ineffectual, but in May 1940 he emerged as Churchill's strongest and most vocal supporter in the lengthy War Cabinet debates on whether to accept or reject a peace offer from Germany.

10.

Until the end of World War II, Arthur Greenwood performed the function of Leader of the Opposition, though he did not receive the salary.

11.

Arthur Greenwood was cremated at Golders Green Crematorium on 14 June 1954.

12.

Arthur Greenwood's son Anthony Arthur Greenwood was an MP from 1946 until 1970, first for Heywood and Radcliffe and later for Rossendale, and a member of Harold Wilson's governments.