31 Facts About Charles Masterman

Charles Frederick Gurney Masterman PC was a British radical Liberal Party politician, intellectual and man of letters.

Charles Masterman worked closely with such Liberal leaders as David Lloyd George and Winston Churchill in designing social welfare projects, including the National Insurance Act 1911.

On his mother's side, Charles Masterman was a grandson of William Brodie Gurney and a distant relation of Elizabeth Fry.

Charles Masterman was educated at Weymouth College and Christ's College, Cambridge, where he was President of the Union, and joint Secretary of the Cambridge University Liberal Club from 1895 to 1896.

Charles Masterman's first published work was From the Abyss, a collection of articles he had written anonymously while living in the slums of south east London.

Charles Masterman wrote a biography of the Reverend F D Maurice, published in 1907.

Charles Masterman was an unsuccessful candidate at the 1903 Dulwich by-election, but in the Liberal Party landslide victory at the general election of 1906, he was elected as Member of Parliament for West Ham North.

Charles Masterman worked closely with Liberal leaders Winston Churchill and David Lloyd George on the People's Budget of 1909.

Charles Masterman had a mediocre record as a candidate by losing more often than winning.

Charles Masterman was re-elected in West Ham North in January 1910 and in December 1910.

In July 1911, Charles Masterman was returned to Parliament at a by-election in the Bethnal Green South West constituency.

Charles Masterman joined the Privy Council in 1912, and in 1914 obtained his most important position, an appointment to the Cabinet as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

Charles Masterman commissioned films about the war such as The Battle of the Somme, which appeared in, while the battle was still in progress, as a morale-booster.

Lecture tours and exhibitions of paintings were organised in the US, drawing on an extensive network of the most important and influential figures in the London arts scene, Charles Masterman devising the most comprehensive arts patronage schemes ever to be supported in the country.

However, Charles Masterman followed Lloyd George in his Liberal party maneuvers after 1918.

Charles Masterman played a crucial role in publicising reports of the Armenian genocide, in part to strengthen the moral case against the Ottoman Empire.

Charles Masterman contested the new seat of Stratford West Ham.

Back into private life, Charles Masterman continued his high output of books and essays.

Charles Masterman subsequently took the Coalition Liberal whip and was defending his seat as a National Liberal, with the support of Lloyd George.

Charles Masterman outpolled the sitting member by nearly two to one, but the seat was won by the Labour candidate.

Charles Masterman was concerned about such a move and talked about defecting to the Labour Party if that happened.

At the General election of 1924, Charles Masterman was heavily defeated in Manchester Rusholme by the Unionist candidate Frank Boyd Merriman.

Lloyd George sponsored a number of reviews into areas of Liberal Party policy, and Charles Masterman participated in those reviews, notably as part of the body that produced the policy document Coal and Power.

Charles Masterman was on the committee that ultimately produced Britain's Industrial Future, known as The Yellow Book.

Charles Masterman's health declined rapidly, hastened by drug and alcohol abuse.

Charles Masterman was buried in St Giles' Church, Camberwell, where a memorial tablet in the church commemorates him, stating that he had lived there for ten years.

Charles Masterman had a long-standing influence as a champion of radical change.

Charles Masterman proposed a wide-ranging program to assist the working class, such as labour exchanges, wage boards and free meals for schoolchildren.

Charles Masterman had psychological problems, such as severe mood swings and mental health problems, and his public demeanour often struck observers as cynical and self-righteous.

Charles Masterman was the author of A Book of Wild Things, Poems, and London from the Bus-top ; she edited Mary Gladstone : her diaries and letters.

The Charles Masterman Papers are held at the Cadbury Research Library, University of Birmingham.