Myer Galpern
The Lord Galpern | |
---|---|
![]() Galpern in 1959 | |
Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means | |
In office 3 February 1976 – 10 May 1979 | |
Speaker | George Thomas |
Preceded by | Oscar Murton |
Succeeded by | Godman Irvine |
Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons Second Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means | |
In office 28 February 1974 – 3 February 1976 | |
Speaker | Selwyn Lloyd |
Preceded by | Oscar Murton |
Succeeded by | Godman Irvine |
Lord Provost of Glasgow | |
In office 1958–1960 | |
Preceded by | Andrew Hood |
Succeeded by | Jean Roberts |
Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal | |
In office 10 July 1979 – 23 September 1993 Life peerage | |
Member of Parliament for Glasgow Shettleston | |
In office 8 October 1959 – 7 April 1979 | |
Preceded by | John McGovern |
Succeeded by | David Marshall |
Personal details | |
Born | 1 January 1903 |
Died | 23 September 1993 | (aged 90)
Political party | Labour |
Alma mater | University of Glasgow |
Myer Galpern, Baron Galpern, DL (1 January 1903 – 23 September 1993) was a Scottish Labour Party politician.
Biography
Born Meyer Galpern at Rutherglen Road, Hutchesontown, in the Gorbals, the son of Morris Galpern, a cabinetmaker, and Anna Talisman.[1] His parents were Jewish immigrants from Minsk, Belarus, who were married in Glasgow on 3 January 1900.[2]
Galpern was educated at Hutchesons' Boys Grammar School and the University of Glasgow before he entered the family's furnishing business.[3] He joined the Independent Labour Party (ILP), chaired its Woodside branch and served on its executive. in 1931, he was elected Chairman of the Glasgow Federation of the ILP. in 1932, he won his seat in the Shettleston (and Tollcross) ward in the east end of Glasgow after having unsuccessfully contested Partick East and Cathcart in previous years.[3] He was an Independent Labour Party councillor for the Shettleston and Tollcross ward on the Glasgow Corporation from 1932 to 1947.[4]
From his seat in the "concealed bed" beneath the public gallery...he has already impressed as a keen, alert, member who can put his points with both conciseness and candour. Prior to his success in Shettleston, Mr, Galpern - a dapper little chap - tried conclusions at Cathcart and Partick East. He has spoken in many corners throughout the country - his "play" being his party. In the Council he has the distinction of being on the General Finance Committee as well as the Markets and Streets.[4]
Galpern joined the General Finance and Markets and Streets Committees. In 1943 he was appointed Depute River Bailie, becoming a Bailie of the Burgh in November 1944. Shortly after the Second World War he was appointed Senior Bailie.[3] In 1947 he left the ILP and resigned his Shettleston seat but, having joined the Labour Party, he was re-elected as councillor for Shettleston and Tollcross in 1949.[5]
Galpern served as Convener of the Education Committee (1954-1958), before being appointed in 1958 as leader of the Labour group on Glasgow Corporation and leader of the city's administration.[3] He served as Lord Provost of Glasgow[6] from 1958 to 1960 (the first Jewish provost in Scotland).[7] He was a member of the Court of Glasgow University, a governor of the Royal College of Science and Deputy Lieutenant of the Glasgow Corporation from 1958.[8]
During the 1950s, he helped to establish the Kosher School Meals Service, which was set up at Garnethill Synagogue. In May 1958, he was instrumental in the erection of the first Bayit (clubhouse) of the Glasgow Habonim, an organisation of Zionist youth.[9]
Galpern was Labour Member of Parliament (MP) for Glasgow Shettleston from 1959 to 1979,[10][7] becoming the first Jewish MP in Glasgow. He was a Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons during his final five-year term as an MP, from 1974 to 1979.[10][7] Having been knighted in 1960,[11][7] he resigned from the Town Council, thus serving only two - rather than the normal three - years as Lord Provost. He was given a life peerage as Baron Galpern of Shettleston in the District of the City of Glasgow 10 July 1979.[12][7]
References
- ^ Birth certificate of Meyer Galpern, 1 January 1903, Hutchesontown Registration District, Glasgow 644/11 76 – National Records of Scotland
- ^ Statutory Registers - Marriages 644/12 81, National Records of Scotland
- ^ a b c d Braber, Ben (2007). Jews in Glasgow, 1879-1939: Immigration and Integration. London, England: Vallentine Mitchell. p. 115. ISBN 9780853037101.
- ^ a b "'Know Your Own Councillors' series: No. LXXXIX: Myer Galpern Shettleston Ward". Glasgow Evening News. 22 July 1933.
- ^ "Labour's one-vote margin in Glasgow". The Herald. Glasgow. 4 May 1949.
- ^ "Lord Provost's Night Out with Youth". Sunday Mail (Glasgow). 7 December 1958. p. 5.
- ^ a b c d e Collins, Kenneth (2016). The Jewish Experience in Scotland: from Immigration to Integration. Glasgow: Scottish Jewish Archives Centre. p. 128.
- ^ "The Queen has approved the appointment of Mr. Myer Galpern...". Scunthorpe Evening Telegraph. 28 May 1958. p. 1.
- ^ Braber, Ben (2007). Jews in Glasgow, 1879-1939: Immigration and Integration. London, England: Vallentine Mitchell. p. 176. ISBN 9780853037101.
- ^ a b "Mr Myer Galpern (Hansard)". api.parliament.uk. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
- ^ "No. 41953". The London Gazette. 12 February 1960. p. 1081.
- ^ "No. 47901". The London Gazette. 12 July 1979. p. 8777.
External links
- Times Guide to the House of Commons, October 1974
- Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs
- Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Myer Galpern
- Art UK, Portrait of Sir Myer Galpern (1903-1993), Lord Provost of Glasgow (1958-1960) by Herbert James Gunn (1893-1964)
- Provincial Grand Lodge: Glasgow Freemasons of Interest: Sir Myer Galpern, Master Mason, Lodge Montefiore No. 753
- 1903 births
- 1993 deaths
- Alumni of the University of Glasgow
- Scottish Labour MPs
- Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for Scottish constituencies
- Scottish Jews
- Jewish British politicians
- Labour Party (UK) life peers
- Councillors in Glasgow
- Deputy Lieutenants of Glasgow
- Lord Provosts of Glasgow
- UK MPs 1959–1964
- UK MPs 1964–1966
- UK MPs 1966–1970
- UK MPs 1970–1974
- UK MPs 1974
- UK MPs 1974–1979
- Deputy Speakers of the British House of Commons
- Scottish Labour councillors
- Scottish people of Russian-Jewish descent
- People from Gorbals
- Life peers created by Elizabeth II
- Scottish Provost stubs
- Life peer stubs
- Labour MP for Scotland stubs