Harry Gill (politician)


Sir Thomas Harry Gill was a British Labour Party politician, and Member of Parliament for Blackburn from 1929 to 1931.
Born at Hutton Cranswick, Gill was educated at Driffield Grammar School. He became active in the Railway Clerks' Association, serving as its president from 1919 until 1932. He was also prominent in the York Co-operative Society, serving as its president in 1916.
Gill was a supporter of the Labour Party, for which he stood unsuccessfully in York in 1918 and 1922, then switched to contest Blackburn. He was again unsuccessful in 1924, but won the seat in 1929, before losing it in 1931.
Out of Parliament, Gill focused his time on the co-operative movement, serving on the board of the Co-operative Wholesale Society from 1932 to 1951, and as its president in 1948, and also as president of the International Co-operative Alliance from 1948 to 1955. He was knighted in the 1950 King's Birthday Honours List.