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JohnWilson,M.P.forMid-DurhamTranscriptionofSketchinthePrimitiveMethodistMagazinebyRalphShieldsIfindomitableperseverance,skillindebate,fulnessofknowledge,tenacityofpurpose,capacitytograspintricatedetails,andthepowertoexpresshisconvictionsinaterse,yetculturedstyle,beamongtheessentialqualificationsforstatesmanship,thenweunhesitatinglyaffirmthatJohnWilson,M.P.forMid-Durham,deservesaprominentplaceamongthelegislatorswhoforegatherinSt.Stephen’s.FewmembersoftheHouseofCommonshavehadamorevariedexperience,orhaveovercomegreaterdifficultiesthanhehasdone.Inhisearliestdayshewaslessfavouredthanmany.Tofacetheworldasanorphan-bereftofbothparents-beforehewastenyearsofage,tolackthecounselandguidanceofhisnaturalguardiansintheformativeyearsofhislife,tohavenoopportunitiesformentaltrainingorintellectualculture,exceptsuchasapoorlabourercouldgivehissonuptonineyearsofage,tohavetoearnhislivingfromhisninthuptohisforty-fifthyearasasailorandcoalminer,tosufferthedisabilitiesofatrades’unionadvocateandademocraticandout-spokenchampionofimprovedsocialandpoliticallife,andyettohaveacquiredvastfundsofknowledge,intellectualculture,andotherqualificationsforfillingthepositionofgeneralsecretarytooneofthegreatesttradeorganisationsinthecountry,andtoacquithimselfwithhonourasarepresentativeoflabourintheHouseofCommons,issufficientjustificationforregardinghimasamanofunusualgiftsandvariedattainments.Boththesecularandreligiouspresshavegivenmanyoftheoutstandingfeaturesofhislife,andweneednotenlargeuponthemhere.HewasbornatGreatham,nearHartlepool,intheyear1837.BeforehewastenyearsofagehewasemployedinthepitatLudworth.Atnineteenhebecameasailor,andforthreeyears“sailedtheseas.”AfterhismarriageheemigratedtoAmerica,andwhilethereworkedasamineratPittsburg.In1867hereturnedtoEngland,andfoundemploymentatHaswellColliery,inthecountyofDurham,butafterafewyearshewasdischargedforshowingsympathywithandgivinghospitalitytooneoftheleadersofthenewly-formedMiners’Union.Passingontoanothercollieryasimilarexperienceawaitedhimthere.Duringtheseyearshewiselyembracedtheopportunitiespresentedtohimforacquiringknowledgeandfittinghimselfforsomepositionofpublicusefulness.Hebecameinterestedinsocial,religious,andpoliticalquestions,andcarefullystudiedtheconditionsofthepeople.Hemadehimselfthoroughlyconversantwithtradeunionistprinciplesandwiththemethodsoflivingandsocialsurroundingsoftheworkingclassesbothinthisandothercountries.Hisstudyofpoliticaleconomyandhispersonalknowledgeandexperienceoflifeinaminingcommunity,madehimanableandacceptableexponentofthevariousquestionsinwhichtheclassofpeopleamongwhomhelivedwereinterested.

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HisvoicewasoftenraisedinfavouroftheUnion,andofcombinationsamongthepeople,soastoredressthewrongsfromwhichmanysuffered,andtoimprovetheirconditionsgenerally.Naturallyhebegantoberecognisedasaleaderofhisfellowmen,andin1876hewasappointedsecretaryoftheMiners’PoliticalOrganisation.In1883hebecameanagentintheMiners’Assciation,andmadehishomeinthecityofDurham.Afewyearslaterherelinquishedhispositionoftreasurerforthatoffinancialsecretary,andin1896hebecamecorrespondingorgeneralsecretary.ThisgradualadvancementtothehighestpositionintheAssociationisanindicationoftheconfidencereposedinhimbythemembersofthegreatorganisationinwhichhehadsomeshareinforming,andwhichithasbeenthesupremeconcernofhislifetoprotect,developandconsolidate.Butthepositionhefillsisoneofmuchanxietyandconstantcare.Tobeattheheadofagreatorganisationofminersisanhonourablebutanonerouspositiontooccupy.Difficultproblemsareconstantlypresentingthemselves,anditrequiresalltheskill,tact,prudenceandsagacityofabornleaderofmentodealwiththemwiselyandsuccessfully.Notseldomthesecretaryhastoassumeanunpopularattitudeandtoruntheriskofbeingmisunderstoodandmisrepresented.Mr.Wilsonhasnevermadepersonalpopularitytheaimofhisexistence.Hadhehadmoreregardtohisownreputationandlesstothebestinterestsofthoseheserveswithsomuchloyaltyanddevotion,hewouldoftenhaveescapedobloquyandreproach.Buthisstern,manlynaturedisdainstocovetpassingpraiseandcheappopularitybyanysuchformsofconduct.EquallywithanotherM.P.hehasearnedforhimselfthenameof“HonestJohn.”InthegroupofofficialswhogatherattheMiners’Hall,inthecityof

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Durham,heisthecentralfigure.TwoorthreeyearsagooneoftheNortherndailynewspaperssaidofhim,“ItisdoubtfulwhetheranyofthemenassociatedwithtradeunionismamongtheminersofDurhamhavebroughttotheadvocacyofthecauseamoreconscientiousdesireforthepromotionofthebestinterestsoftheminingcommunity,noblerideals,orbetterqualificationsforthework.

Hismonthlyletterorcircularisalwaysadefinitepronouncement.Inithereviewsthechiefeventsoftheprecedingfourweeks,andbrieflyreferstothevariouslabourquestionsthatareengagingattention.Theselettersareaneducationtomany,andarethemeansofcommunicatingmuchvaluableinformationtothoseonbehalfofwhomitiswritten.Asaleaderofmenheisfearlessandbold.Heliftsuphisvoiceforwhathebelievestoberight,irrespectiveofhowitmayaffecthisreputation,anddoesnotshuntoindicateclearlytothemenwheneverheseesthemactingcontrarytotheirowninterests,orinawaythatmayultimatelybetotheirdisadvantage.Withhisgreatgiftsandprescienceheisoftenabletodiscerndangersthatarenotatthetimeseenbyothers.Whenconvincedoftherighteousnessofanycauseheunflinchinglyassociateshimselfwithit,andbelievesthattimewillvindicatethewisdomofhisconduct.Itisawell-knownfactthatwhenanyseriousaccidenthasoccurredatanyofthecollieriesJohnWilsonhasbeenamongtheveryfirsttofacedangerbyenteringthemine,soastosavelifeorministertotheinjured.Hiscourageinthisrespect

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hasoftenbeenaninspirationtoothermen.Afteradreadfulexplosionhehashurriedawaytothesceneofdesolationanddestruction,andhasbecometheleaderoftheheroicbandofcollierswho,amidthedeadlyafter-damp,havestruggledtosavetheirunfortunatefellow-men.Mr.Wilsondidmuchtowardssecuringthe“AgedMiners’Homes”atHaswellMoor,andhas,fromthebeginningofthemovement,takengreatinterestinit.HaswellMoorisatypicalminingvillage,afewmilessouthofSunderland.Thereareseverallongrowsofcottages,withaco-operativestore,areadingroom,andaPrimitiveMethodistChapel.Afewyearsagothewholeofthesehouseswerepurchasedfortheuse,rentfree,ofthesuperannuatedminersofthecounty.ACommitteewasappointedtomanagetheaffairsoftheVillage,andtheonce-desertedplacehasbecomeacentreofgreatinterest.Heremanyagedpeoplearenowspendingtheeveningoftheirlives.Itisapainfullyinterestingsighttovisitthevillage.Scarcelyasinglechildoryoungpersonistobeseen.Inthelittlechapelthecongregationisalmostentirelycomposedofpersonsofthreescoreyearsandupwards.Manyofthemarelife-long“Primitives,”andthoughtheyhavecomefromallpartsofthecounty,theyjoinheartilyintheserviceofthesanctuary.Itisaninspirationtolistentotheirripeand‘variedexperiences,andtonotetheirquietconfidenceandjoy.Bymeansofthese“homes”scoresofagedminersandtheirwivesareenabledtospendthelastyearsoftheirlifeincomfortandpeace.

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OntheCountyCouncil,whereMr.WilsonhasaseatasAlderman,hehasrenderedexcellentservice.Hefavourseverykindofphilanthropicwork,andsupportsallformsofsocialandmaterialimprovement.Heisnaturallypredisposedtoreformandeloquentlyadvocatesprogressivemeasures.Theworkingmenowemoretohimthantheyhaveyetrecognised.Hehasdonemorethanmostpeopletocorrecterroneousimpressionsrespectingtheworking-classes,andtoavertstrifebetweenlabourandcapital.Byhiseffortsemployersoflabourhavehadmanyoftheirprejudicesandmisconceptionsrespectingthepurposeoftradeunionistsabsolutelyremoved.ItwassoonafterMr.Wilson’sreturnfromAmerica,andwhileresidingatHaswell,thathebecameaPrimitiveMethodist.InthissameCollieryvillagetheRev.PeterMcKenziewasconverted.ThevillageofHaswellhas,therefore,thehonourofbeingthespiritualbirth-placeoftwomenofgreatprominenceandusefulness.TheRev.PeterMcKenziewaswidelyknownfirstasamarvellouslysuccessfulevangelist,andthenasoneofthemostoriginalandpopularlecturersinWesleyanMethodism.Mr.Wiulson’sworkhas,insomerespects,beenondifferentlines,yethehasservedtheChurchofChristbygreatfidelityanddevotionbothaspreacherandlecturer.Afewmonthsafterhisconversionhisnameappearedontheplanasalocalpreacher,andduringtheinterveningthirtyfouryearshehasrenderedtheChurchofhischoiceloyalanddevotedservice.Inadditiontotheworkofhisownstation,whenfreefromParliamentaryduties,heisalsofrequentlyengagedinpreachingandlecturinginvariouspartsofthecountry.Allhisaddressesareconspicuousfortheirclearreasoning,short,crispsentencesofanilluminativecharacter,definitenessofaim,andaptnessofScripturequotation.Hespeaksincalmwell-modulatedtones.Hehasperfectcommandoverhimself,andalwaysconveystheimpressionofthoroughknowledgeofthesubjecttowhichheiscallingattention.HisworkasapreacherandlecturerdoubtlesspreparedhimtoaddresstheHouseofCommonswiththeremarkablesuccessthatattendedhisfirsteffort,andwhichhascharacterisedhisaddressesintheHouseonsubsequentoccasions.ByconvictionheisaLiberalofthemostadvancedschool.Hisreadingofhistoryhasconvincedhimthatthepartyheisassociatedwithhasalwaysbeenmostfavourabletotheameliorationoftheconditionsoftheworkingclasses,andmostreadytoinauguratereforms.ForthelateMr.Gladstonehehadaprofoundadmiration,andregardedhimbothasanidealpoliticianandasincereChristian.Mr.WilsonisoneofthefewLabourMembersofParliament,andhispoliticalcareerdatesbacktotheyear1885.AttheGeneralElectioninthatyearhebecameM.P.fortheHoughton-le-SpringDivisionoftheCountyofDurham.Hismajorityontheoccasionwas1,744,anditwasthoughtbymanythathehadsecuredasafeseatforlife,butanumberofcausesoperatedagainsthim,andintheelectionofthefollowingyearhewasdefeatedby812,thoughdoubtlessthechiefcausewasover-confidenceonthepartofhisfriends.In1887hewasamemberofthedeputationwhowaitedonMr.Gladstone,urginghimtointroduceaParliamentaryReformBill.In1891,onthedeathofMr.W.Crawford,LabourMemberforMid-Durham,hewaselectedbyamajorityof1,962,andsincethenhismajoritiesateachelectionhavebeenverylarge,eventhoughthemoststrenuouseffortshavebeenmadebyhisopponentstodefeathim.Herejoicesinhispoliticalpositionbecauseoftheopportunitiesitaffordshimofadvancingtheinterestsoftheworkingclassesandoftheminersinparticular.ManyincidentscouldbegivenfromhisParliamentarycareer,wherehehasbeenable,fromhisownpersonalexperience,toassistmeasuresaffectingtheworkingclasseswhilepassingthroughCommittee.Heisbynomeansasilentmember.Itistruehedoesnotspeakfrequently,but

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heisalwaysreadytoprotecttheinjured,todefendtheoppressed,ortotakepartinthedebateswhenhebelieveshecanmakeanysuitablecontributiontothem.TheSundayChronicleafewmonthsagodescribedhimasoneofthemostculturedmenintheHouseofCommons.“Acalm,powerfulreasoner,asmooth,polishedspeaker,asubtlelogician,anauthorityonlabourquestions,whopossessesallthosepersonalattributeswhichweusuallyassociatewiththeword‘gentleman.’Intellectually,itisatreattolistentoaspeechbyhim,forintheartofputtingacasetemperatelyandyetforciblyfewcansurpasshim.”Wehavehadapersonalacquaintancewithhimformorethanaquarterofacentury,andhavefollowedhiscareerwithincreasinginterestandgrowingadmiration.Hehasnotdevelopedanyautocraticaltendencies.Hemayspeakstronglysometimesandactimpulsively,butwithallthehonourthathascometohimandthesuccesshehasrealised,heisthesameunaffected,loyal-hearted,truemanandsincerefriendhewasintheyearsgoneby.Formorethanthirtyyearshisvoicehasbeenspeakingoutfearlesslyonbehalfofallclassesofworkmen.Hisdutiesaremultifarious,stillhegivesmuchattentiontosocialandeconomicquestions.Heisanincessantworker,andanavariciousreader.Hehasanextensiveacquaintancewiththebestandmostrecentworksoffiction,politicaleconomy,history,andliteraturegenerally.Hepossessescommandingability.Indebateheisfullofrepartee.Heisimpulsive,generous,strong-minded.Whenthepathofdutyisclearhesteersstraighton.WewishforhimalongParliamentarycareerandincreasedusefulnessinthemanyspheresheiscalledtofill.__________________________________________________________________________________ReferencesPrimitive Methodist Magazine 1902/42