James Boyce

James Boyce (September 6, 1947 – January 25, 1994), known as Jimmy Boyce, was a British Labour politician.

He was a member of Sheffield Council from 1984 and was elected Member of Parliament for Rotherham in 1992, but died less than 2 years later.

James Boyce was born in Paisley, Scotland, the son of James and Nellie Boyce on September 6th 1947. He was a spirited young lad who has a difficult schooling. In his late teens James went travelling around the UK before settling in Sheffield, meeting and marrying Patricia Morton and had two sons, Jimmy and Calum Boyce. He became involved in local politics due to the influence of his father in-law Alf Morton (who introduced him to the local Labour party), and was hugely influenced by the book "The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists". He became involved in trade union activities whilst working in the then thriving steel works in Sheffield but, like many others, was made redundant in the early 80's. This was when his thirst for political involvement began. He went on to study law at the then Sheffield Polytechnic but left during his second year. In 1984 he was elected as local councillor for the Burngreave ward in Sheffield. He was divorced in the late 80's and remarried in 1991. On Christmas Eve 1993 he was put on the transplant waiting list for a new heart after what he thought was a respiratory problem. He turned out to be suffering from an enlarged heart. On Burns Night 1994 he suffered a fatal heart attack at home in his living room. His body was found by his wife, Barbara, upon her return from work. Over 500 people attended his memorial service at which a speaker was the then Labour Party leader John Smith, who would also die of a heart attack later that year.