George Deer

George Deer, OBE (29 March, 1890 – 15 May, 1974) was a British Trade union official and politician.

Early career

Deer went to an elementary school in Grimsby. He began work at the age of 12 and worked on the railways, at the docks and in engineering shops; he was also a commercial traveller. However, in 1915 he became an official for the National Union of Dock, Riverside and General Workers, and following its merger, transferred into the Transport and General Workers' Union. At the age of 17, Deer had joined the Independent Labour Party and he was active in the Labour Party. His wife, Olive Stoakes was also active in the party and was an Alderman and member of the London County Council.

Municipal affairs and politics

In 1922 Deer was elected as Labour member of Lincoln City Council where he served for sixteen years and was Mayor in 1933-34. He was a Parliamentary candidate at the 1929 and 1931 general elections for Gainsborough, and in the 1935 general election he fought in Lincoln where he lost by 2,684 votes.

Parliament

While serving as Sheriff of Lincoln in 1943-44, Deer was made a member of the Order of British Empire in the New Years' Honours list of 1944. He had been reselected as Labour candidate for Lincoln, and in the 1945 general election he was elected. Deer became popular among fellow MPs, and often took up transport issues which he knew about from his trade union work. He did not rebel against the Labour whip.

At the 1950 general election, Deer changed constituencies to Newark, which was adjacent to Lincoln and slightly better for Labour. He was re-elected there, and served as an Opposition Whip from 1955 to 1959. He was selected in the ballot for Private Member's Bills in 1957 and introduced a Bill to give supplementary benefits to those who had suffered from industrial injuries before 1948, although it did not succeed.

Retirement

Deer's wife was Chairman of the London County Council in 1962-63 and he accompanied her on the many social occasions to which the Chairman was invited. He retired at the 1964 general election. He died in Grimsby aged 84.

References

*"The Times House of Commons 1935"
*Obituary, "The Times", 17 May, 1974
*M. Stenton and S. Lees, "Who's Who of British MPs" Vol. IV (Harvester Press, 1981)