John Scurrah Randles

Sir John Scurrah Randles (1875 - 11 February 1945) was a British businessman and Conservative politician.

He was born in Boston, Lincolnshire, son of a Wesleyan minister. An industrialist in the coal and steel business, he was elected Member of Parliament for Cockermouth in the 1900 general election. He lost the seat in the 1906 election, but regained it in a by-election later the same year. Defeated in the December 1910 election, he won Manchester North West in a 1912 by-election, and when the constituency was abolished, held Manchester Exchange until 1922, when he retired following the takeover by United Steel Companies of his Workington Iron and Steel Company.

He was knighted in 1905. A member of the executive of the National Trust, and gave land on the shores of Derwentwater to the Trust. He was also a member of Cumberland County Council and was active in setting up the Workington Technical College. He funded an operating theatre in his wife's name at Keswick Cottage Hospital. He died at his home in Keswick.

References

* [http://www.angeltowns.com/town/peerage/ Leigh Rayment's Peerage Page]
* Obituary, "The Times", 12 February 1945