John Gilbert Dale

John Gilbert Dale (1869 – 6 March 1926) was a British scientist who also became a prominent trade union and political activist.

Born in Hanley, Staffordshire, Dales studied at Victoria College in Congleton. Developing a research interest in epilepsy, he also became a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and a fellow of the Zoological Society of London.^[1]

Dale became active in the Labour Party and stood for Kennington at the 1910 London County Council election, receiving 900 votes, and again in 1913, when he managed only 7.9% of the vote. He also stood for Parliament in St Pancras North at the 1918 United Kingdom general election, taking 26.6% of the votes cast. He stood again in the 1922 United Kingdom general election, when he improved to 33.6% and second place.^[1][2]

A supporter of the British police strikes in 1918 and 1919, Dale was a founder of the National Union of Police and Prison Officers (NUPPO), but this was soon banned by the government. Dale instead devoted his time to the Prison Officers' Federation, a surviving, legal, affiliate of NUPPO, serving as its president.^[1]

Dale remained politically active, contesting Walthamstow East at the 1923 and 1924 United Kingdom general elections, taking just over a third of the vote and second place on each occasion.^[2]

References

1. The Labour Who's Who. London: Labour Publishing Company. 1924. p. 41.
2. Craig, F. W. S. (1983) [1969]. British parliamentary election results 1918–1949 (3rd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 265. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.