{{short description|British politician}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} thumb|right|Alfred James Bailey '''Alfred James Bailey''' (1868 – 1948), was a British Trade Unionist and Liberal Party politician, serving as Lord Mayor of Sheffield.
==Early life and trade unionism== Bailey was born in Scredington in Lincolnshire in 1868.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Labour Who's Who |date=1927 |publisher=Labour Publishing Company |location=London |page=11}}</ref>
Bailey was Secretary of the Yorkshire branch of the National Amalgamated Union of Labour, and from 1896 served as one of its official delegates.<ref name="ReferenceA">Working-class politics in Sheffield, 1900-1920 : A regional study in the origins and early growth of the Labour Party by Catherine Burke</ref><ref name="clegg">{{cite book |last1=Clegg |first1=H. A. |title=General Union in a Changing Society |date=1964 |publisher=Basil Blackwell |location=Oxford |pages=59, 211}}</ref> He also represented his union at the Trades Union Congress. In 1924 following the merger of a number of trade unions he became a district secretary of the National Union of General and Municipal Workers.<ref name="nugmw">{{cite book|last1=Clegg|first1=H. A.|title=General Union|date=1954|publisher=Basil Blackwell|location=Oxford|pages=15–22}}</ref>
==Political career== Bailey was elected to Sheffield City Council as a Liberal in 1904 to represent Darnall Ward. He was re-elected in 1907 defeating the Labour Party candidate, Joseph Pointer.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> He was Liberal candidate for the Central division of Sheffield at both 1910 General Elections, sponsored by the Sheffield Federated Trades Council. His union gave permission for the candidacy, but no financial backing.<ref name="clegg" /> Sheffield Central was a safe Conservative seat. At the first election in January he increased the Liberal vote share by 3.5% against the national trend. He narrowed the gap further in the December election, to just 184 votes. He was an Independent Labour candidate for Sheffield Central at the 1918 General Election, sponsored by his union. At this election he saw his share of the vote fall and he again finished second. He did not stand for parliament again.<ref name="ReferenceB">British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig</ref>
He continued to be elected to Sheffield City Council until 1923 when he was appointed as an Alderman.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> After the Great War he identified with the 'Citizen's Party' against the Labour Party. He served as Lord Mayor of Sheffield from 1924 to 1925.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mayor History |url=https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/content/sheffield/home/your-city-council/mayor-history.html |website=www.sheffield.gov.uk |access-date=6 July 2021}}</ref>
===Electoral record=== {{Election box begin| |title=General Election January 1910: Sheffield Central<ref name="craig 1885" />}} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party=Conservative Party (UK) |candidate=James Hope |votes=3,829 |percentage=52.7 |change=−3.5 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party=Liberal-Labour (UK) |candidate=Alfred James Bailey |votes=3,440 |percentage=47.3 |change=+3.5 }} {{Election box majority| |votes=389 |percentage=5.4 |change=−7.0 }} {{Election box turnout| |votes=7,269 |percentage=83.7 |change=+1.6 }} {{Election box registered electors| |reg. electors=8,684 }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner=Conservative Party (UK) |swing=−3.5 }} {{Election box end}} {{Election box begin| |title=General Election December 1910: Sheffield Central<ref name="craig 1885">''British Parliamentary Election Results 1885-1918'', F. W. S. Craig</ref>}} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party=Conservative Party (UK) |candidate=James Hope |votes=3,455 |percentage=51.4 |change=−1.3 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party=Liberal-Labour (UK) |candidate=Alfred James Bailey |votes=3,271 |percentage=48.6 |change=+1.3 }} {{Election box majority| |votes=184 |percentage=2.8 |change=−2.6 }} {{Election box turnout| |votes=6,726 |percentage=77.5 |change=−6.2 }} {{Election box registered electors| |reg. electors=8,684 }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner=Conservative Party (UK) |swing=−1.3 }} {{Election box end}} {{Election box begin| |title=General Election 1918: Sheffield Central<ref name="ReferenceB">British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949, FWS Craig</ref> }} {{Election box candidate with party link coalition 1918| |party=Unionist Party (UK) |candidate=James Hope |votes=9,361 |percentage=58.7 |change=+7.3 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party=Independent Labour |candidate=Alfred James Bailey |votes=5,959 |percentage=37.3 |change=−11.3 }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party=British Socialist Party |candidate=Robert George Murray |votes=643 |percentage=4.0 |change=n/a }} {{Election box majority| |votes=3,402 |percentage=21.4 |change=+18.6 }} {{Election box turnout| |votes=15,963 |percentage=43.1 |change=−34.4 }} {{Election box hold with party link| |winner=Unionist Party (UK) |swing=+9.3 }} {{Election box end 1918}}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-npo|union}} {{succession box|title=Sheffield District Secretary of the National Union of General and Municipal Workers|years=1924–1937|before=''New position''|after=J. D. S. Highman<br /><small>as Yorkshire District Secretary</small>}} {{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bailey, Alfred James}} Category:1868 births Category:1948 deaths Category:Liberal Party (UK) parliamentary candidates Category:Liberal-Labour (UK) politicians Category:Trade unionists from Lincolnshire Category:Lord mayors of Sheffield Category:Liberal Party (UK) councillors Category:People from North Kesteven District