# James Patrick Gardner

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**James Patrick Gardner** (5 March 1883 – 25 July 1937)[1] was a [Labour Party](/source/Labour_Party_(UK)) politician in the [United Kingdom](/source/United_Kingdom).[2]

Born in [Belfast](/source/Belfast), he was educated by the [Christian Brothers](/source/Congregation_of_Christian_Brothers) there before taking up the trade of architectural sculptor.[2] He moved to [Hammersmith](/source/Hammersmith) in West London, where he became a member of the [borough council](/source/Metropolitan_Borough_of_Hammersmith) in 1919.[2] He was also an official in the National Furnishing Trades Association.[3]

In [1922](/source/1922_United_Kingdom_general_election) he was chosen by the Labour Party to contest the [Conservative](/source/Conservative_Party_(UK))-held seat of [Hammersmith North](/source/Hammersmith_North_(UK_Parliament_constituency)).[4] He failed to be elected on that occasion, but whereas the previous Labour candidate in the seat had finished a poor fourth, Gardner clinched second place, greatly increasing the Labour vote share.[5]

When another [election was held in the following year](/source/1923_United_Kingdom_general_election) he was elected [MP](/source/Member_of_Parliament_(United_Kingdom)) for North Hammersmith by the narrow margin of 845 votes over the new Conservative candidate [Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett](/source/Ellis_Ashmead-Bartlett).[5][3]

A further [general election was held in October 1924](/source/1924_United_Kingdom_general_election). Unlike 1922 and 1923 when the [Liberals](/source/Liberal_Party_(UK)) had fielded a candidate in North Hammersmith, the 1924 contest was a straight fight between Gardner and his previous Conservative opponent, Ashmead-Bartlett. Although Gardner actually increased both his vote share and the number of votes he received, Ashmead-Bartlett emerged victorious with a majority of just under 2,000 votes.[5][6]

In 1926, Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett, the MP for Hammersmith North, resigned. In the resulting by-election, held against the background of the [General Strike](/source/1926_United_Kingdom_general_strike), Gardner regained the seat with the substantial majority of 3,611 votes over the Conservative's [Samuel Gluckstein](/source/Samuel_Gluckstein).[5][7]

He retained the seat at the [1929 general election](/source/1929_United_Kingdom_general_election).[8] Following the election the Labour Party formed a [minority government](/source/Second_MacDonald_ministry). This was subsequently replaced by a [National Government](/source/First_National_ministry) in August 1931 leading to a split in the Labour Party. At the [election held in October 1931](/source/1931_United_Kingdom_general_election) Gardner, like most Labour MPs opposing the government, was defeated.[9]

Gardner did not return to parliamentary politics after his 1931 defeat, but was a member of the Hammersmith council until his death.[2]

## References

1. ["Gardner, James Patrick"](http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whowaswho/U209858). *[Who Was Who](/source/Who_Was_Who)*. [Oxford University Press](/source/Oxford_University_Press). Retrieved 18 July 2013.

1. "The General Election. First Returns, Polling In The Boroughs". *[The Times](/source/The_Times)*. 7 December 1923. p. 6.

1. "Contests In West London. Sir William Bull For Unity, Hammersmith And Kensington". *[The Times](/source/The_Times)*. 6 November 1922. p. 14.

1. Craig, F W S (1969). *British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949*. Glasgow: Political Reference Publications. p. 23. ISBN 0-900178-01-9.

1. "The General Election. First Returns, Polling In The Boroughs". *[The Times](/source/The_Times)*. 30 October 1924. p. 6.

1. "North Hammersmith Result". *[The Times](/source/The_Times)*. 29 May 1926.

1. "The General Election. First Returns, Polling In The Boroughs". *[The Times](/source/The_Times)*. 31 May 1929. p. 6.

1. "The General Election. First Returns, Polling In The Boroughs". *[The Times](/source/The_Times)*. 28 October 1931. p. 6.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [James Patrick Gardner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Patrick_Gardner) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Patrick_Gardner?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.