Cyril Raymond Bence (26 November 1902 – 7 September 1992) was a Welsh toolmaker, part-time lecturer and politician.

Earlier career

Bence was born near

Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, the most populous city in the region. Built around the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by t ...

, the son of a farmer and meat purveyor. He went to school in Newport, Monmouthshire, but left school when he was 14. After working at first as an articled clerk to a solicitor, he moved into engineering with an apprenticeship at Ashworth, Son and Company, a weighing machine company. He later became a weighing machine manager. During the depression of the 1930s, he went into farming, but in 1938 he moved to

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...

to go back into the skilled engineering trade.

Wartime work

He made a name for himself during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

(he was in a 'reserved occupation' not liable to call-up, but was also a pacifist), leading increased production and lecturing to other factories on how to contribute to the war effort. He also served on the

Birmingham Trades Council Birmingham Trades Council is the trades council body which brings together trade unionists from across Birmingham, England. Its headquarters were formerly in Digbeth, with a huge mural above the canteen area depicting the 1972 Battle of Saltley Gat ...

from 1942 to 1945. He was a member of the

National Union of Scalemakers The National Union of Scalemakers was a trade union representing workers involved in making weighing scales in the United Kingdom and Ireland. History In 1909, a strike occurred among scalemakers at Messrs Hodgson and Stead, in Manchester. Foll ...

, and later joined the

Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers The Amalgamated Engineering Union (AEU) was a major British trade union. It merged with the Electrical, Electronic, Telecommunications and Plumbing Union to form the Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union in 1992. History The history o ...

Politics

At the 1945 general election, Bence was the Labour Party candidate in Birmingham Handsworth. He fought the same seat in the

1950 Events January * January 1 – The International Police Association (IPA) – the largest police organization in the world – is formed. * January 5 – 1950 Sverdlovsk plane crash, Sverdlovsk plane crash: ''Aeroflot'' Lisunov Li-2 ...

general election and at a by-election in November 1950, but could not defeat the Conservatives.

Parliament

For the 1951 general election, Bence was chosen as candidate by the Labour Party in

East Dunbartonshire East Dunbartonshire (; , ) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland. It borders Glasgow City Council Area to the south, North Lanarkshire to the east, Stirling (council area), Stirling to the north, and West Dunbartonshire to the west. East ...

, a constituency in two parts which included some heavy industry on the north bank of the

River Clyde The River Clyde (, ) is a river that flows into the Firth of Clyde, in the west of Scotland. It is the eighth-longest river in the United Kingdom, and the second longest in Scotland after the River Tay. It runs through the city of Glasgow. Th ...

. He kept the seat for Labour, and represented it until he retired at the 1970 general election. Always on the back-benches, Bence served as a member of the Estimates Committee in the 1964-1966 Parliament, and was Parliamentary Private Secretary to

Patrick Gordon Walker Patrick Chrestien Gordon Walker, Baron Gordon-Walker, (7 April 1907 – 2 December 1980) was a British Labour Party politician. He was a Member of Parliament for nearly 30 years and twice a cabinet minister. He lost his Smethwick parliamenta ...

from 1964 and to

Anthony Crosland Charles Anthony Raven Crosland (29 August 191819 February 1977) was a British Labour Party (UK), Labour Party politician and author. A social democrat on the right wing of the Labour Party, he was a prominent socialist intellectual. His influe ...

from 1965 to 1967. He played a key role in securing government subsidy for the building of the ''

Queen Elizabeth 2 ''Queen Elizabeth 2'' (''QE2'') is a retired British ocean liner. Built for the Cunard Line, the ship was operated as a transatlantic liner and cruise ship from 1969 to 2008. She was laid up until converted into a floating hotel, operating sin ...

'' ocean liner.

Family

Bence was the father of Valerie Pearl, the historian and President of

New Hall, Cambridge New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 ** "New" (Paul McCartney song), 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, 1995 * "New" (Daya song), 2017 * "New" (No Doubt song), 1 ...

References

* *M. Stenton and S. Lees, "Who's Who of British MPs" Vol. IV (Harvester Press, 1981) *Obituary, "The Times", 10 September 1992.
Obituary in the Independent, 8 September 1992

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Bence, Cyril 1902 births 1992 deaths Amalgamated Engineering Union-sponsored MPs Scottish Labour MPs UK MPs 1951–1955 UK MPs 1955–1959 UK MPs 1959–1964 UK MPs 1964–1966 UK MPs 1966–1970 People educated at Newport High School