Sir Joseph Davison (1868 – 15 July 1948) was a prominent Northern Irish Unionist politician. He was

knighted A knight is a person granted an honorary title of a knighthood by a head of state (including the pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church, or the country, especially in a military capacity. The concept of a knighthood ...

in the Honours for the Opening of the Parliament of Northern Ireland in 1921. In 1923, Davison stood as the

Ulster Unionist Party The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) is a Unionism in Ireland, unionist political party in Northern Ireland. The party was founded as the Ulster Unionist Council in 1905, emerging from the Irish Unionist Alliance in Ulster. Under Edward Carson, it l ...

candidate in a by-election in Belfast West to the

Northern Ireland House of Commons The House of Commons of Northern Ireland was the lower house of the Parliament of Northern Ireland created under the Government of Ireland Act 1920. The upper house in the bicameral parliament was called the Senate. It was abolished with the p ...

, but was beaten by

independent Unionist Independent Unionist is a label sometimes used by candidates in British elections to indicate their support for British unionism. It is most popularly associated with candidates in elections for the Parliament of Northern Ireland. Such candi ...

Philip James Woods Colonel Philip James Woods (23 September 1880 – 12 September 1961) was an independent unionist politician in Northern Ireland, member of the Northern Ireland House of Commons. He was a colonel in the Royal Irish Rifles, seeing action on the ...

. In 1933, writing in the ''

Northern Whig The ''Northern Whig'' (from 1919 the ''Northern Whig and Belfast Post'') was a daily regional newspaper in Ireland which was first published in 1824 in Belfast Belfast (, , , ; from ) is the capital city and principal port of Northern Ir ...

'', Davison stated "...it is time Protestant employers of Northern Ireland realised that whenever a

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is brought into their employment it means one

Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...

vote less... I suggest the slogan should be 'Protestants employ Protestants'". By 1935, Davison was the County Grand Master of the

Orange Order The Loyal Orange Institution, commonly known as the Orange Order, is an international Protestant fraternal order based in Northern Ireland and primarily associated with Ulster Protestants. It also has lodges in England, Grand Orange Lodge of ...

Belfast Belfast (, , , ; from ) is the capital city and principal port of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan and connected to the open sea through Belfast Lough and the North Channel (Great Britain and Ireland), North Channel ...

. When

Prime Minister of Northern Ireland The prime minister of Northern Ireland was the head of the Government of Northern Ireland (1921–1972), Government of Northern Ireland between 1921 and 1972. No such office was provided for in the Government of Ireland Act 1920; however, the L ...

James Craig James or Jim Craig may refer to: Entertainment * James Humbert Craig (1877–1944), Irish painter * James Craig (actor) (1912–1985), American actor * James Craig (''General Hospital''), fictional character on television, a.k.a. Jerry Jacks * J ...

attempted to ban all marches from 18 June, Davison led the objections, and the ban was lifted within days. In 1935, Davison was elected to the

Senate of Northern Ireland The Senate of Northern Ireland was the upper house of the Parliament of Northern Ireland created by the Government of Ireland Act 1920. It was abolished with the passing of the Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973. Powers In practice the Se ...

. He served as

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from 1936 until 1937. In 1940, he was appointed to the

Privy Council of Northern Ireland The Privy Council of Northern Ireland is a dormant privy council formerly advising the Governor of Northern Ireland in his role as viceroy of the British Crown, in particular in the exercise of the monarch's prerogative powers. The council wa ...

. He was then Deputy Leader of the Senate and Parliamentary Secretary in the Department of the Prime Minister from 1941 until his death. Also in 1941, Davison was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Department of the Prime Minister, serving in this post until his death. Sir Joseph Davison became Grand Master of the

Orange Institution The Loyal Orange Institution, commonly known as the Orange Order, is an international Protestant fraternal order based in Northern Ireland and primarily associated with Ulster Protestants. It also has lodges in England, Grand Orange Lodge of ...

of Ireland by 1941, serving until his death in 1948.

References

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* 1868 births 1948 deaths High sheriffs of Belfast Members of the Privy Council of Northern Ireland Members of the Senate of Northern Ireland 1933–1937 Members of the Senate of Northern Ireland 1937–1941 Members of the Senate of Northern Ireland 1941–1945 Members of the Senate of Northern Ireland 1945–1949 Northern Ireland junior government ministers (Parliament of Northern Ireland) Ulster Unionist Party members of the Senate of Northern Ireland Grand masters of the Orange Order Knights Bachelor {{Parliament-of-Northern-Ireland-member-stub