Peter Freeman (19 October 1888 – 19 May 1956) was a British Labour Party politician, tennis champion,

animal rights Animal rights is the philosophy according to which many or all Animal consciousness, sentient animals have Moral patienthood, moral worth independent of their Utilitarianism, utility to humans, and that their most basic interests—such as ...

and

vegetarianism Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the Eating, consumption of meat (red meat, poultry, seafood, insects as food, insects, and the flesh of any other animal). It may also include abstaining from eating all by-products of animal slau ...

activist, and Theosophist.

Biography

Freeman was born on 19 October 1888 in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

, one of nine children of George James Freeman who was in the tobacco industry. He was educated at the Haberdashers' School before entering the family business and he became managing directory of the Freeman factory in Cardiff, Wales. He was a noted lawn tennis player and won the Welsh Championship in 1919 and was also described as an expert swimmer. He was elected as member of parliament (MP) for Brecon and Radnorshire at the 1929 general election, defeating the

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...

MP Walter D'Arcy Hall by only 187 votes. When Labour split at the 1931 general election over

Ramsay MacDonald James Ramsay MacDonald (; 12 October 18669 November 1937) was a British statesman and politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. The first two of his governments belonged to the Labour Party (UK), Labour Party, where he led ...

's formation of a National Government, D'Arcy Hall retook the seat with a majority of over 8,000. Freeman unsuccessfully stood at the 1935 general election in the Newport constituency, losing by 1,545 votes to the Conservative MP Reginald Clarry. When Clarry died in January 1945, Freeman did not contest the by-election on 17 May. However, at the general election in July 1945, he took the seat with a majority of 9,091 votes over Clarry's Conservative successor Ronald McMillan Bell. He withdrew from his company responsibilities to devote himself to "Parliamentary, philanthropic and social obligations". Freeman held the seat until his death in 1956 at the age of 67. The resulting

1956 Newport by-election The 1956 Newport by-election was a parliamentary by-election held on 6 July 1956 for the British House of Commons constituency of Newport in Monmouthshire. The seat had become vacant when the constituency's Labour Member of Parliament (MP), ...

was won by the Labour candidate Frank Soskice, the former

Attorney General In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general (: attorneys general) or attorney-general (AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have executive responsibility for law enf ...

. Freeman had married Ella Drummond Torrance and they had a son and daughter.

Personal life

Theosophy

Freeman was the general secretary of the Theosophical Society in Wales from 1922 to 1944. In 1924, he authored a pamphlet ''Druids and Theosophy''. Freeman contributed the chapter "The Practical Application of Theosophy to Politics and Government" to D. D. Kanga's book ''Where Theosophy and Science Meet''.

Vegetarianism

Although his wealth came from the tobacco industry he was a non-smoker and

vegetarian Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the Eating, consumption of meat (red meat, poultry, seafood, insects as food, insects, and the flesh of any other animal). It may also include abstaining from eating all by-products of animal slau ...

. Freeman was president of the

Vegetarian Society The Vegetarian Society of the United Kingdom (VSUK) is a British Registered charity in England, registered charity. It campaigns for dietary changes, licenses Vegetarian Society Approved trademarks for Vegetarianism, vegetarian and Veganism, v ...

from 1937 and 1942. Freeman supported

and colonial freedom. He was an anti-vivisection campaigner.Preece, Rod. (2011). ''Animal Sensibility and Inclusive Justice in the Age of Bernard Shaw''. UBC Press. p. 188.

Selected publications

*''Druids and Theosophy'' (1924) *''Our Younger Brothers: The Animals'' (1926) *''A Vegetarian Looks at the World'' (''The Theosophist'', 1951) *''The World Food Crisis Solved by a Vegetarian'' (1956)

References

Bibliography

* *

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Freeman, Peter 1888 births 1956 deaths English anti-vivisectionists English vegetarianism activists British animal rights activists English male tennis players British male tennis players English Theosophists People associated with the Vegetarian Society People educated at Haberdashers' Boys' School Politics of Newport, Wales Tennis players from London UK MPs 1929–1931 UK MPs 1945–1950 UK MPs 1950–1951 UK MPs 1951–1955 UK MPs 1955–1959 Welsh Labour MPs