Thomas Bloodworth (10 February 1882 – 11 May 1974) was a New Zealand politician. He was a Member of the

Legislative Council A legislative council is the legislature, or one of the legislative chambers, of a nation, colony, or subnational division such as a province or state. It was commonly used to label unicameral or upper house legislative bodies in the Brit ...

and its last Chairman of Committees.

Political career

Born in Maxey, Northamptonshire in 1882, Bloodworth was a member of the British

Independent Labour Party The Independent Labour Party (ILP) was a British political party of the left, established in 1893 at a conference in Bradford, after local and national dissatisfaction with the Liberal Party (UK), Liberals' apparent reluctance to endorse work ...

and came to New Zealand in 1907. He joined the

Auckland Auckland ( ; ) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. It has an urban population of about It is located in the greater Auckland Region, the area governed by Auckland Council, which includes outlying rural areas and ...

Socialist Socialism is an economic ideology, economic and political philosophy encompassing diverse Economic system, economic and social systems characterised by social ownership of the means of production, as opposed to private ownership. It describes ...

Party in 1910 and was Secretary of the Auckland Carpenters' Union (1914–1936). Bloodworth helped found the Auckland WEA (

Workers' Educational Association Workers' Educational Associations (WEA) are not-for-profit bodies that deliver further education to adults in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. WEA UK WEA UK, founded in 1903, is the UK's largest voluntary sector provider of adult edu ...

) and was Auckland Vice-President of the Land Values League. He stood as the NZLP candidate for Parnell in

1919 Events January * January 1 ** The Czechoslovak Legions occupy much of the self-proclaimed "free city" of Pressburg (later Bratislava), enforcing its incorporation into the new republic of Czechoslovakia. ** HMY ''Iolaire'' sinks off th ...

and again at the 1930 by-election. Bloodworth was an Auckland City Councillor for a total of 33 years:1919–1927 and 1928–1931 (Labour); 1931–1938 (

Independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in Pennsylvania, United States * Independentes (English: Independents), a Portuguese artist ...

); and 1953–1968 (Citizens and Ratepayers). He was also a member of the Auckland Electric Power Board and Chairman of the Auckland Harbour Board. Bloodworth broke with the New Zealand communist Party in the 1930s. He was a member of the

New Zealand Legislative Council The New Zealand Legislative Council () was the upper house of the General Assembly of New Zealand between 1853 and 1951. An earlier arrangement of New Zealand Legislative Council (1841–1853), legislative councils for the colony and provinces ...

for three terms over 16 years from 22 June 1934 to its abolition in 1950. He was the Council's last Chairman of Committees between 5 July and 31 December 1950. In 1935, Bloodworth was awarded the

King George V Silver Jubilee Medal The King George V Silver Jubilee Medal is a commemorative medal, instituted to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the accession of King George V. Issue This medal was awarded as a personal souvenir by King George V to commemorate his Silver Ju ...

, and in 1953 he was awarded the

Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal The Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal () is a commemorative medal instituted to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II on 2 June 1953. Award This medal was awarded as a personal souvenir from the Queen to members of the Royal Family ...

. He was appointed an

Officer of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

, for services to local government, in the 1966 Queen's Birthday Honours. Bloodworth retired from civic life in 1968, at the age of 86. He died on 11 May 1974 in Remuera,

at the age of 92.

Notes

References

*''Labour's Path to Political Independence: the Origins and Establishment of the NZLP 1900–19'' p154 by Barry Gustafson (1980, Oxford University Press, Auckland) * {{DEFAULTSORT:Bloodworth, Tom Members of the New Zealand Legislative Council Local politicians in New Zealand New Zealand trade unionists English emigrants to New Zealand 1882 births 1974 deaths New Zealand Labour Party politicians New Zealand Officers of the Order of the British Empire Unsuccessful candidates in the 1919 New Zealand general election Auckland City Councillors People from Northamptonshire (before 1974) Auckland Harbour Board members