Dawson Bates
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Rt. Hon. Sir Dawson Bates, Bt | |
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| In office 7th June 1921 – 6th May 1943 |
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| In office 1921 – 1945 |
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| Born | 23 November 1876 |
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| Died | 20 June 1949 |
| Political party | Ulster Unionist Party |
| Religion | Protestant |
Sir Richard Dawson Bates, 1st Baronet, JP, DL, OBE, known as Sir Dawson Bates [1], (23rd Nov 1876 - 10th June 1949) was an Ulster Unionist Party member of the Northern Ireland House of Commons.
Born in Strandtown, Belfast, Bates was educated at Coleraine Academical Institution. He became a solicitor before being appointed Secretary of the Ulster Unionist Council in 1906. During this time, he was instrumental in the events of Ulster Day and in the formation of the UVF, organised the Larne gun-running and supported the formation of the Ulster Unionist Labour Association to counter socialism.[2]
Bates stood down as Secretary on his election to Stormont in 1921, where he represented first East Belfast and later Belfast Victoria. In the government of Sir James Craig he was the first Minister for Home Affairs and a member of the Privy Council of Northern Ireland. He introduced the Civil Authorities (Special Powers) Act, but opposed the Ulster Protestant Association. Under his administration, he was accused of gerrymandering, and of intervening to ensure that prison sentences were not imposed on Protestants who attacked Catholics.[2]
Late in life, he moved to live near Glastonbury in Somerset.[2]
Bates was also a Deputy Lord Lieutenant of County Down.
He married Jessie Muriel Cleland, daughter of Sir Charles John Cleland. They had one son Major Sir John Dawson Bates, 2nd Baronet (d. 1998).
He was appointed OBE in 1919, Knight Bachelor in 1921 and was made a Baronet of Magherabuoy, near Portrush, in County Londonderry on 7 June 1937.
[edit] Sources and reading
- ^ the peerage
- ^ a b c "Bates, Sir (Richard) Dawson", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
- 'Ireland since 1939' (2006), Henry Patterson
- A history of the Ulster Unionist Party' (2004), Graham Walker
- 'The Ulster Unionist Party, 1882-1973 : its development and organisation' (1973), J F Harbinson
| Parliament of Northern Ireland | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by New constituency |
Member of Parliament for Belfast Victoria 1929–1945 |
Succeeded by Robert Alexander |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by T. H. Gibson |
Secretary of the Ulster Unionist Council 1906–1921 |
Succeeded by Wilson Hungerford |
| Preceded by New position |
Minister of Home Affairs 1921–1943 |
Succeeded by William Lowry |
| Baronetage of the United Kingdom | ||
| New title Granted by
King George VI |
Baronet (of Magherabuoy) 1937 – 1949 |
Succeeded by John Dawson Bates |
