William Mallalieu

Sir Joseph Percival William Mallalieu (18 June 1908 – 13 March 1980) was a British Labour Party politician, journalist and author.

Sir William Mallalieu
Member of Parliament for Huddersfield East
In office 23 February 1950 – 3 May 1979
Preceded by	New constituency
Succeeded by	Barry Sheerman
Member of Parliament for Huddersfield
In office 5 July 1945 – 23 February 1950
Preceded by	William Mabane
Succeeded by	Constituency abolished
Personal details
Born	Joseph Percival William Mallalieu (1908-06-18)18 June 1908 Delph, Saddleworth, West Riding of Yorkshire
Died	13 March 1980(1980-03-13) (aged 71)
Nationality	British
Political party	Labour
Spouse	Harriet Rita Riddle Tinn ​ ​ (m. 1945)​
Relations	Lance Mallalieu (brother)
Children	Ann Ben
Parent	Frederick Mallalieu
Alma mater	Trinity College, Oxford University of Chicago
Nickname(s)	J. P. W.; Bill; Curly

Life

Mallalieu was of Huguenot origin, a son of Frederick Mallalieu, a Member of Parliament. Mallalieu's ancestors had settled at Saddleworth in the early 1600s, where they lived in humble circumstances working as weavers. Frederick Mallalieu's father, Henry (1831–1902), was a self-made businessman, at the age of twelve a hand-loom weaver. He became a woollen manufacturer, chairman of ironworks companies, and magistrate.^[1][2][3][4]

Mallalieu was educated at the Dragon School in Oxford, Cheltenham College, Trinity College, Oxford, and the University of Chicago. He was President of the Oxford Union in 1930 and a rugby blue. He served in the Royal Navy 1942–45, joining as an ordinary seaman and later being commissioned and promoted to lieutenant. His novel, Very Ordinary Seaman, is based on his experiences in the navy.^[5]

From 1945 to 1950, Mallalieu was Member of Parliament for Huddersfield; and then, after boundary changes, for Huddersfield East from 1950 to 1979.^[6] He had various ministerial positions under Harold Wilson(a Huddersfield native), including Minister of Defence for the Royal Navy (1966–1967), the Board of Trade (1967–1968) and Technology (1968–1969).

Mallalieu is the author of Rats! (Left Book Club, 1941) under the pseudonym 'The Pied Piper'. A collection of his writing on various sports, mostly written for The Spectator, was published as Sporting Days (The Sportsmans Book Club, 1957).

He was given the Freedom of Kirklees in West Yorkshire on 27 January 1980.^[7][8]

Family

In 1945, Mallalieu married Harriet Rita Riddle Tinn, daughter of Jack Tinn, manager of Portsmouth F.C. from 1927 to 1947.^[9][10] Their daughter, Ann, is a Labour peer. Mallalieu's brother Lance was also a Member of Parliament. His uncle, Albert Henry Mallalieu, was head of that family of Tan-y-Marian, Llandudno.^[11][12]

Arms

Coat of arms of William Mallalieu

Notes Granted in 1920. Escutcheon Azure on a chevron Ermine between three fleurs-de-lis Argent four bezants on a chief Ermines a rose of the third barbed and seeded Proper. Motto Mal A Lui Qui Mal En Dit (Evil To Him Who Speaks Evil)[13][14] Symbolism Fleurs-de-lis refer to Huguenot ancestry, motto cants on family name.