John Lincoln Mahon

John Lincoln Mahon (18651933) was a trade unionist and labour politician. Born in Edinburgh, to Irish parents.

Mahon was an early member of the Social Democratic Federation (SDF), in June 1884 launching "The Social Reform Publishing Company", a venture that did not last more than a few months, but also leading socialist propaganda in Edinburgh.[1] However, instead of forming an Edinburgh branch of the SDF, they formed the Scottish Land and Labour League which affiliated to the SDF.[2] Mahon sided with William Morris when he secedeed with a majority of the SDF executive to form the Socialist League.[3]

In 1888 he authored 'A Labour Programme' with an introduction by Robert Cunninghame-Graham of the Scottish Labour Party, said to be a blueprint for the formation of the Independent Labour Party (ILP) five years later.[4]

After an abortive attempt to become an independent 'labour' candidate in the Leeds South by-election, 1892, he was a candidate for the ILP in Aberdeen North in the 1895 General election coming second winning 608 votes (12.8%)

Around the turn of the century her relocated to Dublin, Ireland strangely becoming involved in the Dublin Liberal Unionist Association.[5] In Dublin in 1901 his son John Mahon was born, like his father was politically active and became a Communist, standing for election unsuccessfully in the 1949 St Pancras North by-election.[6]

John Lincoln Mahon stood for the Liberal Unionists in the 1906 General Election in the Dublin Harbour constituency losing to the Nationalist, he gained 872 votes (19.33% of the vote).

He was married to Swiss born Marie in the 1901 census he stated No Religion, while his wife was documented as a Calvinist.[7]

References

  1. Thompson, E.P. (1996) 'William Morris: Romantic to Revolutionary' Merlin: London pg.350-1
  2. Thompson, E.P. (1996) 'William Morris: Romantic to Revolutionary' Merlin: London pg.352
  3. Thompson, E.P. (1996) 'William Morris: Romantic to Revolutionary' Merlin: London pg.359
  4. Thompson, E.P. (1996) 'William Morris: Romantic to Revolutionary' Merlin: London pg.525
  5. From Socialism to Liberal Unionism
  6. John Mahon
  7. John Mahon 1901 Census, National Archives.

Further reading

External links

Party political offices
Preceded by
New position
Secretary of the Socialist League
1885
Succeeded by
Henry Halliday Sparling
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