Arthur Woodburn

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Arthur Woodburn (25 October 1890 – 1 June 1978) was a Scottish Labour politician.

Born in Edinburgh, he was educated at Heriot-Watt College. Imprisoned as a conscientious objector during World War I, Woodburn worked in engineering and ironfounding administration, and was a lecturer and national secretary of the Scottish Labour College. He was Secretary of the Scottish Labour Party from 1932 to 1939, and President of the National Council of Labour Colleges from 1937 to 1965. He also served on the Edinburgh 'Hands off Russia' committee in the 1930s.[1]

Woodburn was an unsuccessful candidate for Edinburgh South in 1929 and Edinburgh Leith in 1931; he was Member of Parliament (MP) for Clackmannan and East Stirlingshire from 1939 until 1970. In Parliament he served as Parliamentary Private Secretary to Tom Johnston in 1941, and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Ministry of Supply from 1945 to 1947. He was Secretary of State for Scotland from 1947 until 1950 in the government of Clement Attlee. He was made a Privy Councillor in 1947.

He had a strong interest in economics, education, European unity, international relations, modern languages and Scottish history. He was appointed to the Board of Trustees of the National Library of Scotland in 1961 and his papers are held by the Library.

Woodburn was married to Barbara Woodburn, a teacher who was elected to the Edinburgh Town Council.[2]

References

  1. Knox, W. Scottish Labour Leaders 1918-39 p. 288
  2. Knox, W. Scottish Labour Leaders 1918-39 p.288
  • Torrance, David, The Scottish Secretaries (Birlinn 2006)
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External links

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Clackmannan and Eastern Stirlingshire
19391970
Succeeded by
Dick Douglas
Political offices
Preceded by Secretary of State for Scotland
1947—1950
Succeeded by
Hector McNeil

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