Talk:Frederick Roberts (British politician)

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Name edit

Latest comment: 16 years ago3 comments2 people in discussion

I have just created this very stubby article on Frederick Roberts (politician), the Labour MP for West Bromwich 1918-31 and 1935-41. Rayment confirms that he was appointed as a privy councillor in January 1924, which implies that he was a minister in the first Labour government.

However, the only Roberts listed in Labour Government 1924 is "Frank Roberts", the Minister for Pensions. Same in Labour Government 1929–1931.

Was this man actually a minister? Was he known as Frank? --BrownHairedGirl (talk) • (contribs) 19:04, 27 July 2007 (UTC)Reply

I checked and the answer seems to be this. Frederick Owen Roberts was the MP, and was Minister of Pensions: see his 1929 appointment in the London Gazette (PDF). There was no Frank Roberts who was an MP from 1918 to 1949. Whether Frederick Roberts was known as 'Frank' is difficult to prove or disprove, but the likeliest explanation is that the compiler of the list of Ministers of Pensions made a mistake. He is referred to as "F.O. Roberts" in David Marquand's biography of Ramsay Macdonald, and in a brief biography in 'The British Labour Party' (Caxton Publishing Company, 1948) written by T.N. Shane. Note that the link to Frank Roberts in the list of Ministers goes to a disambig page which doesn't mention our Minister. Sam Blacketer 20:20, 27 July 2007 (UTC)Reply

Thanks Sam! That sounds fairly conclusive: if the London Gazette isn't an WP:RS reliable source on ministerial appointments, I don't know what is! I should have checked there myself.

BTW, I created the disambig page, when when I was hunting for other Frank Roberts. Should have mentioned that. --BrownHairedGirl (talk) • (contribs) 20:28, 27 July 2007 (UTC)Reply

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