Via Mike Petty MBE, the Cambridge Daily News reported on the death of the only person from the Labour Party to represent the villages surrounding Cambridge
“The death reported yesterday of Alderman Albert Ernest Stubbs at his home at 5 Arbury Road, Cambridge, came as a shock to many of his friends and close acquaintances.
“Cambridgeshire’s first Labour Member of Parliament, Ald Stubbs, during an active political career stretching over many years, served for 25 years on the then town council until his retirement in 1949. He was an Alderman of the County Council up to the time of his death, having been a member continuously since 1931, and for a short period in 1922. He was elected to the Aldermanic Bench in 1942.
Branch President
“A Yorkshireman by birth, Ald Stubbs came to Cambridge in 1914 and for a number of years was employed by the Cambridge Daily News as a rotary printing machinist in charge of printing presses.
“For four years he was President of the Cambridge Branch of the Typographical Association, and later became District Officer of the Agricultural Workers’ Union.
“In 1917 Mr Stubbs was appointed a member of the Cambs and Isle of Ely Agricultural Wages Committee and became leader of the workers’ section. He was still a member at the time of his death.
“His ability and general knowledge of farming conditions was recognised by the Minister of Agriculture in the Coalition Government of 1939-45. He was appointed to the County War Agricultural Executive Committee.
“After entering Parliament he played a big part in the Parliamentary Food and Agricultural Groups. Ald Stubbs became MP for Cambridgeshire [today, a combination of wards from South Cambridge, South Cambs and South East Cambs] in 1945 but lost his seat to Mr (now Sir) Gerald Howard in the 1950 election. Before being returned for Cambridgeshire he had been an unsuccessful candidate in the Melton Mowbray Division of Leicestershire.
“Among other offices he was a member of the old Cambridge and Ely District War Pensions Committee formed after the First World War. He was also actively associated with the Romsey Labour Club.
“Ald Stubbs was appointed an officer of the Workers’ Union in 1919 and in 1929 became District Officer of the Transport and General Workers’ Union, [now Unite] a post he held until 1944.”
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Lost Cambridge 