Willet Ball (1873 – 1 June 1962) was a British journalist and political activist.
Born in Lincoln, Ball began working for the Great Northern Railway Company as a clerk in 1888. He joined the National Union of Railwaymen (NUR), and also the Social Democratic Federation. In 1900, he became a full-time sub-editor for the NUR's magazine, Railway Review. In 1917, he became the publication's editor.[1]
At the 1918 United Kingdom general election, Ball stood as the Labour Party candidate for Luton, taking second place, with 30.6% of the vote. He did not stand in the 1922 general election, but contested the seat again in 1923, where he saw his vote fall back to only 9.9%.[1][2]
Ball retired in 1933, spending time serving on the governing bodies of local schools, and indulging his hobby of bowling.[1] He also served as a magistrate in Luton.[3]
References
- 1 2 3 "Ball, Willet", Who Was Who
- ↑ F. W. S. Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949
- ↑ James Dyer, Frank Edward Stygall and John G. Dony, The Story of Luton, p.190