Papers of Lord Douglas Houghton

Papers of Lord Douglas Houghton mainly covering 1945-1996. The papers include thoseon the Parliamentary Labour Party, animal charities, pressure groups and legislation, scripts for 'Can I Help You?' and other broadcasts, speeches, correspondence; papers showing interaction with various organisations such as RSPCA: FRAME etc. Papers of Select Committees study Groups etc that Houghton sat on, personal and family papers, appointment diaries, scrap books etc.

Lord Douglas Arthur Leslie Noel Houghton (1898-1996) was a Labour politician. He was born in Long Eaton, Derbyshire, to a Liberal-radical family on 11 August 1898. He was a Civil Service Boy Clerk from 1913-1915 in London and Mansfield, Nottinghamshire and fought at Passchendaele In 1917, in the First World War. He was General Secretary of the Association of Tax Clerks from 1922 and helped build the Inland Revenue Staff Federation, later to become its General Secretary in 1936-1960 during which time he was instrumental in setting up the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) system. He was an avid promoter of education and believed that education would assist low-paid civil servant clerks to gain better employment. In 1941 he began an advice programme on BBC radio, "Can I Help You?" focussing on advice on taxes, employment and social issues. The programme ran until 1964. He was an alderman of the London County Council from 1947-1949. He was Labour MP for Sowerby, Yorkshire, 1949-1974 at the end of which he became Lord Houghton of Sowerby. He served on the General Council on the Trade Union Congress from 1952-1960. He was Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 1964-1966 and Minister without Portfolio from 1966-1967 after which he was dismissed from Government due to his age, however he became Chairman of the Parliamentary Labour Party from 1967-1974. Between 1969 and 1976 he served on Royal Commissions on the Constitution and on Standards of Conduct in the Public Life, chaired an Inquiry into teachers' pay and a Committee on State Aid to Political Parties. He was a stern supporter of the Abortion Act 1967, women's rights and animal welfare. He died 2 May 1996. Sources: Rt Hon Lord Houghton of Sowerby CH, 1898-1996: A memorial tribute to his life and work, by Lady Vera Houghton (1998); The Dictionary of Labour Biography ed. Greg Rosen (2001); The Oxford Comapnion to Twentieth-Century British Politics ed. John Ramsden (2002). More information on Lord Houghton can be found in these sources.

The collection has been arranged according to subjects and function. Within this, the material is listed chronologically.

Open to view with an appointment.

Although extensive it is also patchy. The collection was received in 2000 and was collected from Lord Houghton's widow Lady Vera Houghton and Lord Christopher CBE. The collection was then stored at URUL until Dec 2006 when it was transferred to the Labour History Archive and Study Centre. The collection was in total 20-26 meters plus 9 outsize items. Before moving to the archive a rough appraisal and sort was carried out. A box of Vera Houghton papers were relocated to the Wellcome Library.

A searchable file level catalogue can be found by clicking DHO Full Catalogue (Searchable) in the 'Digital Materials' field above.

Fonds level decription created by volunteer Heather Roberts, March 2014. The original listing of the material was created by Archivists at the Labour History Archive and Study Centre.

Before moving to the archive a rough appraisal and sort was carried out. A box of Vera Houghton papers were relocated to the Wellcome Library.

Further accruals are not expected.