Barnet Kenyon - Political Career

Political Career

On 25 November 1918, The Times noted that Barnet Kenyon had been selected to fight Chesterfield, describing him as the Labour candidate. In the event Kenyon had no competition at the 1918 general election and was returned unopposed but his party affiliation was clearly shown as Liberal. It is probable that Kenyon received the ‘Coupon’ at this general election. He is on the list of historian Roy Douglas' as being an official Liberal in receipt of the coupon. It is also known that his nomination papers included the signatures of some local Unionist officials and later press reports described him as a Coalition Liberal. Despite this, Kenyon lent his support to uncouponed candidates elsewhere in Derbyshire, perhaps still hedging his party political bets in anticipation of future election contests. It served him well for the 1922 general election as he was again returned unopposed. However, at the 1923 election, Kenyon faced Labour and Conservative opponents he held off the challenge with a comfortable majority of nearly 6,000 votes. At the general election of 1924 he faced only Labour opposition and again emerged as the clear winner with a majority of 4,765 votes

Illness was the reason Kenyon gave for not contesting the 1929 general election but advancing age must also have been factor; he was now 76.

In addition to being a Member of Parliament, Kenyon was a member of the Chesterfield Board of Guardians, the Old Age Pension Committee and the Derbyshire Insurance Committee. He was appointed a Trustee of the King's Fund for the Disabled. He also served as a Justice of the Peace for the County of Derby and was a Member of the Lord Lieutenant’s Committee for the Appointment of Magistrates. He died in Chesterfield.