Description:This is an abridged biography from the Handsworth Magazine, the full version is available as a download.
Upon the retirement of Mr W A Ellis, J.P., from the Handsworth District Council, after being honourably associated with that body and its predecessor the Local Board for many years, Mr Arthur Price was in March last nominated by the Soho Ward Conservative Association for the vacant seat and on April 4th he was elected by a majority which left him upwards of 400 votes to spare. The contest took place in Soho Ward where Mr Price has long resided and was short, sharp and decisive. The Conservative candidate’s strongest opponent was Mr W H Davies, an Independent Liberal, who twelve months ago ran the Conservative candidate in Sandwell Ward very close. Almost everyone interested in the fight expected that Mr Price would win but few we fancy could have predicted the actual result. Mr Price polled 634 votes – the highest number ever recorded we believe for any candidate in a local election – whilst Mr Davies only received the suffrages of 222 electors. Mr G P Lempriere, an Independent Conservative candidate was very considerably below Mr Davies on the poll. Mr Price has taken his seat on the District Council and a few weeks ago was formally elected a member of some half-dozen committees.
He was born at Wordsley, near Stourbridge, the great centre of the glass trade in 1858. In the course of the following year his parents removed to Birmingham, his father being appointed manager of the Soho Glass works and tenanted a house at Hockley. For many years he has lived within sound of the bells of St Michael’s and his most cherished associations are all of this parish. He was educated in part at St Michael’s Schools, Thornhill Road, under Mr George Bennett and Mr Erskine and subsequently at the Bridge Trust Grammar School, where he was for two-and-a-half years a pupil of the Rev. J. Merrick Guest. When a boy he sang in the choir of St Michael’s Church and speaks affectionately of the Rev. Mr Thursby and his successor in the vicariate, the Rev. Osbort Mordaunt. It may be of interest to remark here that many of his old school-fellows at St Michael’s who are now householders in Soho Ward rallied round him in his recent fight for the District Council and rendered him yeoman service.
In March 1872 Mr Price bade farewell to his alma mater and obtained an appointment at the Soho Glass Works. He worked hard and with characteristic success in the interests of the firm of John Walsh & Walsh and was ultimately admitted to partnership. Last year, upon the completion of his twenty-fifth year at the works he was presented by the firm with a case as a mark of respect and esteem. He is not the first member of the firm to enter public life, Mr L J Murray the principal being a member of the Birmingham City Council.
A staunch Churchman Mr Price has done excellent work at All Saints’ and the Handsworth Parish Church and in connection with the voluntary system of education in both parishes. After a long period of service as sides man at All Saints’ he was elected people’s warden and held office for two years, earning the thanks of the parishioners and not less of the Rector, the Rev. P E Wilson. He is and has ever been deeply interested in the schools. Since 1880 he has been a manager of All Saints’ Schools and at the present time is also financial secretary. In addition to this he has a place on the management committee of the Handsworth Parish Schools.
It is however in connection with his work as Hon. Secretary of the West Relief Fund that Mr Price will be most fondly remembered in the future. Councillor A R Jephcott, himself a working man, stated in a recent speech that Mr Price had been a guardian angel to the very poor in West Birmingham, carrying sunshine and gladness into homes darkened by distress, saddened by sickness and pinched by poverty. Nor was the eulogy overdrawn as many a needy soul has been helped would willingly testify.
The West Birmingham Relief Fund was started during the severe winter of 1891 and was intended to meliorate the exceptional distress caused by the temporary cessation of work in the building trade and among gardeners and out-of-door craftsmen generally. In a letter to Mr E J Smith, the Right Hon. Joseph Chamberlain, M.P., for the division, expressed regret that there was no fund for people to apply to under exceptional circumstances. This led up to a meeting of the charitably disposed in the division and the inauguration of the fund. Mr Price was elected Hon. Secretary and Mr L. J Murray Hon. Treasurer. The Right Hon. Joseph Chamberlain was of course appointed President. The success of this fund – the first of the kind attempted – has led to the establishment of others, similar in character and scope in the various parliamentary divisions of the city.
Mr Price as hon. secretary was brought directly into contact with hundreds of people who had fallen on hard times and no more sympathetic ears than his were ever open to the recital of genuine distress, nor so far as he had it in his power were such recitals ever heard in vain. Ill-health and the pressure of business compelled Mr Price to resign but he is still a member of the general committee and has in no way lost interest in the cause. The following letter needs no comment:-
Politically Mr Price is a Conservative by conviction and has for many years been associated with All Saints’ Ward Conservative Association. He is a vice-chairman and honorary secretary of the West Division of Birmingham Conservative Association and is a member of the Soho Ward Handsworth Conservative Association.
In 1883 he was married to the second daughter of Mr William Tonks, of Hockley, and has resided at Rose Villa (number 9), Villa Road, for some years. He has in Mrs Price an ideal helpmate and they are very proud of their five children of whom four are girls.