Harold Wilson Biography and Timeline

Birth of Harold Wilson

Birth of Harold Wilson

Role range: 1916-1916

Lecturer

Appointed lecturer in economics at Oxford University, age 21

Oxford University

Appointed lecturer in economics at Oxford University, age 21

New Deal for Coal

Publication of "New Deal for Coal"

New Deal

Publication of "New Deal for Coal"

Member of Parliament

First elected to Parliament as Member of Parliament for Ormskirk

Board of Trade

Appointed President of the Board of Trade, first term

Role range: 1945-1951 – 1947-1951

Board of Trade

Appointed President of the Board of Trade in Clement Attlee's Labour Government.

Role range: 1945-1951 – 1947-1951

Board of Trade

Becomes the youngest member of the Cabinet in the Twentieth century

Role range: 1945-1951 – 1947-1951

Cabinet

Becomes the youngest member of the Cabinet in the twentieth century.

Role range: 1945-1951 – 1947-1951

President of Board of Trade

Appointed President of the Board of Trade, first term

Role range: 1945-1951 – 1947-1951

President of Board of Trade

Becomes the youngest member of the Cabinet in the Twentieth century

Role range: 1945-1951 – 1947-1951

President of Board of Trade

Takes charge of the Board of Trade at the age of thirty one.

Role range: 1945-1951 – 1947-1951

Rationing

Celebrates a "bonfire of controls" by making 200,000 permits & licences unnecessary

Role range: 1945-1951 – 1947-1951

Trade Agreement at Moscow

Leads a trade mission & agrees to exchange manufactured goods for Russian grain

Role range: 1945-1951 – 1947-1951

Privy Council

Appointed Member of Privy Council

Role range: 1945-1951

International Agreement at London

Visits Russia to agree an exchange of manufactured goods for grain

Role range: 1945-1951 – 1947-1951

Statistics of Trade Act

Oversees legislation giving the Board of Trade powers to collect business statistics for economic planning.

Role range: 1945-1951 – 1947-1951

Statistics of Trade Act

Statistics of Trade Act 1947 gives powers to collect business statistics for economic planning

Role range: 1945-1951 – 1947-1951

Companies Act

Oversees company law reform through the Companies Act during Attlee's Labour Government.

Role range: 1945-1951 – 1947-1951

Economic Controls

Reduces the number of licences and permits required by businesses after wartime controls.

Role range: 1945-1951 – 1947-1951

Economy of Great Britain

Exchange controls are removed, a trade surplus changes to a deficit

Role range: 1945-1951 – 1947-1951

Exchange Controls

Exchange controls are removed, a trade surplus changes to a deficit

Role range: 1945-1951 – 1947-1951

Legislation

Gets the Monopolies Act passed & is responsible for its implementation

Role range: 1945-1951 – 1947-1951

Legislation

The Monopolies Act is passed, sponsored by the Board of Trade

Role range: 1945-1951 – 1947-1951

Monopolies and Restrictive Practices Act

Sponsors legislation creating machinery to investigate monopolies and restrictive trade practices.

Role range: 1945-1951 – 1947-1951

Rationing

Begins removing wartime controls and rationing restrictions in a policy known as the bonfire of controls.

Role range: 1945-1951 – 1947-1951

Reform of Monopolies

Gets the Monopolies Act passed & is responsible for its implementation

Role range: 1945-1951 – 1947-1951

Reform of Monopolies

The Monopolies Act is passed, sponsored by the Board of Trade

Role range: 1945-1951 – 1947-1951

Reform of Trade

The Development of Industry Bill is passed, sponsored by the Board of Trade

Role range: 1945-1951 – 1947-1951

Reform of Trade

The Distribution of Industry Bill is passed, sponsored by the Board of Trade

Role range: 1945-1951 – 1947-1951

Reform of Trade

The Export Guarantees Bill is passed, sponsored by the Board of Trade

Role range: 1945-1951 – 1947-1951

Companies Act

Companies Act 1948 consolidates and reforms company law

Role range: 1945-1951 – 1947-1951

Monopolies and Restrictive Practices Inquiry and Control Act

Monopolies and Restrictive Practices Inquiry and Control Act 1948 creates machinery to investigate monopolies

Role range: 1945-1951 – 1947-1951

Clothing Rationing

Ends clothing rationing as wartime controls are progressively removed.

Role range: 1945-1951 – 1947-1951

Patents Act

Oversees patent law consolidation and amendment while serving at the Board of Trade.

Role range: 1945-1951 – 1947-1951

Rationing

Rations for clothing are abolished

Role range: 1945-1951 – 1947-1951

Patents Act

Patents Act 1949 consolidates and amends patent law

Role range: 1945-1951 – 1947-1951

Board of Trade

Appointed President of the Board of Trade, 2nd term

Role range: 1945-1951 – 1947-1951

Election

In the general election of 1950, his constituency is altered and he is narrowly elected for the new seat of Huyton, Merseyside

Role range: 1945-1951 – 1947-1951