Samuel Sydney Silverman (8 October 1895 - 9 February 1968) was a British Labour politician and vocal opponent of capital punishment.
Born in Liverpool to a poor draper's family, Silverman was able to attend Liverpool Institute and Liverpool University, thanks to scholarships, and became a lecturer in English at the National University of Finland 1921-25. On his return to Britain, he went back to Liverpool University to read law and qualified as a...
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Samuel Sydney Silverman (8 October 1895 - 9 February 1968) was a British Labour politician and vocal opponent of capital punishment.
Born in Liverpool to a poor draper's family, Silverman was able to attend Liverpool Institute and Liverpool University, thanks to scholarships, and became a lecturer in English at the National University of Finland 1921-25. On his return to Britain, he went back to Liverpool University to read law and qualified as a solicitor. He worked on workmen's compensation claims and landlord-tenant disputes. As a pacifist during World War I, Silverman was a conscientious objector to military service, and served three prison sentences, in Preston, Wormwood Scrubs and Belfast prisons.
From 1932 to 1938 Silverman served on Liverpool City Council. He contested Liverpool Exchange without success at a 1933 by-election, but was elected Member of Parliament for Nelson and Colne in the 1935 general election.
Silverman was prominent in his support for Jews worldwide and for...
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