Alfred Emmott, 1st Baron Emmott

Alfred Emmott, 1st Baron Emmott (8 May 1858 – 13 December 1926) was a British businessman and Liberal Party politician.

Background and education The eldest surviving son of Thomas Emmott, of Brookfield, Oldham, he was educated at a Friends' School in Kendal, Westmorland and at Grove House School in Tottenham before studying for a BA at the University of London. Afterwards, he became a partner in Emmott and Walshall, cotton spinners, of Oldham.

Political career In 1881, Emmott was elected as a Liberal to Oldham Municipal Borough Council,

Emmott served as Chairman of Ways and Means (Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons) from 1906 to 1911 and was sworn of the Privy Council in 1908. In October 1911, he was appointed Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies by H. H. Asquith He remained at the Colonial Office until 1914 and was then a member of Asquith's cabinet as First Commissioner of Works between 1914 and 1915. and a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE) in 1917.

In his approach to politics, Emmott was a strong supporter of the government's social reforms. This was arguably reflected in 1910 when Emmott, in response to Conservative critics who attacked the Liberals as "socialistic", retorted that "so far as we have gone in the direction of Socialism, so-called, whether it be in regard to free and compulsory education, whether it be in regard to old age pensions, or in respect of any other reform, we have not diminished, but rather added to the liberty of the individual."

Family Lord Emmott married Mary Gertrude, a daughter of J. W. Lees, in 1887. Lady Emmott was educated at Queen's College, London and was a member of many philanthropic and civic associations, serving at one point as President of the National Council of Women of Great Britain. Lady and Lord Emmott had two daughters, Mary Gwendolen (later known as Mrs Home Peel), born in 1888 and Dorothy (later known as Mrs Christopher Barlow), born in 1890. on a day when he was engaged to speak at a Liberal Party rally. The barony became extinct on his death, as he had no son.