Charles Royle

Charles Royle (17 January 1872 – 3 November 1963) was an English butcher and Liberal politician.

Family and education Charles Royle was the son of Samuel and Mary Royle. He was educated at Portwood Wesleyan Higher Grade School. He married Maria, the daughter of Oliver Wolfe and they had four sons and two daughters. One of his sons was Charles Royle, who was Labour MP for West Salford

Career After leaving school, Royle went straight to work in the meat trade, eventually qualifying as a master butcher. He gained the respect and confidence of his peers in the trade and became President of the National Federation of Meat Traders Associations, a position he held twice in 1929 and 1942. and Mayor of the town four times. In 1947 he was made a freeman of the Borough of Stockport.

At the 1924 general election Royle was unable to hold his seat. He shared the fight against two Conservatives with the Labour candidate Arnold Townend but the Conservatives won both seats.

What the arrangement was between Royle and Fildes is uncertain but when Greenwood died on 19 August 1925, causing a by-election in Stockport, it was Fildes rather than Royle who was adopted to fight the seat for the Liberals. Townend fought again for Labour winning the contest and holding the seat until the 1931 general election.

Royle fought Stockport again, as a pair with Fildes, at the 1929 general election, although this time he was described on the ticket as an Independent Liberal. Royle came bottom of the poll and lost his deposit.

Publication In 1949, Royle published his autobiography, Opened Doors. It was published by the Meat Trades’ Journal Co, London.

Death Royle died on 3 November 1963 aged 91.