Albert Stanley (Liberal politician)

Stanley was born at Dark Lane, Dawley, Shropshire, one of ten children in a coal-mining family who were religiously Primitive Methodists. He himself began work as a miner aged eleven at Stirchley before moving to another pit at Hednesford, Staffordshire where he worked underground until a serious injury in an pit accident in 1884. ==Political career==

In 1877 at the age of 15 he became secretary of his local Young Liberal Association. He supported Home Rule for Ireland and was an ardent follower of William Gladstone. From 1884 to his election to parliament he was Secretary of the Midland Counties Miners' Federation. He was elected to Staffordshire County Council at its inception in 1889 and sat until his death. In 1894 he was a founding member of the Midlands Liberal Federation. He was twice approached by the Liberal Party to stand for parliament but declined. ==References==