Background
George Radford was born in Plymouth, the eldest son of G. D. Radford and Catherine Agnes Heynes. In 1882, he married Emma Louisa Radford, the daughter of a Justice of the Peace.
George Radford was born in Plymouth, the eldest son of G. D. Radford and Catherine Agnes Heynes. In 1882, he married Emma Louisa Radford, the daughter of a Justice of the Peace.
He went to London University to study law, where he graduated Bachelor of Laws with honours.
They had three daughters. Radford was admitted as a solicitor in 1872. He joined the firm of Radford and Frankland which had its offices in Chancery Lane, eventually becoming senior partner.
Radford was first involved in London local politics.
He was Progressive Party member for West Islington on the London County Council from 1885-1907. In the 1906 general election he became Member of Parliament for Islington East, a seat he went on to hold, albeit by small majorities, until his death in 1917.
Radford always took a prominent part in London County Council elections and was for two years Chairman of the Council’s Parliamentary Committee. Radford served as Chairman of the National Liberal Club Buildings Company
Limited and was a Vice-Chairman of the Club.
He also served as a Justice of the Peace in Surrey, where he had his home at Ditton Hill, now part of Surbiton. He was knighted in the 1916 Birthday Honours. Radford had a particular interest in transport in London and a passion for tramways.
He noted the advanced use of trams in Budapest and led a British Parliamentary delegation to Hungary in 1906.
In 1908, the first cross-river tram in London departed from Highbury Station and it is believed that Radford was responsible for the honour of the maiden trip starting in Islington. A collection of scrapbooks of news cuttings, notices, posters et cetera donated by Mission U Radford in 1975, documenting Radford’s career is deposited in the London Metropolitan Archives.
Radford died at his residence, Chiswick House, Ditton Hill on 5 October 1917, aged 66 years.
28th United Kingdom Parliament. 30th United Kingdom Parliament]
He was a Member of Parliament for Islington East from 1906 to 1917.