* Political Agent

[LittleMissP]

I would like to pick your brains please!

One of my relatives (who died in 1921) was a photographer but on his daughter's marriage certificate in 1922 she claims he was a political agent. I have no idea about where that came from and how to go about searching it (everywhere else he is just a photograher), if she wasn't just being fanciful that is. I've tried a Google search and not come up with anything and he doesn't seem to come up in the Civil Service records on findmypast.

I'm feeling a bit lost and just wonder if anyone can give me their thoughts about what to try to search for?!

Thanks,
Paula

ID:2921

[margarita]

Paula,

My understanding is that a political agent is someone who works for an MP or would-be MP and (amongst other thing) organises his/her election campaign.

Was there a general or Local election around the time of his death, when he may have been devoting much of his time to political activities.

Contact with the political parties where he lived may help.

Regards,

maggie

[RalfofAmber]

The British Embassy seems to have had more formal roles called Political Agents at this time - http://www.britishembassy.gov.uk/servle ... 7170872755
for example has a list of such people in Bahrain starting with the interesting text -

In January 1900 the employment of a British officer in Bahrain was sanctioned as a temporary measure and at the end of the year it was made permanent.  He was known as the Political Agent.
The first Political Agent was J.C. Gaskin who assumed charge of his office on 10 February 1900.
The official residence of the Political Agent was built on the shore of the east-coast of Manama between 1901-1902.  It cost £2,000 (approximately BD 1,100) to build, and had deep verandas with many windows, in the inside and outer walls to allow air to circulate.   Locally it was known as ‘the Kutty’.
Over the next fifty years, the residence of the political agent was altered and enlarged until eventually, one morning in 1954, its roof collapsed demolishing the dining room below!   Luckily the occupants had just finished breakfast so the room was empty at the time.
The agency was re-built in 1955.  The building is now the British Embassy and Ambassador’s Residence.

Fingers crossed there may be a more glamorous story here!

[LittleMissP]

Thank you to both of you, I think both of these are interesting leads! Looks like a few more hours/ days down at TNA for me... The Foreign Office and their various branches have full staff lists and staff handbooks going way back which could prove very interesting, now if only I could find the TNA resources referred to on the FCO website!

Thanks again, you're stars [dancing-banana]

(fingers crossed I can find a great story- a photographer by day, an undercover secret agent by night- now that would be good!!!)

[margarita]

....a photographer by day, an undercover secret agent by night- now that would be good!!!)

Sounds a lot more exciting that organising an election campaign.

Do let us know what you find out.

maggie

[LittleMissP]

Organising an election campaign would be fine too, still more 'interesting' than most of my ag labs...