Martin Ellingham
The Right Honourable Martin Ellingham | |
|---|---|
 Martin Ellingham in 1958 | |
| 8th Prime Minister of Imagua and the Assimas | |
| In office 23 April, 1956 – 23 April, 1960 | |
| President | Venanzio Mazzone |
| Deputy | Giovanni Almgren |
| Preceded by | Sotty Haloranov |
| Succeeded by | Efrem Lacovara |
| Legislative Councillor for Kirkham | |
| In office 5 October, 1973 – 9 November, 1989 | |
| Preceded by | Claud Knowlton |
| Succeeded by | Darryl Winston |
| Member of Parliament for Nua Taois-East | |
| In office 23 April, 1936 – 23 April, 1960 | |
| Preceded by | constituency established |
| Succeeded by | Richard Smith |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Martin Ellingham 11 February 1904 New Taois, Saint Isidore's, Imagua |
| Died | 9 November 1989 (aged 85) Cuanstad, Imagua and the Assimas |
| Resting place | Woodlawn Cemetery, Nua Taois |
| Nationality | Estmerish Imaguan |
| Political party | Sotirian Democratic Party |
| Spouse | Marjory Ellingham |
| Children | 3 |
Martin Ellingham (b. 11 February, 1904, d. 9 November, 1989) was an Imaguan politician who served as the eighth Prime Minister of Imagua and the Assimas, succeeding Sotty Haloranov in 1956 after her defeat in that year's general election, and serving until being defeated by Efrem Lacovara in 1960. He was the last Prime Minister to come from the Sotirian Democratic Party, with every Prime Minister after him until 2000 coming from the Democratic Labour Party.
Born in Nua Taois, he was an excellent student, and after finishing school in 1919, he worked for several years at the Bank of the Orient. In 1924, he joined the Sotirian Democrats, rising through the ranks until being elected in 1936 for Nua Taois-East. He would serve as a member of Parliament until 1960, during which time he kept rising through the ranks of the party, ultimately succeeding Frederick Maynard as Sotirian Democratic parliamentary leader, serving until he lost his seat in 1960.
Following his defeat, he remained active in the Sotirian Democratic Party, but played a marginal role in politics until he was appointed to the Legislative Council in 1973. He would serve as Senator until his death in 1989.
Biography
Early life
Martin Ellingham was born on 11 February, 1904 to Chester Ellingham, a civil servant who was born in Estmere, and Georgia Ellingham, who was a housewife in Nua Taois. As the eldest of five children, and the only son, Martin was treated very well by his parents.
In 1909, he started attending school, where he was described as an excellent student. In 1914, he attended the Wensley Grammar School, where he was described as an excellent student, excelling in the humanities. After finishing his education in 1919, Martin Ellingham worked for several years as a bank teller at the Bank of the Orient.
He joined the Sotirian Democrats in 1924, and was elected as MP for the constituency of Nua Taois-East in 1936. As a backbencher member of parliament, Ellingham was an excellent legislator, helping him rise through the ranks of the Sotirian Democrats. By 1944, he became the Deputy Prime Minister, serving under Frederick Maynard until 1952, when he was defeated by Democratic Labour candidate Sotty Haloranov.
Following the defeat, Maynard resigned, and at the leadership convention, he became the leader of the Sotirian Democrats, and by extension became leader of the opposition. During his tenure, he attacked Haloranov's policies for harming his base of support, and for undermining Imagua's competitiveness on the world stage, as well as accusing her policies of leading towards Tretyakism.
These tactics helped secure his election to the premiership in 1956, with the Sotirian Democrats gaining seven seats in the Chamber of Commons of Parliament.
Premiership
During his tenure as Prime Minister, Martin Ellingham focused on liberalising the Imaguan economy, in order to attract foreign businesses and reduce outsourcing by Imaguan manufacturing firms to other countries. As well, his efforts at reducing regulations were criticised by unions and by the Democratic Labour Party, whose new leader, Efrem Lacovara criticised these measures as hurting the working class.
During his term in office, the Tripartite Agreement with Estmere and Rizealand, which handed over Thorebourne Naval Base from Estmere to Rizealand, went into effect in 1957, and in 1959, he and his Rizean counterpart signed an agreement to allow Rizealand to provide defence for the island, in exchange for Imagua constructing the bases.
As well, during his tenure, Martin Ellingham attempted to strengthen private healthcare, and to try and roll back measures by former Prime Minister Sotty Haloranov that made emergency care free. However, these efforts were thwarted, both by civil society, and in the Legislative Council, which was still controlled by the Democratic Labour Party.
These policies made Martin Ellingham unpopular, and in the 1960 election, he was defeated by Efrem Lacovara, and lost his own seat to Richard Smith of the DLP.
Later years and death
After his defeat, Martin Ellingham remained an active member of the Sotirian Democrats, serving as a fundraiser and a speaker to help promote the SDP cause. In 1972, he made an unsuccessful attempt to run for the Presidency.
In 1973, he was appointed to the Legislative Council for Kirkham, succeeding Claud Knowlton, who retired. He would serve "diligently" in the Senate through the 1970s and into the 1980s, even as his health began to deteriorate.
Martin Ellingham died of a heart attack on 9 November, 1989, and after a state funeral on 14 November, 1989, he was interred at Woodlawn Cemetery in his hometown of Nua Taois.
Personal life
Martin Ellingham married Marjory Ellingham in 1923, and had three children: Rudolph Ellingham, who was born in 1924 and died in 1985, Monty Ellingham, who was born in 1926 and died in 1930 from smallpox, and Edith Angwin, who was born in 1928, and died in 2015. At the time of his death in 1989, he was survived by his wife, his daughter, three grandchildren, and one great-grandson.
He spoke Estmerish as his first language, fluent in Eastern Imaguan Creole and Geatish, and could comfortably hold a basic conversation in Gaullican and Etrurian.
Martin Ellingham was a devout Low Estmerian, having been baptised in the church and having received confirmation. Until his death, he attended services frequently.
Honours
Domestic
- File:ImaguaFlag.png - Companion of the Order of Imagua, 1961
