James
Dalziel, the son of a shoemaker, was born in Kirkcudbrightshire in
Scotland in 1868. After being educated at Shrewsbury High School and
at King's College, London, he became a journalist.
A strong supporter of the advanced wing of the Liberal
Party, Dalziel became the MP for Kirkcaldy in 1892. Two years
later, Dalziel purchased the Reynold's
Weekly News. Although it continued to express radical political
views, the newspaper was now aimed at a more working class audience.
Dalziel and his newspaper gave the government their full support during
the First World War. With the encouragement
of the Prime Minister, David Lloyd George,
Dalziel formed a group of Liberal sympathizers
to buy the Daily Chronicle in
1918.
In 1921 Dalziel left the House of Commons
after being granted the title, Baron Dalziel of Kirkcaldy. The following
year he sold his interests in newspapers and retired from the business.
James Henry Dalziel died in 1935.
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