Luke Thompson

Sir Luke Thompson (18 July 1867 – 15 January 1941) was a British coal merchant and Conservative politician. Early life Thompson was born on Chester Road, Bishopwearmouth, the son of John Thompson (1823–1883), a coal merchant, and his wife, Catherine (née Liddell, 1826–1915). After schooling, he became a ship's draughtsman before entering into the coal trade. Politics In the general election of 1922, Thompson was elected Member of Parliament for the two-seat constituency of Sunderland, alongside Walter Raine. Both were defeated by the Labour politicians Marion Phillips and Alfred Smith in the general election of 1929, Thompson regained the seat in a by-election in 1931, following Smith's death. He then held the seat alongside Phillips, briefly, and then with Samuel Storey. Retaining the seat after the general election of 1931, he sat until the general election of 1935 when he retired. Thompson was knighted by George V in 1934.