Victor Grayson is always the first name mentioned in Colne Valley, elected in a 1907 by-election as an Independent Socialist, only to be defeated in 1910 and disappear in 1920.
He had biographies written about him by both David Clark (MP for the seat, 1970-74) and Reg Groves who, as one of the "Balham Group", was a founding father of British Trotskyism. Grayson had been beaten by Charles Leach, who was deprived of his seat in 1916 when he was sent to Northumberland House mental hospital, later home to T S Eliot's first wife, Vivienne.
Richard Wainwright, father of the Guardian's Martin and Red Pepper's Hilary, won the seat at his fourth attempt in 1966, a Liberal gain during a Labour landslide, losing it in 1970 when Labour lost and gaining it again when Labour squeaked back in 1974. l
