(Alfred) Ernest Marples, Baron Marples (9 December 1907 – 6 July 1978) was a British politician. Born at Henshaw Street in Stretford, Manchester, this local elementary schoolboy succeeded in becoming Postmaster General and Minister of Transport during his time as a member of the Conservative Government. December 9 is the 343rd day (344th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1907 (MCMVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... July 6 is the 187th day of the year (188th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 178 days remaining. ... 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Location within the British Isles Stretford is an urban area to the south-west of Manchester in the north-west of England. ... Manchester is a major city within Greater Manchester in North West England, historically notable for being the worlds first industrialised city, and its subsequent central role in the Industrial Revolution. ... In the United Kingdom, the Postmaster General is a now defunct ministerial position. ... The Secretary of State for Transport is the member of the cabinet responsible for the British Department for Transport. ... The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative & Unionist Party) is currently the second largest political party in the United Kingdom in terms of sitting Members of Parliament (MPs), and the largest in terms of public membership. ...

His father had been a renowned engineering charge-hand and Manchester Labour campaigner, and his mother had worked in a local hat factory. Ernest attended Victoria Park Council School and won a scholarship to Stretford Grammar School, but by the age of 14 he was already active in the Labour Movement, as well as earning money selling cigarettes and sweets to Manchester football crowds. He also played football for the YMCA team. The Labour Party has been, since its founding in the early 20th century, the principal political party of the left in the United Kingdom. ... YMCAs in the United States and Canada use this logo. ...

There followed a succession of jobs - miner, postman, chef, and accountant. Eventually he joined the Territorial Army, and rose to the rank of Captain. During this time his whole perception seems to have changed, as, by 1945 he had become a prospective Conservative candidate and was elected to Parliament for Wallasey, and also set up his own company of Civil Engineers (Marples, Ridgeway & Partners - Primarily road contruction) with his meagre savings and a bank loan. In the United Kingdom the Territorial Army is a part of the British Army composed of reserve units, or part-time soldiers. ... 1945 (MCMVL) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1945 calendar). ... Wallasey is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... The term civil engineer refers to an individual who practices civil engineering. ...

Professionally, as Postmaster General, Marples is best known for having introduced the STD (Subscriber Trunk Dialling) telephone system which eliminated the use of operators on national phone calls. (At that time the telephone network was still under the control of the General Post Office). On 2 June 1957, he started the first draw that took place for the new Premium Bonds scheme. (see picture) Subscriber trunk dialling (STD) (also known as subscriber toll dialling) is a term for the UK telephone system allowing subscribers to dial trunk calls without operator assistance. ... June 2 is the 153rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (154th in leap years), with 212 days remaining. ... 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A Premium Bond is a bond issued by the United Kingdom governments National Savings & Investments scheme. ...

As Minister of Transport (October 14, 1959–October 16, 1964), he brought in roadside yellow lines, parking meters and seat belts. It was also under Ernest Marples that Dr Richard Beeching was appointed chairman of the British Railways Board. After a study of railway traffic Beeching produced a report in 1963 proposing the closure of a further 6000 miles of the remaining 18000 miles of Britain's railway network. The resultant closures, most of which were carried out under the Wilson Labour Government (1964–1970), became known as the Beeching Axe. Whilst Marples was a minister his two-thirds shareholding in his road construction firm were divulged to his wife, thereby avoiding any conflict of interest[1][2][3][4][5]. The Secretary of State for Transport is the member of the cabinet responsible for the British Department for Transport. ... October 14 is the 287th day of the year (288th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... October 16 is the 289th day of the year (290th in leap years). ... 1964 (MCMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1964 calendar). ... A traditional style parking meter A parking meter is a device used to collect money in exchange for the right to park a vehicle in a particular place for a limited amount of time. ... A three-point seat belt. ... Richard Beeching Richard Beeching, Baron Beeching (21 April 1913 - 23 March 1985) (more commonly known as Dr Beeching), was a British physicist and engineer, and chairman of British Railways. ... The British Railways Board (BRB) was the governing body of British Railways (later British Rail) from 1962 until privatisation in the 1990s. ... Members of the Cabinet are in bold face. ... Many railway lines were closed as a result of the Beeching Axe The Beeching Axe was an informal name for the British Governments attempt in the 1960s to control the spiralling cost of running the British railway system by closing what it considered to be little-used and unprofitable...

He retired from the House of Commons at the February 1974 general election, and in May that year he was made a life peer as Baron Marples, of Wallasey in Cheshire. The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... The UK general election of February 1974 was held on February 28, 1974. ... In the United Kingdom, Life Peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles may not be inherited (those whose titles are inheritable are known as hereditary peers). ... Arms of the former Wallasey County Borough Council, 1913-74 Wallasey is a large town on the mouth of the River Mersey, at the north-eastern corner of the Wirral. ... The Cheshire Plain - photo taken adjacent to Beeston Castle The Cheshire Plain - photo taken towards Merseyside The Cheshire Plain panorama - photo taken from Mid-Cheshire Ridge Cattle farming in the county Black-and-white timbered buildings on Nantwich High Street Cheshire (or, archaically, the County of Chester) [1] is a...

He then hastily emigrated to live in Monaco following allegations of tax fraud [6], and died in 1978. 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday. ...