Thomas Ashley Cairns JP (1854 – 3 September 1908) was a British Liberal Party politician who served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Newcastle-upon-Tyne from the 1906 general election until his death two years later due to diabetes,[1] aged 69.
Cairns was born in Sunderland, the son of Thomas Cairns of Forfarshire. He was educated privately. In 1880 he married Isabella Dixon.[2]
Cairns was chief partner of Cairns, Noble & Co., shipowners and merchants. He was Vice President of the Shipowners International Association.[3]
Cairns was a member of the Newcastle School Board from 1892 to 1899. He was elected to Newcastle City Council in 1896. He was appointed as a Justice of the peace for Newcastle. He was active in the Liberal Party as Vice Chairman of the executive committee of the Northern Liberal Federation.[3] He was Liberal candidate for the two member Newcastle-upon-Tyne division at the 1906 General Election. He ran in tandem with a labour candidate and together they took both seats from the Conservatives.[4] Cairns was in favour of housing reform, social legislation and Women's suffrage.[2]
. F. W. S. Craig. British parliamentary election results 1885–1918. 1974. 2nd. 1989. Parliamentary Research Services. Chichester. 0-900178-27-2. 157.