Ben Cooper (politician)

Benjamin Cooper (1854 – January 1920) was a British politician and trade unionist.

Cooper in 1895

Cooper was born and grew up in Norwich, where he completed an apprenticeship in cigar-making. He subsequently moved to London, where he became active in the Cigar Makers' Mutual Association.[1]

Cooper was soon elected as general secretary of his union. A supporter of the New Unionism, around the start of the 1890s, he helped found unions for workers in bass-dressing, match-making, dock work, confectionery and stick manufacture, as well as a separate union for female cigar makers.[2] At the 1892 London County Council election, he was elected as a Labour and Progressive Party candidate in Bow and Bromley.[3]

Cooper's newfound prominence led to his election to the Parliamentary Committee of the Trades Union Congress, and he held his seat on the council for many years.[1] He also served on the council of the General Federation of Trade Unions.[4]

Cooper stood as a Liberal-Labour candidate in the 1907 Stepney by-election, but he was easily defeated by Frederick Leverton Harris.[5]

In 1918, Cooper organised the merger of the Cigar Makers' Mutual Association with other small unions, to form the National Cigar and Tobacco Workers' Union. He became the first leader of the new union, but retired shortly afterwards,[6] and died in January 1920.

References

  1. "Death of Mr Ben Cooper", The Times, 17 January 1920
  2. "The London County Council election", The Times, 26 February 1892
  3. Tobacco Workers' Union, The Tobacco Workers' Union, 1834–1984, p.6
  4. Tobacco Workers' Union, The Tobacco Workers' Union, 1834–1984, p.10
  5. "Election Intelligence". The Times (38330). London, England: The Times Digital Archive. 11 May 1907. p. 16. Retrieved 9 June 2014.
  6. Tobacco Workers' Union, The Tobacco Workers' Union, 1834–1984, p.10
Trade union offices
Preceded by
John P. Walker
General Secretary of the Cigar Makers' Mutual Association
1886–1918
Succeeded by
Position abolished
Preceded by
New position
General Secretary of the National Cigar and Tobacco Workers' Union
1918–1919
Succeeded by
Alf Santen
Preceded by
George Courtenay
Chairman of the London Trades Council
18961899
Succeeded by
Joe Gregory
Preceded by
W. C. Steadman
Treasurer of the London Trades Council
1910s1917
Succeeded by
John Stokes
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