Labour's Lost Leader: The Life and Politics of Will Crooks (International Library of Political Studies)

the Significant And Sometimes Controversial Figure, Will Crooks, Who Became The Chairman Of The Popular Board Of Guardians And A Leading Pioneer Of The Trade Union And Labour Movement, Has Been Overlooked By Modern Historians. Here Paul Tyler Presents A Groundbreaking Political Biography Of A Significant Labour Figure At Both A Local And National Level And An Important Reinterpretation Of The Early Trade Union And Labour Movement From The 1880s To The 1920s. "The life story of Will Crooks has a Dickensian resonance. As a working class child, born into abject poverty, he experienced the rigours of Poplar Workhouse and Poor Law school. Nearly forty years later, Crooks became Chairman of the Poplar Board of Guardians, the very board that had given him shelter during his challenging early years. Crooks was a member of the Coopers' Union for fifty-five years, and a leading pioneer of the trade union and Labour movement for over thirty. This significant, and sometimes controversial, figure has been overlooked by modern historians. Here Paul Tyler presents a pioneering political biography of a significant Labour figure, at both a local and national level, and an important reinterpretation of the early trade union and labour movement from the 1880s to the 1920s."--Bloomsbury Publishing. Contents......Page 6 Acknowledgements......Page 8 Abbreviations......Page 11 Introduction......Page 14 Part One: Local Activist and Labour Pioneer 1852-1907......Page 28 1 Will Crooks of Poplar......Page 30 2 Guardian of the Poor......Page 54 3 Unemployment and the Poor Law......Page 80 4 Woolwich and Independent Labour Representation......Page 113 Part Two: Labour Pioneer and Member of Parliament 1903-1921......Page 137 5 Member for Woolwich......Page 138 6 Role in Parliament and the General Elections of 1910......Page 166 7 Returns to the Parliamentary Fray......Page 188 8 War and Peace......Page 207 References and Notes......Page 238 Bibliography......Page 274 Index......Page 286 Will Crooks was a member of the Coopers' Union for 55 years, and a pioneer of the trade union and Labour movement for over 30. This work presents a political biography of a Labour figure, and an important reinterpretation of the early trade union and labour movement from the 1880s to the 1920s