William C. Robinson (politician)

William Cornforth Robinson (12 July 1861 – 11 June 1931) was a British Labour Member of Parliament. Born in Carlton, West Riding of Yorkshire, he began work at the age of ten in a mill in Burnley. At the age of 17 he organised a trade union after experiencing a 20-week-long strike. By 1894 he had become the general secretary of the Amalgamated Association of Beamers, Twisters and Drawers, a position he held to the end of his life. He was president of the United Textile Factory Workers Association from 1913 to 1919. For many years he was a member of the Labour Party National Executive.

Robinson in 1923

In 1911 and 1918 he ran for election at Oldham, and again in 1920 in Ashton-under-Lyne. He was elected at Elland in 1922 but lost the seat in 1923. He won it again in 1924 and held it until 1929.

References

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
George Taylor Ramsden
Member of Parliament for Elland
19221923
Succeeded by
Sir Robert Kay
Preceded by
Sir Robert Kay
Member of Parliament for Elland
19241929
Succeeded by
Charles Buxton
Party political offices
Preceded by
Keir Hardie
Chair of the Labour Party
1910–1911
Succeeded by
Ben Turner
Trade union offices
Preceded by
J. Ashton
General Secretary of the Amalgamated Association of Beamers, Twisters and Drawers
1890 – 1931
Succeeded by
James Stott
Preceded by
William Mullin
President of the United Textile Factory Workers' Association
1913 – 1919
Succeeded by
Walter Gee
Preceded by
Edward L. Poulton and Herbert Smith
Trades Union Congress representative to the American Federation of Labour
1923
With: Robert Barrie Walker
Succeeded by
Charlie Cramp and Alonzo Swales


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