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

trade unionist A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and Employee ben ...

. Cooper was born and grew up in

Norwich Norwich () is a cathedral city and district of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. Norwich is by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. As the seat of the See of Norwich, with ...

, where he completed an apprenticeship in cigar-making. He subsequently moved to London, where he became active in the Cigar Makers' Mutual Association."Death of Mr Ben Cooper", ''

The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fou ...

'', 17 January 1920 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. At the 1892 London County Council election, he was elected as a Labour and

Progressive Party Progressive Party may refer to: Active parties * Progressive Party, Brazil * Progressive Party (Chile) * Progressive Party of Working People, Cyprus * Dominica Progressive Party * Progressive Party (Iceland) * Progressive Party (Sardinia), Ita ...

candidate in Bow and Bromley. Cooper's newfound prominence led to his election to the

Parliamentary Committee of the Trades Union Congress A parliamentary system, or parliamentarian democracy, is a system of democratic governance of a state (or subordinate entity) where the executive derives its democratic legitimacy from its ability to command the support ("confidence") of the ...

, and he held his seat on the council for many years. He also served on the council of the General Federation of Trade Unions.

Tobacco Workers' Union The Tobacco Workers' Union (TWU) was a trade union representing workers in all areas of the tobacco industry in the United Kingdom. History The union was founded in 1834 in London as the Friendly Society of Operative Tobacconists. Two years ...

, ''The Tobacco Workers' Union, 1834–1984'', p.10 Cooper stood as a Liberal-Labour candidate in the 1907 Stepney by-election, but he was easily defeated by

Frederick Leverton Harris Frederick Leverton Harris (17 December 1864 – 14 November 1926) was a British businessman and Conservative Party politician. He sat in the House of Commons for three periods between 1900 and 1918. His role in Parliament was largely insignific ...

. 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 {{short description, Former trade union of the United Kingdom The National Cigar and Tobacco Workers' Union was a trade union representing tobacco workers in the United Kingdom. The union was founded in 1918 when the Female Cigar Makers' Protectio ...

. He became the first leader of the new union, but retired shortly afterwards,Tobacco Workers' Union, ''The Tobacco Workers' Union, 1834–1984'', p.10 and died in January 1920.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cooper, Ben 1854 births 1920 deaths British trade union leaders Liberal-Labour (UK) politicians Members of London County Council Members of the Parliamentary Committee of the Trades Union Congress Politicians from Norwich Progressive Party (London) politicians