Leonard Oakes (1905 – 1985) was a

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

trade unionist, politician, and co-operative activist. Born in Lancaster, Oakes received an elementary education before leaving the city to work as a clerk in a lawyer's office. When he was 20, he returned to Lancaster, working in the process department of a dyeing company. He joined the

Operative Bleachers, Dyers and Finishers Association The Operative Bleachers, Dyers and Finishers Association, also known as the Bolton Amalgamation, was a trade union representing cotton finishers in the vicinity of Bolton. History The union was founded in 1866 in Bolton and by 1871 already had m ...

(the "Bolton Amalgamation"), soon becoming secretary of its local branch, then serving on its national executive. Oakes continued his education, with the

Workers' Educational Association The Workers' Educational Association (WEA), founded in 1903, is the UK's largest voluntary sector provider of adult education and one of Britain's biggest charities. The WEA is a democratic and voluntary adult education movement. It delivers lea ...

, and the

National Council of Labour Colleges The National Council of Labour Colleges (NCLC) was an organisation set up in the United Kingdom to foster independent working class education. The organisation was founded at a convention held in the Clarion Club House, Yardley, Birmingham on 8/9 O ...

, and this inspired him to join the

Independent Labour Party The Independent Labour Party (ILP) was a British political party of the left, established in 1893 at a conference in Bradford, after local and national dissatisfaction with the Liberals' apparent reluctance to endorse working-class candidates ...

, and the co-operative movement. He won a seat on

Lancaster City Council The City of Lancaster () is a local government district of Lancashire, England, with the status of a city and non-metropolitan district. It is named after its largest settlement, Lancaster, but covers a far larger area, which includes the tow ...

, representing the Labour Party, and also stood unsuccessfully in

Royton Royton is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, Greater Manchester, England, with a population of 21,284 in 2011. Close to the source of the River Irk, near undulating land at the foothills of the South Pennines, it is northwest of Old ...

in the

1935 UK general election The 1935 United Kingdom general election was held on Thursday 14 November 1935 and resulted in a large, albeit reduced, majority for the National Government now led by Stanley Baldwin of the Conservative Party. The greatest number of members, a ...

, sponsored by his union. In 1936, the Bolton Amalgamation became part of the new

National Union of Dyers, Bleachers and Textile Workers The National Union of Dyers, Bleachers and Textile Workers (NUDBTW) was a trade union in the United Kingdom. History The union was founded in 1936 with the merger of the National Union of Textile Workers, which was the main union representing ...

, with Oakes continuing to serve on the executive, then as president of the union in 1939/40. He resigned in 1941 to begin working for the Labour Department of the

Co-operative Union Co-operatives UK is a British co-operative federation described as "the central membership organisation for co-operative enterprise throughout the UK". It was founded in 1870 as the Co-operative Central Board, changing its name to the Co-oper ...

, relocating to Manchester. In 1949, he became the organisation's assistant labour adviser, then its labour adviser in 1954, retiring in 1969. In 1965, he represented the Co-operative Union at the

Trades Union Congress The Trades Union Congress (TUC) is a national trade union centre A national trade union center (or national center or central) is a federation or confederation of trade unions in a country. Nearly every country in the world has a national tra ...

, and was awarded the Gold Badge of Congress in recognition of his service.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Oakes, Leonard 1905 births 1985 deaths Councillors in Lancashire Labour Party (UK) councillors Labour Party (UK) parliamentary candidates People from Lancaster, Lancashire Presidents of British trade unions