Born in Holmfirth, Turner later claimed that his family had connections to the Chartist and Luddite movements. He became a textile worker, and first joined a trade union in 1883, when he has involved in a strike of weavers in Huddersfield.[1] He worked as a full-time union organiser from 1889.[2]
A supporter of independent workers' representation, Turner was elected to a local school board in 1892, and was a founder member of the Independent Labour Party in 1893. Also that year, he was elected to Batley Town Council, serving for many years, including a stint as Mayor of Batley from 1913 to 1916.[4]
On the occasion of his Golden Wedding in 1934 Turner wrote a volume of poetry entitled "Rhymes, Verses and Poems from a Yorkshire Loom" (Pontefract, W. McGowan, 1934)
turner, politician, turner, 1863, september, 1942, english, trade, unionist, labour, party, member, parliament, batley, morley, from, 1922, 1924, from, 1929, 1931, turner, 1923, born, holmfirth, turner, later, claimed, that, family, connections, chartist, ludd. Sir Ben Turner CBE 1863 30 September 1942 was an English trade unionist and Labour Party Member of Parliament MP for Batley and Morley from 1922 to 1924 and from 1929 to 1931 Turner 1923 Born in Holmfirth Turner later claimed that his family had connections to the Chartist and Luddite movements He became a textile worker and first joined a trade union in 1883 when he has involved in a strike of weavers in Huddersfield 1 He worked as a full time union organiser from 1889 2 Turner was Secretary of the Heavy Woollen district branch of the West Riding of Yorkshire Power Loom Weavers Association from 1892 3 then General President of the General Union of Textile Workers and its successor the National Union of Textile Workers from 1902 to 1933 2 A supporter of independent workers representation Turner was elected to a local school board in 1892 and was a founder member of the Independent Labour Party in 1893 Also that year he was elected to Batley Town Council serving for many years including a stint as Mayor of Batley from 1913 to 1916 4 Turner supported the creation of the Labour Party serving on its National Executive Committee for eighteen years and as its chairman in 1911 He stood for Parliament on numerous occasions and was finally elected for Batley and Morley at the 1922 general election losing his seat in 1924 but winning it back in 1929 before losing it a final time in the 1931 election 4 He served in the Government as Secretary for Mines for a year from 1929 2 Turner was also heavily involved in the Trades Union Congress TUC acting as its delegate to the American Federation of Labour in 1910 and served as President of the TUC in 1928 the time of the talks with Sir Alfred Mond 4 5 On the occasion of his Golden Wedding in 1934 Turner wrote a volume of poetry entitled Rhymes Verses and Poems from a Yorkshire Loom Pontefract W McGowan 1934 References edit Cyril Pearce Comrades in Conscience p 306 a b c H A Clegg A History of British Trade Unions Since 1889 1911 1933 p 580 National Portrait Gallery Sir Ben Turner a b c Turner Sir Ben Who Was Who Trades Union Congress the history of the TUC 1868 1968 part 3 Archived from the original on 14 March 2012 Retrieved 9 January 2011 External links edit Ben Turner collection at National Portrait Gallery Archival Material at Leeds University Library Parliament of the United Kingdom Preceded byGerald France Member of Parliament for Batley and Morley1922 1924 Succeeded byWalter Forrest Preceded byWalter Forrest Member of Parliament for Batley and Morley1929 1931 Succeeded byWilfrid Wills Party political offices Preceded byWilliam Pickles Trades councils representative on the National Executive Committee of the Labour Representation Committee1903 1904 Succeeded byJ R Clynes Preceded byWilliam Cornforth Robinson Chair of the Labour Party1911 1912 Succeeded byGeorge Henry Roberts Trade union offices Preceded byJ R Clynes and Alfred Henry Gill Trades Union Congress representative to the American Federation of Labour1910 With William Brace Succeeded byJames Crinion and George Henry Roberts Preceded byNew position Textiles Group representative on the General Council of the TUC1921 1929 Succeeded byArthur Shaw Preceded byNew position General President of the National Union of Textile Workers1922 1933 Succeeded byClement Naylor Preceded byGeorge Hicks President of the Trades Union Congress1928 Succeeded byBen Tillett Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ben Turner politician amp oldid 1223465893, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
