Benjamin Dean (3 July 1839 – 5 March 1910) was a Britishtrade union leader.
Born in Rushall, then in Staffordshire, Dean began working at a lime pit at the age of ten. His father died two years later, he found work in Wednesbury to support the family. Around the age of eighteen, he joined the Primitive Methodists, and became interested in trade unionism, leading a branch at his local pit before, in 1887, becoming the first agent of the Pelsall District Miners' Association.[1]
As the leading figure in the Pelsall Miners, Dean persuaded it to affiliate to the Midland Miners' Federation, and was rewarded with the post of treasurer of the federation. Through this role, he attended the first conference of the Miners' Federation of Great Britain (MFGB), and later served on the MFGB's executive committee on six occasions. He appears to have briefly served as secretary of the Midland Miners, but was consistently re-elected as secretary of the Pelsall Miners. However, from 1890, he no longer worked as a miner, instead running a tobacconist business in Walsall.[1]
In 1890, Dean was also elected to Walsall Town Council, serving as a Liberal-Labour member. He became the town's first working class magistrate in 1893, and served as mayor of the town in 1906. In 1907, he played little role in the dispute over MFGB affiliation to the Labour Party, but personally remained committed to the Liberals until his death in 1910.[1] He was succeeded as secretary of the Pelsall miners by one of his sons, Frederick James Dean.[2]
References
^ abcJohn Saville, "Dean, Benjamin (1839-1910)", Dictionary of Labour Biography, vol.I, pp.100-101
^Eric Taylor, "Dean, Frederick James (1868-1941)", Dictionary of Labour Biography, vol.II, pp.117-119
benjamin, dean, trade, unionist, benjamin, dean, july, 1839, march, 1910, british, trade, union, leader, born, rushall, then, staffordshire, dean, began, working, lime, father, died, years, later, found, work, wednesbury, support, family, around, eighteen, joi. Benjamin Dean 3 July 1839 5 March 1910 was a British trade union leader Born in Rushall then in Staffordshire Dean began working at a lime pit at the age of ten His father died two years later he found work in Wednesbury to support the family Around the age of eighteen he joined the Primitive Methodists and became interested in trade unionism leading a branch at his local pit before in 1887 becoming the first agent of the Pelsall District Miners Association 1 As the leading figure in the Pelsall Miners Dean persuaded it to affiliate to the Midland Miners Federation and was rewarded with the post of treasurer of the federation Through this role he attended the first conference of the Miners Federation of Great Britain MFGB and later served on the MFGB s executive committee on six occasions He appears to have briefly served as secretary of the Midland Miners but was consistently re elected as secretary of the Pelsall Miners However from 1890 he no longer worked as a miner instead running a tobacconist business in Walsall 1 In 1890 Dean was also elected to Walsall Town Council serving as a Liberal Labour member He became the town s first working class magistrate in 1893 and served as mayor of the town in 1906 In 1907 he played little role in the dispute over MFGB affiliation to the Labour Party but personally remained committed to the Liberals until his death in 1910 1 He was succeeded as secretary of the Pelsall miners by one of his sons Frederick James Dean 2 References Edit a b c John Saville Dean Benjamin 1839 1910 Dictionary of Labour Biography vol I pp 100 101 Eric Taylor Dean Frederick James 1868 1941 Dictionary of Labour Biography vol II pp 117 119 Trade union officesPreceded byNew position Secretary of the Pelsall District Miners Association1887 1910 Succeeded byFrederick James DeanPreceded byS H Whitehouse General Secretary of the Midland Miners Federation1888 1890 Succeeded byAlbert Stanley Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Benjamin Dean trade unionist amp oldid 1081772492, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
