William Robert Robins

William Robert Robins (1886 – 1959) was a British trade unionist and politician.

Born in Derby, Robins was brought up as a Primitive Methodist. He found work as a railway clerk, and moved to Swindon. In 1908, he joined the Railway Clerks' Association (RCA). Three years later, the RCA had enough members in the town to form a branch, and he became its first organising secretary, serving until 1919. From 1918 until 1921, he also served as the secretary of Swindon Trades Council, and in 1919, he was elected as a Labour Party member of the town council. From 1918 until 1925, he was the chair of the RCA's Western Divisional Council, then from 1925 until 1931, he served on the union's executive committee.[1][2]

Robins stood in Cirencester and Tewkesbury at the 1922 and 1923 United Kingdom general elections, with the sponsorship of his union. On each occasion, he took second place, with about one third of the vote.[1] He was also unsuccessful in Chippenham at the 1929, 1931 and 1935 United Kingdom general elections,[3] and although he was selected as Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Exeter in 1939, no election took place until 1945, by which time he had been replaced.[4]

Robins became increasingly prominent in local politics. In 1928, he was elected as an alderman, then served as Mayor of Swindon for 1932/33. In the 1948 Birthday Honours, he was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, while in 1951, he was awarded the Freedom of Swindon.[2][5] He served as the first chair of the committee which produced the Victoria County History of Wiltshire, resigning shortly before his death in 1959.[6]

References
  1. The Labour Who's Who. London: Labour Publishing Company. 1927. p. 184.
  2. Wallace, Malcolm (1996). Single or return. Transport Salaried Staffs' Association. p. 543.
  3. The Times House of Commons. London: The Times. 1935. p. 123.
  4. Report of the Annual Conference of the Labour Party, 1939
  5. "No. 38311". The London Gazette. 10 June 1948. pp. 3365–3396.
  6. 'Editorial note', in A History of the County of Wiltshire: Volume 6 (1962), p. XIII online


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