Robinson Graham (1878 – 13 May 1953) was a British

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 benefits ( ...

and

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, a ...

. Born in

Burnley Burnley () is a town and the administrative centre of the wider Borough of Burnley in Lancashire, England, with a 2001 population of 73,021. It is north of Manchester and east of Preston, at the confluence of the River Calder and River ...

, Graham became a weaver and was active in the Burnley Weavers' Association, becoming its assistant secretary in 1911 and serving for many years. He was also active in Labour Party, for whom he stood in the

1920 Nelson and Colne by-election The 1920 Nelson and Colne by-election was held on 17 June 1920 after the resignation of the incumbent Labour Labour or labor may refer to: * Childbirth, the delivery of a baby * Labour (human activity), or work ** Manual labour, physical work ...

."Mr. Robinson Graham, M.P., and his party", ''

Manchester Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and '' The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the G ...

'', 5 December 1921 He won the seat,Michael Stenton and Stephen Lees, ''Who's Who of British Members of Parliament'', vol.3, p.133 but fell out with the

United Textile Factory Workers' Association The United Textile Factory Workers' Association (UTFWA) was a trade union federation in Great Britain. It was active from 1889 until 1975. Objectives The federation was founded in 1889, to represent the various textile workers' unions in polit ...

, which was sponsoring his candidacy, and the Labour Party leadership, and was pressured into standing down at the 1922 general election. He concentrated on his trade union office; in 1941, he became secretary of the Burnley Weavers, serving until 1947. He died on 13 May 1953.''Barnoldswick & Earby Times''
Friday 16 October 1953

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Graham, Robinson 1878 births 1953 deaths English trade unionists Labour Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies People from Burnley United Textile Factory Workers' Association-sponsored MPs UK MPs 1918–1922