Charles William Bowerman PC (22 January 1851 – 11 June 1947), often known as C. W. Bowerman, was a British trade unionist and politician.

Life

Born in Honiton, Bowerman moved to Clerkenwell in London at an early age. On leaving education, he worked as a jeweller and then a compositor. In 1872 he briefly worked for Hour newspaper before moving to The Daily Telegraph. He joined the London Society of Compositors in 1873 and became its General Secretary in 1892, a post he held until 1906.

In 1893, Bowerman joined the Fabian Society, and in 1897, he was elected to the Parliamentary Committee of the Trades Union Congress, the body which later became the General Council. In 1901, was elected as a Progressive Party alderman on London County Council, a position he held until 1907.

Bowerman was the President of the TUC in 1901, and the Secretary of the Parliamentary Committee from 1911 until 1921, when he became the organisation's first General Secretary. He retired from the post in 1923.

In 1906, Bowerman was elected as the Labour Party Member of Parliament for Deptford, a post he retained until the 1931 general election, becoming a privy councillor in 1916.

In the years following his defeat, Bowerman joined the Next Five Years Group, the council of Ruskin College and the board of directors of the Co-operative Printing Society.

He died on 11 June 1947.

Legacy

There is a plaque commemorating Bowerman on 4 Battledean Road, a house in London N5.

External links

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded byArthur Henry Aylmer MortonMember of Parliament for Deptford 19061931Succeeded byDenis Hanley
Preceded byT. P. O'ConnorOldest Member of Parliament (not Father of the House) 1929–1931Succeeded bySamuel Samuel
Trade union offices
Preceded byC. J. DrummondGeneral Secretary of the London Society of Compositors 1892–1906Succeeded byThomas Naylor
Preceded byWilliam InskipTreasurer of the Trades Union Congress 1899–1901Succeeded byW. C. Steadman
Preceded byFrancis ChandlerChairman of the Parliamentary Committee of the Trades Union Congress 1900
Preceded byWilliam PicklesPresident of the Trades Union Congress 1901
Preceded byW. C. SteadmanSecretary of the Parliamentary Committee of the Trades Union Congress 1911–1921Office abolished
New officeGeneral Secretary of the Trades Union Congress 1921–1923Succeeded byFred Bramley