John William Bowen

John William Bowen (8 May 1876 – 1 April 1965) was a British trade unionist and politician.

Born and educated in Gowerton in Glamorgan, Bowen left school aged eleven to work at the Post Office. He soon became an active trade unionist, joining the Postmen's Federation, of which he became chair in 1916.^[1] He was also active in the Labour Party and stood unsuccessfully for it in Newport, Monmouthshire at the 1918 UK general election.^[2]

In 1919, Bowen moved to London to take up the role of treasurer of the Postmen's Federation. In this post, he was involved in negotiating the merger of various unions to form the Union of Post Office Workers, and was elected as its first general secretary. He also served on the General Council of the Trades Union Congress and was on the council of Ruskin College for many years, becoming its chairman in 1948.^[1]

Bowen stood for election repeatedly in Newport, at a 1922 by-election and the 1922, 1923 and 1924 UK general elections, but was never elected. At the 1929 UK general election, he instead stood in Crewe and immediately won the seat, but he lost it in 1931 and failed to win it back in 1935.^[2]

Bowen stood down as secretary of the Post Office Workers in 1936, and was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire three years later.^[2] In 1940, he was elected to London County Council for Wandsworth Central. He lost the seat in 1949, but despite no longer being a member of the council, the Labour group ensured his election as the council's Chair. He served in the position for three years, winning an aldermanic seat in 1951 to remain on the council after his time as chair finished.^[1] He was knighted in 1953, and remained on the council until 1961.^[2]

References

1. "Obituary: Sir William Bowen", The Times, 2 April 1965
2. Michael Stenton and Stephen Lees, Who's Who of British Members of Parliament, vol.3, p.37