An unknown Chesterton piece - the introduction to the life of Labour MP Will Crooks

[fpb]

Mr. Will Crooks, as I know him in his own house at Poplar and in that other House at Westminster, always seems to me to be something far greater than a Labour Member of Parliament. He stands out as the supreme type of the English working classes, who have chosen him as one of their representatives

Comments

Thanks for this.

[joetexx]

I don't recall ever hearing of Crooks, though I am fairly familiar with most of the leading names of the early Fabian and Labour movements. His wikipedia entry has links to two biographies, one on Gutenberg.

You have a gift for uncovering interesting Chestertonia. The review of the life of George IV was eye-opening.

[ext_1489342]

Crooks was a leading figure in the early days of the Labour movement (the 4th ever Labour MP and the first Labour Mayor in London). I've read two of the biographies on his life. From Workhouse to Westminster by George Haw is a good read, although it doesn't cover the whole life of Crooks. I think it was written in 1908 or something like that and Crooks' political career lasted until 1921 when he died. I just read a more recent account on his life and that book covered his whole life, and what a life it was. It's quite a story. That book is: Where there's a Will, there's a way, by jim Crooks