{{Short description|British trade unionist and politician}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}} {{Use British English|date=March 2017}} {{infobox politician | name = Robinson Graham | image = Robinson Graham c1920.jpg | office = Member of Parliament <br> for Nelson and Colne | term_start = June 1920 | term_end = October 1922 | predecessor = Albert Smith | successor = Arthur Greenwood | birth_date = 1878 | birth_place = Burnley, Lancashire | death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|1953|05|13|1878||}} | death_place = Burnley, Lancashire | spouse = | children = | party = Labour Party }}
'''Robinson Graham''' (1878 – 13 May 1953) was a British trade unionist and politician.
Born in Burnley, Graham became a weaver and was active in the Burnley Weavers' Association, becoming its assistant secretary in 1911 and serving for many years.<ref>''The Liberal Year Book'' (1919), p.65</ref> He was also active in Labour Party, for whom he stood in the 1920 Nelson and Colne by-election.<ref name="party">{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-guardian/172075785/ |title=Mr. Robinson Graham, M.P., and his party |newspaper=Manchester Guardian |page=12 |date=5 December 1921}}</ref> He won the seat,<ref name="stenton">Michael Stenton and Stephen Lees, ''Who's Who of British Members of Parliament'', vol.3, p.133</ref> but fell out with the United Textile Factory Workers' Association, which was sponsoring his candidacy, and the Labour Party leadership, and was pressured into standing down at the 1922 general election.<ref name="party" /><ref>''Labour History Review'', vol.64, no.1, p.16</ref> He was only one of two Labour MPs to not seek re-election.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sunday-people/172075754/ |newspaper=The Sunday People |title=Political items |page=20 |date=29 October 1922}}</ref> He concentrated on his trade union office; in 1941, he became secretary of the Burnley Weavers, serving until 1947.<ref name="stenton"/>
Towards the end of his life, Graham developed loss of sight and became depressed after his wife died.<ref name="men_15may1953">{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/manchester-evening-news/172049245/ |newspaper=Manchester Evening News |title=Former M.P., blind, gassed himself |page=9 |date=15 May 1953}}</ref> He died on 13 May 1953<ref>[https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001529/19531016/086/0004 ''Barnoldswick & Earby Times''], Friday 16 October 1953</ref> from inhalation of coal gas.<ref name="men_15may1953"/>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-par|uk}} {{succession box| | title = Member of Parliament for Nelson and Colne | years = 1920–1922 | before = Albert Smith | after = Arthur Greenwood }} {{s-npo|union}} {{succession box |title=Secretary of the Burnley Weavers' Association |years=1940 – 1947|before=James Hindle|after=Harold Dickinson}} {{s-end}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Graham, Robinson}} Category:1878 births Category:1953 deaths Category:British trade unionists Category:Labour Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies Category:People from Burnley Category:United Textile Factory Workers' Association-sponsored MPs Category:UK MPs 1918–1922