Jack Cohen (politician)
Encyclopedia
Major Sir Benn Jack Brunel Cohen KBE (5 October 1886 – 11 May 1965) was a British
Conservative Party
politician and campaigner on behalf of disabled
people. He was Member of Parliament
(MP) for Liverpool Fairfield
from 13 years, from 1918 to 1931.
, where his father, Louis Cohen
, was a businessman and Conservative local politician. His family owned the Lewis's
department store
s, which Cohen's father ran after the death of David Lewis
. Both of his grandfathers were politicians in New South Wales
.
He was educated at Cheltenham College
, and then joined the family business. He married Vera Evelyn Samuel in 1914, becoming the son-in-law of Sir Stuart Samuel, 1st Baronet
. They had three children: two sons and a daughter.
, and remained in office until he stood down at the 1931 general election
. His maiden speech
in February 1919 was on the needs of disabled former servicemen, and he devoted much of his time to advancing the cause of disabled people, particular the war wounded, including problems of employment, training and war pensions.
He was involved in the discussions which led to the founding of the British Legion in 1921, and served as its honorary treasurer from 1921 to 1930, then as vice-chairman from 1930 to 1932, and again as honorary treasurer until 1946. He was effectively the parliamentary representative of the British Legion. He also served on the board of the Poppy Factory
in Richmond, as a member of the council of St Dunstan's
for 40 years, and as a governor of St Thomas' Hospital
for 33 years.
He advocated rapprochement after the First World War between the former enemy nations, and spoke at the first International Conference of the Fédération Interalliée des Anciens Combattants in New Orleans in 1922. He visited Austria, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia in the 1930s, and was criticised by British Jewish organisations for receiving visitors from Nazi Germany
in his official role with the Brirish Legion.
Cohen served as an army welfare officer in the Auxiliary Territorial Service
in the Second World War. He chaired the Ministry of Labour
's national advisory council on employment for the disabled, which spurred the passing of the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944, mandating employers to give jobs to disabled people. He became vice-chairman of Remploy
in 1946, and its chairman in 1955.
He was active in Jewish affairs, but was not a Zionist
. He was the founding president of the anti-Zionist Jewish Fellowship from 1944 until it was dissolved after the foundation of Israel
in 1948. He was also a member of the council of Cheltenham College
.
He received a knighthood in 1943, and was appointed KBE in 1948. He published an autobiography, Count Your Blessings, in 1956.
He died in London, with a memorial service at the West London Synagogue
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician and campaigner on behalf of disabled
Disability
A disability may be physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional, developmental or some combination of these.Many people would rather be referred to as a person with a disability instead of handicapped...
people. He was Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Liverpool Fairfield
Liverpool Fairfield (UK Parliament constituency)
Liverpool Fairfield was a borough constituency in Liverpool which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918, until it was abolished for the 1950 general election.-Members of Parliament:...
from 13 years, from 1918 to 1931.
Early life
Cohen was born in Toxteth Park, LiverpoolLiverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, where his father, Louis Cohen
Louis Cohen
Louis Cohen was a New York mobster who murdered labor racketeer "Kid Dropper" Nathan Kaplan and was an associate of labor racketeer Louis "Lepke" Buchalter...
, was a businessman and Conservative local politician. His family owned the Lewis's
Lewis's
Lewis's was a large department store in Liverpool city centre. It was formerly the flagship of a chain of department stores under the Lewis's name, that operated from 1856 to 1991, when the company went into administration. Several stores in the chain were bought by the company Owen Owen and...
department store
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
s, which Cohen's father ran after the death of David Lewis
David Lewis (English merchant)
David Lewis , was an English merchant and philanthropist of Jewish origin.He was born in London. Settling in Liverpool in 1840, he had by 1856 accumulated enough capital to start his own business as a boys' clothier in Bold street...
. Both of his grandfathers were politicians in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
.
He was educated at Cheltenham College
Cheltenham College
Cheltenham College is a co-educational independent school, located in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England.One of the public schools of the Victorian period, it was opened in July 1841. An Anglican foundation, it is known for its classical, military and sporting traditions.The 1893 book Great...
, and then joined the family business. He married Vera Evelyn Samuel in 1914, becoming the son-in-law of Sir Stuart Samuel, 1st Baronet
Sir Stuart Samuel, 1st Baronet
Sir Stuart Montagu Samuel, 1st Baronet was a British Liberal politician. He was the elder brother of Herbert Samuel, 1st Viscount Samuel....
. They had three children: two sons and a daughter.
War service
Cohen volunteered for military service in 1906, joining a territorial battalion of the King's Liverpool Regiment. He served with the battalion after the outbreak of the First World War, but remained in the depot in Liverpool until 1917. Meanwhile two elder brothers joined the Regiment on the Western Front in France, where one was killed in action and the second was gassed. At his own request, Cohen was sent to France in early 1917. He was promoted to Major in June 1917, but was wounded at the Third Battle of Ypres, and both legs were amputated above the knee. He used an electric wheelchair for most of his life afterwards.Political career
Cohen was elected as MP for Liverpool Fairfield in December 1918United Kingdom general election, 1918
The United Kingdom general election of 1918 was the first to be held after the Representation of the People Act 1918, which meant it was the first United Kingdom general election in which nearly all adult men and some women could vote. Polling was held on 14 December 1918, although the count did...
, and remained in office until he stood down at the 1931 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1931
The United Kingdom general election on Tuesday 27 October 1931 was the last in the United Kingdom not held on a Thursday. It was also the last election, and the only one under universal suffrage, where one party received an absolute majority of the votes cast.The 1931 general election was the...
. His maiden speech
Maiden speech
A maiden speech is the first speech given by a newly elected or appointed member of a legislature or parliament.Traditions surrounding maiden speeches vary from country to country...
in February 1919 was on the needs of disabled former servicemen, and he devoted much of his time to advancing the cause of disabled people, particular the war wounded, including problems of employment, training and war pensions.
He was involved in the discussions which led to the founding of the British Legion in 1921, and served as its honorary treasurer from 1921 to 1930, then as vice-chairman from 1930 to 1932, and again as honorary treasurer until 1946. He was effectively the parliamentary representative of the British Legion. He also served on the board of the Poppy Factory
Poppy Factory
The Poppy Factory is a factory in Richmond, Surrey, where remembrance poppies are made. It was established in 1922 and makes approximately 36 million poppies each year...
in Richmond, as a member of the council of St Dunstan's
St Dunstan's
St Dunstan's is a large national charity in the United Kingdom, providing support, rehabilitation and respite care to blind ex-service personnel of the British Armed Forces....
for 40 years, and as a governor of St Thomas' Hospital
St Thomas' Hospital
St Thomas' Hospital is a large NHS hospital in London, England. It is administratively a part of Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust. It has provided health care freely or under charitable auspices since the 12th century and was originally located in Southwark.St Thomas' Hospital is accessible...
for 33 years.
He advocated rapprochement after the First World War between the former enemy nations, and spoke at the first International Conference of the Fédération Interalliée des Anciens Combattants in New Orleans in 1922. He visited Austria, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia in the 1930s, and was criticised by British Jewish organisations for receiving visitors from Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
in his official role with the Brirish Legion.
Cohen served as an army welfare officer in the Auxiliary Territorial Service
Auxiliary Territorial Service
The Auxiliary Territorial Service was the women's branch of the British Army during the Second World War...
in the Second World War. He chaired the Ministry of Labour
Ministry of Labour
The Ministry of Labour was a British civil service department established by the New Ministries and Secretaries Act 1916. It was renamed the Employment Department in 1988, and finally abolished in 1995...
's national advisory council on employment for the disabled, which spurred the passing of the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944, mandating employers to give jobs to disabled people. He became vice-chairman of Remploy
Remploy
Remploy Ltd is a government-owned company in the United Kingdom which provides employment and employment placement services for disabled people. It was established in 1945 under the terms of the 1944 Disabled Persons Act, and opened its first factory in Bridgend, Wales, in 1946...
in 1946, and its chairman in 1955.
He was active in Jewish affairs, but was not a Zionist
Zionism
Zionism is a Jewish political movement that, in its broadest sense, has supported the self-determination of the Jewish people in a sovereign Jewish national homeland. Since the establishment of the State of Israel, the Zionist movement continues primarily to advocate on behalf of the Jewish state...
. He was the founding president of the anti-Zionist Jewish Fellowship from 1944 until it was dissolved after the foundation of Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
in 1948. He was also a member of the council of Cheltenham College
Cheltenham College
Cheltenham College is a co-educational independent school, located in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England.One of the public schools of the Victorian period, it was opened in July 1841. An Anglican foundation, it is known for its classical, military and sporting traditions.The 1893 book Great...
.
He received a knighthood in 1943, and was appointed KBE in 1948. He published an autobiography, Count Your Blessings, in 1956.
He died in London, with a memorial service at the West London Synagogue
West London Synagogue
The West London Synagogue of British Jews was established on 15 April 1840. It is one of the oldest synagogues in the United Kingdom and the oldest Reform synagogue in the UK.-History:...
.
External links
- Portrait, National Portrait Gallery