Jowett, Alderman Frederick William

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Portrait of Alderman Frederick William Jowett

from John Sowden's notebooks:

"Mr Jowett was born in Bradford in 1864 and worked in a Bradford factory as a half timer when eight years of age. He attended classes at the Mechanics’ Institute and became a student at the Technical College.

For 20 years he worked as a weaving overlooker and afterwards acted as assistant to a Bradford manufacturer. In his early years he was a Radical and a Co-operator, but afterwards studying Ruskin and Carlyle and others altered his views. Mr Jowett first came into public notice in 1887 and in the next few years he took an active part in the formation of the Labour Electoral Association, the predecessor of the Independent Labour Party. He was elected to the City Council in 1892 and re-elected in 1895. In the same year he was elected Alderman. His term of office was one of great activity, especially under his chairmanship of the Sanitary Committee. He remained in the City Council until 1904.

Mr Jowett acted for several years as secretary of the Bradford Trades Council and the Bradford and District Independent Labour Party. He served two years on the Council of the Bradford Technical College. In 1909 Mr Jowett was elected chairman of the Independent Labour Party. In 1900 he was defeated in the Parliamentary contest in West Bradford by a small majority, but he was successful in unseating Sir Ernest Flower in 1906. In Parliament he has devoted special attention to industrial questions. He was made a Justice of the Peace in 1909."

Year

1905

Creator

John Sowden

Image filename

sowden-56