John William Roberts
Clothing worker, trade unionist, political activist
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The basics
Quick Facts
| Intro | Clothing worker, trade unionist, political activist | |
| Places | New Zealand | |
| was | Activist Trade unionist | |
| Work field | Activism | |
| Gender |
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| Birth | 1885 | |
| Death | 12 June 1962 (aged 77 years) |
The details
Biography
John William Roberts (1885–1962) was a New Zealand clothing worker, trade unionist and political activist. He was born in Holbeck, Yorkshire, England in 1885.
A conscientious objector in World War I, Roberts was deprived of civil liberties for ten years, and was unable to return to politics after the war, so joined the trade union movement instead, serving across a range of unions. In the build up to and during World War II, he actively campaigned against conscription, unlike other World War I conscientious-objectors-cum-labour-supporters such as Peter Fraser.