W. P. Watkins

William Pascoe Watkins (5 December 1893 – 2 January 1995) was an English co-operator and writer who served as director of the International Co-operative Alliance from 1951 to 1963.

W. P. Watkins
Born	William Pascoe Watkins (1893-12-05)5 December 1893 Plymouth, Devon, England
Died	2 January 1995(1995-01-02) (aged 101)
Education	University of London
Movement	Co-operative
Spouse	Mary Underwood ​ (m. 1925)​
Father	William Henry Watkins

Biography

Watkins was born in Plymouth, Devon, the son of co-operator William Henry Watkins.^[1][2] Watkins trained as a teacher and was awarded a degree in philosophy and economics from the University of London, and served in France during the First World War.^[1]

In 1920, he began working as a tutor at the Co-operative College.^[1][3] In 1929 he joined the secretariat of the International Co-operative Alliance, then from 1940 he worked in the editorial staff of the Reynold's News. In 1946 he was appointed as an advisor on co-operatives to the Control Commission for Germany, rehabilitating the country's consumer co-operative movement, for which in 1959 he was awarded the Cross of Merit from the Federal Republic of Germany.^[1][4] In 1951 he was appointed director of the International Co-operative Alliance, retiring in 1963.^[1][3]

Watkins died 2 January 1995 aged 101.^[1]

Books

• Hall, F.; Watkins, W. P. (1934). Co-operation: A Survey of the History, Principles, and Organisation of the Co-operative Movement in Great Britain and Ireland. Manchester: The Co-operative Union.^[5][1]
• Watkins, W. P. (1970). The International Co-operative Alliance 1895–1970. London: International Co-operative Alliance.^[6][7][8]
• Watkins, W. P. (1986). Co-operative Principles: Today and Tomorrow. Manchester: Holyoake Books.^[9]

Translations

• Poisson, Ernest (1925). The Co-operative Republic. Translated by Watkins, William Pascoe.^[1]

References

1. Marshall, R L (3 January 1995). "Will Watkins". The Guardian. p. 28.
2. "Watkins, William Henry". Dictionary of Labour Biography. London: Macmillan. 1972. p. 339. ISBN 978-0-333-42757-6 – via Internet Archive.
3. Shaffer, Jack (1999). Historical Dictionary of the Cooperative Movement. Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press. pp. 408–409. ISBN 978-0-8108-3666-2 – via Internet Archive.
4. "Papers of William P. Watkins B.A. (Director of the International Co-operative Alliance 1951-1963)". Archives Hub.
5. A. P. W. (18 February 1935). "Co-operation". The Manchester Guardian. p. 5.
6. "The International Co-operative Alliance 1895–1970". International Affairs. 47 (1): 123. 1971. doi:10.1093/ia/47.1.123.
7. Orizet, J. B. (1971). "The International Co-operative Alliance 1895-1970, by W. P. Watkins". Review of International Co-operation. 64 (1): 34.
8. Lambert, Paul (1971). "The International Co-operative Alliance 1895-1970, by W. P. Watkins". Review of International Co-operation. 64 (1): 38.
9. Gray, Thomas W. (1987). "Watkins, W. P. Co-operative Principles: Today and Tomorrow. Manchester, England: Holyoake Books, 1986, xiii + 168 pp" (PDF). Journal of Agricultural Cooperation: 111–115.