Dent, John James., 1856-1936

John James Dent was born in 1856 and began his career as a labourer, helping in the construction of Victoria District railway station at the age of ten and proceeding to work on various other large scale building projects. He continued in this role until 1883 when he was elected as the secretary of the Club and Institute Union, a role which led to him meeting many influential people such as Anthony J. Mundella, the President of the Board of Trade. In 1896 Mundella offered Dent the post of Labour Correspondent within the newly formed Labour Department. He also continued his work in the club movement and was promoted to president in 1909, a role he remained in for thirteen years. During this time he also carried out much work for the Management Committee of the Emigrants Information Office, for which he had conferred upon him the Order of Companion of St. Michael and St. George.

In 1884 Dent also became involved in the promotion of the Co-operative Building Society as an auditor until 1920 when he was elected to the post of Director and in this position he was instrumental in founding several co-operatives in Southern England. He helped to set up a co-operative in Chelsea in 1874, which failed due to lack of capital, and again in 1881, which was a much more successful venture. As well as this he was one of the founders of the Tenant Co-operators Ltd. in 1888 and also the Southern Co-operative Education Committee, where he did a lot of work. His contributions to the Women’s Co-operative Guild and Women’s Trade Union League were also noted by his contemporaries at a time when they were just beginning to take their first steps. He also attended fifty of the annual co-operative congresses during his career.

In his personal life Dent married Alice Chicken at an early age and had six children with her. She died in 1910 and Dent did not remarry after this. He himself died on the 21st of February 1936 at home in Camberwell.

From the guide to the Papers of John James Dent (Co-operative Permanent Building Society), 1876 - 1928, (National Co-operative Archive)