Watkins, William. Director of the International Co-operative Alliance, 1951-1963

William P. Watkins was born in Plymouth, England in 1893 to a civil servant prominent within local and national Co-operative circles. His lifelong service to the advancement of the Co-operative movement is rivalled only by a few.

Originally training as a school master W. Watkins, like many during this era, had to put his career aspirations on hold due to the outbreak of World War 1. On the completion of his military service, William Watkins was awarded scholarship by the British Co-operative Union to study relations between consumer and agricultural Co-operatives. He continued his education in Ireland and in 1920 he would go onto put to use his early school master training by becoming a tutor at the Co-operative College.

...