Robert Last

Robert Last (11 September 1829 – 1898) was a British trade unionist.

Born in Norwich, Last left school at the age of fifteen and completed an apprenticeship as a builder. In 1856, he moved to Manchester, having heard that higher wages were available there. Once he arrived, he joined the General Union of Carpenters and Joiners (GUC&J), and soon became secretary of his local lodge.

The headquarters of the GUC&J rotated between various cities, and each in turn elected a general secretary. Last was elected as secretary, on a platform of reorganisation. He persuaded members to accept new rules and benefits, and a new system where all union members voted for the secretary. On that basis, he was repeatedly re-elected, but was forced to move to Bristol in 1868 and Birmingham in 1872, as the headquarters continued to rotate.

Last was firmly opposed to the ASC&J, and also to the Junta. He worked closely with George Potter to maintain a reputation for being more radical than the ASC&J, and established new lodges around the country. By 1876, when he stood down, membership of the union had reached a record of 11,841, although this fell away rapidly after his departure.

In his spare time, Last was a keen butterfly collector.