Crooks, Will: born in a one-roomed home, 1; taken into the workhouse, 9; sent to a Poor Law school, 11; an errand-boy, 16, 26; at George Green schools, 19; at Sunday School, 19; books of his youth, 22; at work in a smithy, 33; apprenticed to coopering, 36; nicknamed "Young John Bright," 37; first marriage, 43; dismissed as an agitator, 44; out of work, 44, 51; tramping experiences, 45; finds work at Liverpool, 46, 50; his child's death there, 46; gets work as a dock labourer, 50; his "college" at the dock gates, 57-66; his part in the Great Dock Strike, 67; a dangerous illness, 69; death of his first wife, 72; his second marriage, 73; the Will Crooks Wages Fund formed, 75; his election to the London County Council, 76; declines a partnership, 81; refuses a rent-free house, 82; his work on the L.C.C., 85-104; helps to formulate the Fair Wage Clause, 87; is chosen Chairman of the Public Control Committee, 94; declines the Vice-chairmanship of the L.C.C., 98; secures open spaces for Poplar, 98; his overcoat stolen, 99; pleads the cause of good craftsmanship, 100; the Blackwall Tunnel one of his monuments, 101; is chosen Chairman of the Bridges Committee, 102; becomes a Guardian for Poplar, 105; is elected Chairman of the Board, 112; changes the composition of the Board and of its staff, 112; abolishes the pauper's garb, 114; reforms the workhouse, 114-118; sends Poor Law children to Board Schools, 120; provides a home for them, 123; his work on the Metropolitan Asylums Board, 128-43; a peace-maker among the poor, 144; chosen Mayor of Poplar, 154; organises the King's Dinner to the Poor at Poplar, 169; receives the Prince and Princess of Wales, 169; raises funds for a Coronation treat to children, 170; his policy of paying old age pensions through the Poor Law, 175-85; his first election for Woolwich, 186-201; his maiden speech, 202; advocates the payment of members, 204; introduces a Women's Enfranchisement Bill, 206; retires from the Poplar Borough Council, 212; up and down the country, 213; ridicules Protection and Preference, 213-18; his efforts for the unemployed, 219-51; advocates the provision of useful work, 221; his activity as a member of the Poplar Distress Committee, 223-26; his scheme for a Central Unemployed Committee adopted by Mr. Walter Long, 232; his appeal to Mr. Balfour for rating powers for providing work, 237-40; overwork and illness, 241-42; secures the passing of the Unemployed Bill, 244-47; his children, 252-53; his home life described by the _World_, 253; his morning's work sketched by Mr. G. R. Sims, 255-56; his many-sided activity, 257-60; his temperance work, 260; his relations with the Free Churches, 262-63; his schemes for colonising England, 264-70; defends the Poplar Board of Guardians at the Local Government Inquiry (1906), 272;