, ▁domin ating ▁it ▁until ▁his ▁ret irement ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 9 . ▁ ▁Stevens ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁B irmingham ▁City ▁Council ▁on ▁its ▁formation ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 9 , ▁defe ating ▁Aust en ▁Chamber lain , ▁retain ing ▁his ▁seat ▁as ▁a ▁Liberal - Lab our ▁member ▁until ▁ 1 9 0 7 . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁ 1 9 0 0 ▁general ▁election , ▁he ▁stood ▁in ▁B irmingham ▁East , ▁but ▁lost ▁heavily , ▁and ▁was ▁again ▁defeated ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 9 1 0 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 7 , ▁the ▁annual ▁Tr ades ▁Union ▁Congress ▁was ▁held ▁in ▁B irmingham , ▁and ▁Stevens ▁served ▁as ▁its ▁President . ▁ ▁He ▁also ▁held ▁various ▁prominent ▁roles ▁on ▁the ▁B irmingham ▁Tr ades ▁Council , ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Committee ▁of ▁Organ ised ▁Labour ▁for ▁Old ▁Age ▁P ensions , ▁and ▁was ▁prominent ▁in ▁the ▁An cient ▁Order ▁of ▁Forest ers . ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁Category : 1 8 5 2 ▁birth s ▁Category : 1 9 2 5 ▁death s ▁Category : C oun c ill ors ▁in ▁B irmingham , ▁West ▁Mid lands ▁Category : L ead ers ▁of ▁British ▁trade ▁un ions ▁Category : L iber al - Lab our ▁( UK ) ▁polit icians ▁Category : Pe ople ▁from ▁Br istol ▁Category : Pres idents ▁of ▁the ▁Tr ades ▁Union ▁Congress <0x0A> </s> ▁The ▁English man ' s ▁Boy ▁is ▁a ▁novel ▁by ▁Guy ▁V ander