Researching Robert Small

Small studied at the Ontario College of Art before working for advertising company E. L. Ruddy (since acquired by Claude Neon), becoming the company's production manager by his retirement.

Between 1947 and 1951, Small was the Canadian Grand Master of the Orange Lodge, in which he participated for much of his life. In 1928, he gained controversy when he spoke out against federal plans to issue government cheques in both English and French, as proposed in a Liberal party private member's bill.

Small was first elected at the Danforth riding in the 1953 general election and served three consecutive terms in Parliament before finishing second to New Democratic candidate Reid Scott in the 1962 election. Small was again unsuccessful at Danforth in the 1963 election, placing third in that campaign behind Scott and Liberal candidate John Whitehead.

On 5 October 1976, Small died at his Toronto home. He was predeceased by his wife in 1961, and by a son in World War II, but survived by one daughter.

Small was born in Glasgow, the second son of William Small, who became the secretary of the Lanarkshire Miners' County Union (LCMU), and Janet "Jessie" Bell Scott. Robert was the younger brother of William B. Small and older brother of Lothian Small. Robert followed his father and William B. by becoming an agent of the LCMU; in his case, covering the Harthill area.

The LCMU was part of the Scottish Miners' Federation (SMF), so when the Amalgamated Miners and Manual Workers Union (AMMW) in West Lothian left the SMF, Small was sent to the area to attempt to found a rival union. He tried to persuade leading activist James Doonan to join the new endeavour, but Doonan refused, and eventually the AMMW rejoined the SMF. Although not a success, this did lead to him spending a period as secretary of the small Scottish Shale Miners and Manual Workers' Union.

Small's father had been a founder member of the Independent Labour Party (ILP), and Small joined in 1907, soon becoming its Scottish secretary. The ILP was affiliated to the Labour Party and, as a result, Small stood for Labour in North West Lanarkshire at the January 1910 general election, but took only 9.7% of the vote and third place. Soon after, he joined the more radical Social Democratic Federation (SDF), for whom he stood for Lanarkshire County Council later in the year, but again missed out on election. The SDF later became the British Socialist Party, which considered putting Small forward as a candidate in the 1913 Linlithgowshire by-election, although it ultimately did not do so. Small appears to have remained a member of the ILP and on good terms with its leaders during this period.

Small took a variety of full-time trade union posts, including Scottish Organiser of the General Federation of Trade Unions, and Glasgow and Clyde Organiser of the Workers' Union. He also became the first Glasgow secretary of the Workers' Educational Association.

He died in London in 1918.