President of the Trades Union Congress

The President of the Trades Union Congress is a prominent but largely honorary position in British trade unionism.

Initially, the post of president was elected at the annual Trades Union Congress (TUC) itself, and would serve just for the duration of the congress. Early standing orders stated that preference had to be given to a candidate from the city where the congress was being held; they were not necessarily well-known figures.^[1]

In 1900, the standing orders were changed to state that the presidency would be filled by the person who had chaired the Parliamentary Committee over the previous year. As a result, before 1900, numerous people served as Chair of the Parliamentary Committee without becoming President; after this date, Presidents were prominent figures in the national trade union movement.^[2] The Parliamentary Committee was replaced by the General Council in 1921, and the system continued.

There were still rare occasions where the Chair did not become President. Margaret Bondfield, who was elected as Chair in 1923, resigned to accept a government post before becoming President.^[3] George Isaacs, who was elected as Chair in 1944, similarly resigned to accept a government post, and was replaced by the vice-president: Ebby Edwards, who had president over the previous year's congress.^[4]

In recent years, the President has once more been elected at the annual congress, but now officially fills the office for the remainder of the year and then presides over the following year's conference (in the years listed below).

List of presidents

Year	Name	Union
1868	Wood, William HenryWilliam Henry Wood	Manchester and Salford Trades Council
1869	Wilkinson, ThomasThomas Wilkinson	Flint Glass Makers Friendly Society
1871	Potter, GeorgeGeorge Potter	London Working Men's Association
1872	Leatherland, W. H.W. H. Leatherland	Organised Trade Association
1873	Lishman, WilliamWilliam Lishman	Leeds Trades Council
1874	Rolley, WilliamWilliam Rolley	Sheffield Federated Trades Council
1875	Fitzpatrick, JamesJames Fitzpatrick	Liverpool Trades Council
1875	Battersby, JohnJohn Battersby	Scottish Typographical Association
1876	Laird, James C.James C. Laird	Newcastle Trades Council
1877	Merrick, DanielDaniel Merrick	Leicester Boot and Shoe Finishers
1878	Jones, George FowlerGeorge Fowler Jones	Bristol Trades Council
1879	Gibson, DavidDavid Gibson	Edinburgh and District Trades Council
1880	Murphy, JohnJohn Murphy	Friendly Society of Ironfounders
1881	Coulson, EdwinEdwin Coulson	Operative Bricklayers' Society
1882	Austin, RobertRobert Austin	Amalgamated Society of Engineers
1883	Smith, ThomasThomas Smith	National Union of Boot and Shoe Riveters
1884	Thompson, JamesJames Thompson	Aberdeen Trades Council
1885	Threlfall, T. R.T. R. Threlfall	Typographical Association
1886	Maddison, FrederickFrederick Maddison	Typographical Association
1887	Bevan, W.W. Bevan	Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners
1888	Shaftoe, SamuelSamuel Shaftoe	Yorkshire United Skip, Basket and Hamper Makers Society
1889	Ritchie, RobertRobert Ritchie	Dundee Trades Council
1890	Matkin, WilliamWilliam Matkin	General Union of Carpenters and Joiners
1891	Burt, ThomasThomas Burt	Northumberland Miners' Association
1892	Hodge, JohnJohn Hodge	British Steel Smelters Association
1893	Munro, SamuelSamuel Munro	Typographical Association
1894	Delves, FrankFrank Delves	Amalgamated Society of Engineers
1895	Jenkins, JohnJohn Jenkins	Associated Shipwrights' Society
1896	Mallinson, JohnJohn Mallinson	Edinburgh Trades Council
1897	Stevens, John ValentineJohn Valentine Stevens	Tinplate Workers Union
1898	O'Grady, JamesJames O'Grady	Amalgamated Union of Cabinet Makers
1899	Vernon, W. J.W. J. Vernon	Typographical Association
1900	Pickles, WilliamWilliam Pickles	National Amalgamated Society of House and Ship Painters
1901	Bowerman, C. W.C. W. Bowerman	London Society of Compositors
1902	Steadman, W. C.W. C. Steadman	River Thames Barge Builders Trades Union
1903	Boyd Hornidge, W.W. Boyd Hornidge	National Union of Boot and Shoe Operatives
1904	Bell, RichardRichard Bell	Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants
1905	Sexton, JamesJames Sexton	National Union of Dock Labourers
1906	Cummings, D. C.D. C. Cummings	United Society of Boilermakers
1907	Gill, AlfredAlfred Gill	Bolton Cotton Spinners Association
1908	Shackleton, DavidDavid Shackleton	Northern Counties Amalgamated Association of Weavers
1909	Shackleton, DavidDavid Shackleton	Northern Counties Amalgamated Association of Weavers
1910	Haslam, JamesJames Haslam	Miners Federation of Great Britain
1911	Mullin, WilliamWilliam Mullin	Amalgamated Association of Card and Blowing Room Operatives
1912	Thorne, WillWill Thorne	National Union of Gas Workers and General Labourers
1913	Davis, William JohnWilliam John Davis	Amalgamated Society of Brassworkers
1915	Seddon, JamesJames Seddon	National Amalgamated Union of Shop Assistants, Warehousemen and Clerks
1916	Gosling, HarryHarry Gosling	National Transport Workers Federation
1917	Hill, JohnJohn Hill	United Society of Boilermakers
1918	Ogden, John WilliamJohn William Ogden	Northern Counties Amalgamated Association of Weavers
1919	Stuart-Bunning, G. H.G. H. Stuart-Bunning	Postmen's Federation
1920	Thomas, JimmyJimmy Thomas	National Union of Railwaymen
1921	Poulton, Edward L.Edward L. Poulton	National Union of Boot and Shoe Operatives
1922	Walker, Robert BarrieRobert Barrie Walker	National Union of Agricultural Workers
1923	Williams, JoeJoe Williams	Musicians Union
1924	Purcell, AlfAlf Purcell	National Amalgamated Furnishing Trades Association
1925	Swales, AlonzoAlonzo Swales	Amalgamated Engineering Union
1926	Pugh, ArthurArthur Pugh	Iron and Steel Trades Confederation
1927	Hicks, GeorgeGeorge Hicks	Amalgamated Union of Building Trade Workers
1928	Turner, BenBen Turner	National Union of Textile Workers
1929	Tillett, BenBen Tillett	Transport and General Workers Union
1930	Beard, JohnJohn Beard	Transport and General Workers Union
1931	Hayday, ArthurArthur Hayday	National Union of General and Municipal Workers
1932	Bromley, JohnJohn Bromley	Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen
1933	Walkden, AlexanderAlexander Walkden	Railway Clerks' Association
1934	Conley, AndrewAndrew Conley	National Union of Tailors and Garment Workers
1935	Kean, WilliamWilliam Kean	National Union of Gold, Silver and Allied Trades
1936	Findlay, AllanAllan Findlay	United Patternmakers Association
1937	Bevin, ErnestErnest Bevin	Transport and General Workers Union
1938	Elvin, Herbert HenryHerbert Henry Elvin	National Union of Clerks and Administrative Workers
1939	Hallsworth, JosephJoseph Hallsworth	National Union of Distributive and Allied Workers
1940	Holmes, BillBill Holmes	National Union of Agricultural Workers
1941	Gibson, GeorgeGeorge Gibson	Mental Hospital and Institutional Workers Union
1942	Wolstencroft, FrankFrank Wolstencroft	Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers
1943	Loughlin, AnneAnne Loughlin	National Union of Tailors and Garment Workers
1944	Edwards, EbbyEbby Edwards	Miners Federation of Great Britain
1945	Edwards, EbbyEbby Edwards	National Union of Mineworkers
1946	Dukes, CharlesCharles Dukes	National Union of General and Municipal Workers
1947	Thomson, George WalkerGeorge Walker Thomson	Association of Engineering and Shipbuilding Draughtsmen
1948	Hancock, FlorenceFlorence Hancock	Transport and General Workers Union
1949	Lawther, WillWill Lawther	National Union of Mineworkers
1950	Bullock, HerbertHerbert Bullock	National Union of General and Municipal Workers
1951	Roberts, AlfredAlfred Roberts	National Association of Card, Blowing and Ring Room Operatives
1952	Deakin, ArthurArthur Deakin	Transport and General Workers Union
1953	O'Brien, TomTom O'Brien	National Association of Theatrical and Kine Employees
1954	Tanner, JackJack Tanner	Amalgamated Engineering Union
1955	Geddes, CharlesCharles Geddes	Union of Post Office Workers
1956	Beard, WilfredWilfred Beard	United Patternmakers Association
1957	Williamson, TomTom Williamson	National Union of General and Municipal Workers
1958	Yates, TomTom Yates	National Union of Seamen
1959	Willis, RobertRobert Willis	London Typographical Society
1960	Bartlett, ClaudeClaude Bartlett	Confederation Of Health Service Employees
1961	Hill, TedTed Hill	United Society of Boilermakers
1962	Godwin, AnneAnne Godwin	Clerical and Administrative Workers Union
1963	Hayday, FrederickFrederick Hayday	National Union of General and Municipal Workers
1964	Lowthian, George H.George H. Lowthian	Amalgamated Union of Building Trade Workers
1965	Collison, HaroldHarold Collison	National Union of Agricultural Workers
1966	O'Hagan, JosephJoseph O'Hagan	National Union of Blastfurnacemen, Ore Miners, Coke Workers and Kindred Trades
1967	Douglass, HarryHarry Douglass	Iron and Steel Trades Confederation
1968	Wright, LewisLewis Wright	Amalgamated Weavers' Association
1969	Newton, John E.John E. Newton	National Union of Tailors and Garment Workers
1970	Greene, SidneySidney Greene	National Union of Railwaymen
1971	Cooper, JackJack Cooper	National Union of General and Municipal Workers
1972	Smith, GeorgeGeorge Smith	Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians
1973	Crawford, JosephJoseph Crawford	National Association of Colliery Overmen, Deputies and Shotfirers
1974	Allen, AlfredAlfred Allen	Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers
1975	Patterson, MarieMarie Patterson	Transport and General Workers Union
1976	Plant, CyrilCyril Plant	Inland Revenue Staff Federation
1977	McGarvey, DannyDanny McGarvey^[5]	Amalgamated Society of Boilermakers, Shipwrights, Blacksmiths and Structural Workers
1977	Patterson, MarieMarie Patterson	Transport and General Workers Union
1978	Basnett, DavidDavid Basnett	National Union of General and Municipal Workers
1979	Jackson, ThomasThomas Jackson	Union of Post Office Workers
1980	Parry, TerryTerry Parry	Fire Brigades Union
1981	Fisher, AlanAlan Fisher	National Union of Public Employees
1982	Sapper, AlanAlan Sapper	Association of Cinematograph Television and Allied Technicians
1983	Chapple, FrankFrank Chapple	Electrical, Electronic, Telecommunications and Plumbing Union
1984	Buckton, RayRay Buckton	Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen
1985	Eccles, JackJack Eccles	General, Municipal, Boilermakers and Allied Trade Union
1986	Gill, KenKen Gill	Technical, Administrative and Supervisory Section
1987	Jarvis, FredFred Jarvis	National Union of Teachers
1988	Jenkins, CliveClive Jenkins	Manufacturing, Science and Finance
1989	Christopher, TonyTony Christopher	Inland Revenue Staff Federation
1990	Maddocks, AdaAda Maddocks	National and Local Government Officers Association
1991	Smith, AlecAlec Smith	GMB Union
1992	Bickerstaffe, RodneyRodney Bickerstaffe	National Union of Public Employees
1993	Tuffin, AlanAlan Tuffin	Union of Communication Workers
1994	Knapp, JimmyJimmy Knapp	National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers
1995	Mills, LeifLeif Mills	Banking, Insurance and Finance Union
1996	Prosser, MargaretMargaret Prosser	Transport and General Workers Union
1997	Dubbins, TonyTony Dubbins	Graphical, Paper and Media Union
1998	Edmonds, JohnJohn Edmonds	GMB Union
1999	Mackenzie, HectorHector Mackenzie	UNISON
2000	Donaghy, RitaRita Donaghy	UNISON
2001	Morris, BillBill Morris	Transport and General Workers Union
2002	Young, TonyTony Young	Communication Workers Union
2003	Gruchy, Nigel deNigel de Gruchy	National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers
2004	Lyons, RogerRoger Lyons	Amicus
2005	Drake, JeannieJeannie Drake	Communication Workers Union
2006	Mills, GloriaGloria Mills	UNISON
2007	Shepherd, AlisonAlison Shepherd	UNISON
2008	Prentis, DaveDave Prentis	UNISON
2009	Bearcroft, SheilaSheila Bearcroft	GMB Union
2010	Rooney, DougieDougie Rooney	Unite
2011	Leahy, MichaelMichael Leahy	Community
2012	Kenny, PaulPaul Kenny	GMB Union
2013	Mercer, LesleyLesley Mercer	Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
2014	Taj, MohammadMohammad Taj	Unite
2015	Manasseh, LeslieLeslie Manasseh	Prospect
2016	Snape, LizLiz Snape	UNISON
2017	Bousted, MaryMary Bousted	Association of Teachers and Lecturers

References

↑ Trades Union Congress, Annual Report of the 1874 Trades Union Congress
↑ Trades Union Congress, Annual Report of the 1900 Trades Union Congress, pp.94-95
↑ Daniel Fairchild Calhoun, The United Front!: The TUC and the Russians, 1923-1928, p.46
↑ Trades Union Congress, Annual Report of the 1945 Trades Union Congress, p.23
↑ John Kerr, "Sir Daniel McGarvey - 'boots' to union boss", The Guardian, 27 April 1977, p.3: McGarvey died in office

Details of Past Congresses

Trades Union Congress

Positions	General Secretary Deputy General Secretary Assistant General Secretary General Council President

Bodies	General Council Parliamentary Committee Wales TUC

Affiliates	Accord Advance Aegis AUE ASLEF AEP AFA ATL BFAWU BSU BALPA BDA BOSTU BECTU CSP CWU Community EIS Equity FDA FBU GMB HCSA MU Napo NACO NAHT NASS NASUWT NUJ Nautilus NUM NUT NGSU POA PFA Prospect PCS RCM RMT SCP SoR SUWBBS TSSA UCAC UCATT USDAW UNISON Unite URTU UCU WGGB

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President of the Trades Union Congress

List of presidents

See also

References