Born in Bethnal Green on 4 November 1860,[1] Henry Joseph (Harry) Orbell trained as a writing desk maker, but was unable to find sufficient work, and so instead found employment at a tea warehouse, repairing tea chests.[2] In 1887, there was a proposal to reduce wages of workers at the warehouse, and Orbell helped organise a meeting in opposition to this. The meeting founded the Tea Operatives' and General Labourers' Association, with Orbell becoming its president.[3]
The union played a key role in the London Dock strike of 1889, with Orbell leading strike action at the nearby Tilbury Docks. He kept the strike solid there, in part by sending trade unionists to infiltrate groups of workers unwittingly recruited to break the strike, then getting the unionists to leaflet the new workers, informing them of their situation, and requesting that they return to London.[3][4]
Following the strike, the union grew dramatically in size and became the Dock, Wharf, Riverside and General Labourers' Union, with Orbell as one of two full-time national organisers (alongside Tom McCarthy).[2] Orbell initially travelled to the Netherlands, where he founded branches in Amsterdam and Rotterdam. Later, he was based in London, but regularly travelled the country, and was one of the first to spot Ernest Bevin's talents, successfully recommending him to Ben Tillett for a full-time post.[5]
Orbell was one of the main organisers of the successful 1911 Liverpool general transport strike. The following year, he advised against transport workers in London holding a strike; the workers voted for strike action and Orbell then supported them, but the ten-week strike was ultimately unsuccessful. Already in poor health, the strain of this worsened his condition and although he recovered for a while, he became ill again in late 1913 and died in March 1914.[6]
harry, orbell, november, 1860, march, 1914, british, trade, unionist, orbell, 1891, born, bethnal, green, november, 1860, henry, joseph, harry, orbell, trained, writing, desk, maker, unable, find, sufficient, work, instead, found, employment, warehouse, repair. Harry Orbell 4 November 1860 27 March 1914 was a British trade unionist Orbell in 1891 Born in Bethnal Green on 4 November 1860 1 Henry Joseph Harry Orbell trained as a writing desk maker but was unable to find sufficient work and so instead found employment at a tea warehouse repairing tea chests 2 In 1887 there was a proposal to reduce wages of workers at the warehouse and Orbell helped organise a meeting in opposition to this The meeting founded the Tea Operatives and General Labourers Association with Orbell becoming its president 3 The union played a key role in the London Dock strike of 1889 with Orbell leading strike action at the nearby Tilbury Docks He kept the strike solid there in part by sending trade unionists to infiltrate groups of workers unwittingly recruited to break the strike then getting the unionists to leaflet the new workers informing them of their situation and requesting that they return to London 3 4 Following the strike the union grew dramatically in size and became the Dock Wharf Riverside and General Labourers Union with Orbell as one of two full time national organisers alongside Tom McCarthy 2 Orbell initially travelled to the Netherlands where he founded branches in Amsterdam and Rotterdam Later he was based in London but regularly travelled the country and was one of the first to spot Ernest Bevin s talents successfully recommending him to Ben Tillett for a full time post 5 Orbell was one of the main organisers of the successful 1911 Liverpool general transport strike The following year he advised against transport workers in London holding a strike the workers voted for strike action and Orbell then supported them but the ten week strike was ultimately unsuccessful Already in poor health the strain of this worsened his condition and although he recovered for a while he became ill again in late 1913 and died in March 1914 6 Although Orbell never stood for political office 6 he supported the Labour Party and served for some years on its National Executive Committee He also served on the Port of London Authority 7 References edit Birth certificate a b John Lovell Stevedores and Dockers A Study of Trade Unionism in the Port of London pp 115 240 a b John Lovell Stevedores and Dockers A Study of Trade Unionism in the Port of London pp 95 107 Hubert Llewellyn Smith and Vaughan Nash The story of the dockers strike told by two East Londoners pp 104 105 John Saville The Politics of Continuity p 81 a b Memorial notices Mr Harry Orbell Manchester Guardian 28 March 1914 Trades Union Congress Obituary Mr Harry Orbell Annual Report of the 1915 Trades Union Congress p 274 Trade union offices Preceded byNew position President of the Tea Operatives and General Labourers Association1887 1889 Succeeded byTom Mann Preceded byNew position National Organiser of the Dock Wharf Riverside and General Labourers Union1889 1914 With Tom McCarthy 1889 1899 Succeeded byErnest Bevin Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Harry Orbell amp oldid 1085175612, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
