Ralph Spence (10 October 1869 – 12 May 1938) was a British trade unionist.
Born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne on 10 October 1869,[1] Spence became interested in trade unionism in the early 1880s.[2][3] As a result, he took a leading role in founding the Tyneside and District Labourers' Union in 1888. The union grew quickly, and was renamed as the National Amalgamated Union of Labour (NAUL). He was appointed as the union's Corresponding Secretary in 1898,[2] and from 1912 represented the union at the Trades Union Congress.[4]
In 1922, J. N. Bell, General Secretary of NAUL, died unexpectedly, and Spence was elected to succeed him.[3] He took the union into a merger which formed the National Union of General and Municipal Workers, becoming one of the new union's first joint Assistant General Secretaries. He remained in this post until his retirement in 1935. Spence died on 12 May 1938, at the age of 68.[5][2] Despite holding prominent positions in the movement, Spence was principally regarded as an effective administrator.[2]
References
^England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975
^ abcd"Obituary: Mr Ralph Spence". Annual Report of the 1938 Trades Union Congress. Trades Union Congress: 249. 1938.
ralph, spence, trade, unionist, ralph, spence, october, 1869, 1938, british, trade, unionist, born, newcastle, upon, tyne, october, 1869, spence, became, interested, trade, unionism, early, 1880s, result, took, leading, role, founding, tyneside, district, labo. Ralph Spence 10 October 1869 12 May 1938 was a British trade unionist Born in Newcastle upon Tyne on 10 October 1869 1 Spence became interested in trade unionism in the early 1880s 2 3 As a result he took a leading role in founding the Tyneside and District Labourers Union in 1888 The union grew quickly and was renamed as the National Amalgamated Union of Labour NAUL He was appointed as the union s Corresponding Secretary in 1898 2 and from 1912 represented the union at the Trades Union Congress 4 In 1922 J N Bell General Secretary of NAUL died unexpectedly and Spence was elected to succeed him 3 He took the union into a merger which formed the National Union of General and Municipal Workers becoming one of the new union s first joint Assistant General Secretaries He remained in this post until his retirement in 1935 Spence died on 12 May 1938 at the age of 68 5 2 Despite holding prominent positions in the movement Spence was principally regarded as an effective administrator 2 References Edit England Select Births and Christenings 1538 1975 a b c d Obituary Mr Ralph Spence Annual Report of the 1938 Trades Union Congress Trades Union Congress 249 1938 a b untitled article Shipbuilding amp Shipping Record Vol 21 1923 p 443 Marsh Arthur 2006 Historical Directory of Trade Unions Vol 5 Aldershot Farnborough Hants England Ashgate Publishing Gower p 475 doi 10 1108 09504120810854904 ISBN 978 0 85967 990 9 England amp Wales Civil Registration Death Index 1916 2007 Trade union officesPreceded byJ N Bell General Secretary of the National Amalgamated Union of Labour1923 1924 Succeeded byPosition abolishedPreceded byNew position Assistant General Secretary of the National Union of General and Municipal Workers1924 1935 With Peter Tevenan 1924 1932 Succeeded byPosition abolished This biographical article about a trade unionist in the United Kingdom is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ralph Spence trade unionist amp oldid 1113510009, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
