J. T. Eddie Collins (1894–1972) was a Yorkshire

Miner A miner is a person who extracts ore, coal, chalk, clay, or other minerals from the earth through mining. There are two senses in which the term is used. In its narrowest sense, a miner is someone who works at the rock face; cutting, blasting, ...

labour activist A union organizer (or union organiser in Commonwealth spelling) is a specific type of trade union member (often elected) or an appointed union official. A majority of unions appoint rather than elect their organizers. In some unions, the orga ...

and local councillor. He was particularly active at Denaby Main, where he was for many years branch secretary of the Miners Union there. Eddie was born at Wombwell, a mining village near

Barnsley Barnsley () is a market town in South Yorkshire, England. As the main settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley and the fourth largest settlement in South Yorkshire. In Barnsley, the population was 96,888 while the wider Borough has ...

. His father was a sinker at Cadeby Main Colliery in the 1900s, and the family moved to Denaby Main. Eddie had aspirations to be a school teacher, but after failing the relevant exams he started work at Cadeby Main colliery, transferring to Denaby Main in 1911. However he did enrol in classes with the

Workers Educational Association The Workers' Educational Association (WEA), founded in 1903, is the UK's largest voluntary sector provider of adult education and one of Britain's biggest charities. The WEA is a democratic and voluntary adult education movement. It delivers lea ...

where he was taught by

Arnold Freeman Arnold James Freeman (24 March 1886 – 8 March 1972) was a British writer, philosopher, anthroposophist, adult educator, actor, director, Fabian Socialist, Labour Party candidate and co-founder of the anthroposophical magazine, ''The Golden Bla ...

References

contains some references
1894 births 1972 deaths Industrial Workers of the World members Councillors in Yorkshire and the Humber Labour Party (UK) councillors English trade unionists {{England-politician-stub