Edward Wagstaff Judson (29 August 1868 – 14 August 1926) was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

trade unionist A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and Employee ben ...

. Judson was born in

Ashton-under-Lyne Ashton-under-Lyne is a market town in Tameside, Greater Manchester, England. The population was 45,198 at the 2011 census. Historically in Lancashire, it is on the north bank of the River Tame, in the foothills of the Pennines, east of Manche ...

Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly. The non-metropolitan county of Lancashi ...

, England to William Cornelius Judson and Charlotte Judson. He was baptized in the Wesleyan Methodist Church.''Manchester, England, Non-Conformist Births and Baptisms, 1758-1912'' He began working half-time in a cotton mill when he was ten years old."Mr. Edward Judson: a great textile labour leader", ''

Manchester Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

'', 16 August 1926 He joined the Ashton and District Operative Spinners' Association, and was elected as its general secretary in 1904. In 1913, he was additionally elected as president of the

Amalgamated Association of Operative Cotton Spinners The Amalgamated Association of Operative Cotton Spinners and Twiners, also known as the Amalgamation, was a trade union in the United Kingdom which existed between 1870 and 1970. It represented male mule spinners in the cotton industry. Histor ...

."Resignation of Spinners' President", ''

'', 29 June 1926 Judson was considered an effective leader of the spinners, leading the union through numerous trade disputes, while trying to avoid strike action. He served on the

Parliamentary Committee of the Trades Union Congress A parliamentary system, or parliamentarian democracy, is a system of democratic governance of a state (or subordinate entity) where the executive derives its democratic legitimacy from its ability to command the support ("confidence") of the ...

from 1916 to 1918, but then stood down in order that

Henry Boothman Henry Boothman (5 February 1875''1939 England and Wales Register'' – 25 April 1953) was a British trade union leader. Born in Clitheroe, Boothman moved with his family to Burnley when he was six years old, and he began working as a half-time ...

could contest a seat on the committee. In 1919, Judson was chosen by the

Ministry of Reconstruction The Ministry of Reconstruction was a department of the United Kingdom government which existed after both World War I and World War II in order to provide for the needs of the population in the post war years. World War I The Ministry of Recons ...

to visit the United States and report back on various matters of interest. He was a supporter of the Labour Party, and was elected to Ashton-under-Lyne Town Council, on which he was the only Labour representative. Judson suffered from increasingly poor health during the 1920s. He resigned as president of the Spinners' Union in late June 1926, and died a month and a half later.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Judson, Edward 1868 births 1926 deaths Councillors in Greater Manchester Trade unionists from Greater Manchester Labour Party (UK) councillors Members of the Parliamentary Committee of the Trades Union Congress People from Ashton-under-Lyne Presidents of the Amalgamated Association of Operative Cotton Spinners