John Edward Binks (3 May 1887 – 18 July 1963) was a

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

trade unionist and politician, who served as President of the

National Union of Railwaymen The National Union of Railwaymen was a trade union of railway workers in the United Kingdom. The largest railway workers' union in the country, it was influential in the national trade union movement. History The NUR was an industrial union ...

, and as an

alderman An alderman is a member of a Municipal government, municipal assembly or council in many Jurisdiction, jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council membe ...

on the

London County Council London County Council (LCC) was the principal local government body for the County of London throughout its existence from 1889 to 1965, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today kno ...

. Born in

Islington Islington () is a district in the north of Greater London, England, and part of the London Borough of Islington. It is a mainly residential district of Inner London, extending from Islington's High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the ar ...

, Binks' father died when Eddie was only six years old, and he was later brought up by an aunt and uncle. He left school around the age of thirteen and became an office clerk, then when he was sixteen moved to work with the

Midland Railway The Midland Railway (MR) was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844. The Midland was one of the largest railway companies in Britain in the early 20th century, and the largest employer in Derby, where it had its headquarters. It am ...

Walthamstow Walthamstow ( or ) is a large town in East London, east London, England, within the Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county of Greater London and the Historic counties of England, ancient county of Essex. Situated northeast of Chari ...

, acting as a weighbridge clerk. He worked in a variety of jobs for the company, around London, before becoming a checker at St Pancras Goods Station. In 1913, the

(NUR) was founded, and Binks was elected as assistant secretary of its

Kentish Town Kentish Town is an area of northwest London, England in the London Borough of Camden, immediately north of Camden Town. Less than four miles north of central London, Kentish Town has good transport connections and is situated close to the ope ...

branch, the union's largest branch. In 1922, he was elected to the Local Department Committee and the Sectional Council, and in 1925 he became the branch secretary, also winning election to the union's executive. As early as 1933 he was nominated as the union's president, and he served as chair and then secretary of the employees' side of Council No.4. He eventually won the post of President of the NUR in 1945, serving a three-year term. As president, he led a union delegation to the Soviet Union, represented the union at numerous international conferences, and argued for a single union of railway workers, and the

nationalisation Nationalization (nationalisation in British English) is the process of transforming privately-owned assets into public assets by bringing them under the public ownership of a national government or state. Nationalization usually refers to pri ...

of the British railways. His term also saw the election of a Labour Party government, and Binks was strongly supportive, winning election to the party's

National Executive Committee National Executive Committee is the name of a leadership body in several organizations, mostly political parties: * National Executive Committee of the African National Congress, in South Africa * Australian Labor Party National Executive * Nationa ...

. At the

1931 London County Council election An election to the County Council of London took place on 5 March 1931. The council was elected by First Past the Post with each elector having two votes in the two-member seats. The Municipal Reform Party slightly increased its majority on the ...

, Binks stood for the Labour Party in

St Pancras South East St. Pancras South East was a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election. It was created in 1918 by the ...

, but was not elected. However, in 1941 he was appointed to the council as an alderman, serving until 1946. When his term of office ended, Binks found work with the goods section at Broad Street railway station, then with the

Railway Executive Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in Track (rail transport), tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the ...

, where he co-ordinated goods traffic around London. In 1955, he was a founder member of the Southern Area Board, and he also served on its successor, the Southern Railway Board.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Binks, Eddie 1887 births 1963 deaths Labour Party (UK) councillors Members of London County Council People from Islington (district) Presidents of the National Union of Railwaymen