Sidney James Barton (5 March 1909 – 20 January 1986) 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, ...

politician and trade unionist. Barton grew up in

Wandsworth Wandsworth Town () is a district of south London, within the London Borough of Wandsworth southwest of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan The London Plan is the statutory spatial development strategy for the Gre ...

before becoming a laboratory technician with the

Metropolitan Asylums Board The Metropolitan Asylums Board (MAB) was established under Poor Law legislation to deal with London's sick and poor. It was established by the Metropolitan Poor Act 1867 and dissolved in 1930, when its functions were transferred to the London Count ...

. He joined the

National Union of Public Employees The National Union of Public Employees (NUPE) was a British trade union which existed between 1908 and 1993. It represented public sector workers in local government, the Health Service, universities, and water authorities. History The union w ...

(NUPE), and began working full-time for the union in 1934. He also joined the Labour Party, and in 1945 was elected to both

Surrey County Council Surrey County Council is the county council administering certain services in the non-metropolitan county of Surrey in England. The council is composed of 81 elected councillors, and in all but one election since 1965 the Conservative Party has ...

and the

Municipal Borough of Sutton and Cheam Sutton and Cheam was a local government district in north east Surrey, England from 1882 to 1965. History Sutton Local Government District was formed on 20 December 1882, when the (civil) parish of Sutton adopted the Local Government Act 1858. ...

, serving a single term on each. In 1952, he was elected as vice-chair of the

London Trades Council The London Trades Council was an early labour organisation, uniting London's trade unionists. Its modern successor organisation is the Greater London Association of Trades (Union) Councils History Leading figures in the London trade union mov ...

, eventually becoming chair in 1970. In 1950, Barton was elected to the executive of the

London Labour Party London Labour is the devolved, regional part of the Labour Party in Greater London. It is the largest political party in London, currently holding a majority of the executive mayoralties, a majority of local councils, council seats and parli ...

. In 1953, he was appointed to

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 ...

, 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 ...

, and he was

Chairman of London County Council This is a list of persons who held the offices of chairman, vice chairman and deputy chairman of the London County Council. All three offices existed from 1889 to 1965. Background The chairmanship and vice chairmanship were statutory offices crea ...

in 1959/1960. He continued in his trade union post, and from 1962 served as a national officer of NUPE. In 1964, he was additionally appointed as an alderman in the new

London Borough of Sutton The London Borough of Sutton () is a London borough in south-west London, England and forms part of Outer London. It covers an area of and is the 80th largest local authority in England by population. It borders the London Borough of Croydon to ...

. In November 1969, Barton was appointed a part-time member of the

London Transport Board The London Transport Board was the organisation responsible for public transport (except main-line trains) in London, England, and its environs from 1963 to 1969. In common with all London transport authorities from 1933 to 2000, the public na ...

Annual Report and Accounts for the Year ended 31st December 1969,

, p.40 He retired from most of his posts in 1974, and left the executive of the London Labour Party in 1978.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Barton, Sidney 1909 births 1986 deaths Councillors in Surrey Councillors in the London Borough of Sutton English trade unionists Labour Party (UK) councillors Members of London County Council