Thomas Watson (1860 or 1861 – 1921) 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 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 ...

. Born in

Radcliffe Radcliffe or Radcliff may refer to: Places * Radcliffe Line, a border between India and Pakistan United Kingdom * Radcliffe, Greater Manchester ** Radcliffe Tower, the remains of a medieval manor house in the town ** Radcliffe tram stop * ...

, Watson worked for many years as an engineman near

Wigan Wigan ( ) is a large town in Greater Manchester, England, on the River Douglas, Lancashire, River Douglas. The town is midway between the two cities of Manchester, to the south-east, and Liverpool, to the south-west. Bolton lies to the nor ...

. He became active in his local trade union, and in 1900 he led it into a merger with ten other local unions of enginemen, forming the

Lancashire, Cheshire and North Wales Colliery Enginemen's, Boilermen's and Brakesmen's Federation The Lancashire, Cheshire and North Wales Colliery Enginemen's, Boilermen's and Brakesmen's Federation was a trade union representing engine operators and related workers at coal mines in parts of England and Wales. The union was founded in 1900 w ...

. Watson served as president of the National Federation of Colliery Enginemen and Boilermen for many years, and also as president of the National Federation of Enginemen, Stokers, and Kindred Trades. In 1907/1908, he also 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 ...

References

1860s births 1921 deaths British trade union leaders Members of the Parliamentary Committee of the Trades Union Congress People from Radcliffe, Greater Manchester {{UK-trade-unionist-bio-stub