Tom Matthews (1866 – 10 March 1915) was an English-born trade unionist, active in South Africa and the United States. Matthews was born in

Newlyn Newlyn ( kw, Lulyn: Lu 'fleet', Lynn/Lydn 'pool') is a seaside town and fishing port (the largest fishing port in England) in south-west Cornwall, UK.Ordnance Survey: Landranger map sheet 203 ''Land's End'' Newlyn lies on the shore of Moun ...

in Cornwall. He emigrated to the United States in 1882, where he worked as an ore miner. He was elected as president of the

Butte __NOTOC__ In geomorphology, a butte () is an isolated hill with steep, often vertical sides and a small, relatively flat top; buttes are smaller landforms than mesas, plateaus, and tablelands. The word ''butte'' comes from a French word me ...

district of the

Western Miners' Association The Western Miners' Association was a trade union representing coal miners in parts of South Wales, centred on Neath. History The union originated in February 1872, when about 100 local coal miners met at the King's Head Inn and agreed to form ...

, and was arrested for his role in the Great Idaho Strike. In 1892, Matthews was elected to the Montana House of Representatives, representing the People's Party, the only representative of the labour movement to win a seat. He was elected as its speaker, serving until 1894. Matthew returned to Cornwall, and studied at the

Camborne School of Mines The Camborne School of Mines ( kw, Scoll Balow Cambron), commonly abbreviated to CSM, was founded in 1888. Its research and teaching is related to the understanding and management of the Earth's natural processes, resources and the environment. ...

before, in 1897, emigrating to the

Witwatersrand The Witwatersrand () (locally the Rand or, less commonly, the Reef) is a , north-facing scarp in South Africa. It consists of a hard, erosion-resistant quartzite metamorphic rock, over which several north-flowing rivers form waterfalls, which ...

in South Africa. Two years later, he was a founder member of the International Independent Labour Party. In 1907, he was elected as vice president of the Transvaal Miners' Association, and played a leading role in that year's strike. After its conclusion, he was elected as general secretary of the union, which became the Mine Workers' Union in 1913. While the union had previously had a frequent leadership turnover, Matthews remained in post until his death from

phthisis Phthisis may refer to: Mythology * Phthisis (mythology), Classical/Greco-Roman personification of rot, decay and putrefaction Medical terms * Phthisis bulbi, shrunken, nonfunctional eye * Phthisis miliaris, miliary tuberculosis * Phthisis pulmo ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Matthews, Tom 1866 births 1915 deaths English emigrants to the United States English emigrants to South Africa People from Newlyn People's Party (United States) politicians South African trade unionists Speakers of the Montana House of Representatives