Ellen Cecelia McCullough (22 November 1908 – 19 May 1985) was a British

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 ...

. McCullough entered trade unionism when she was fourteen, working in the office of the

Workers' Union The Workers' Union was a general union based in the United Kingdom, but with some branches in other countries. During the 1910s, it was the largest general union in the UK, but it entered a rapid decline in the 1920s, and eventually became part ...

. In 1929, this became part of the

Transport and General Workers' Union The Transport and General Workers' Union (TGWU or T&G) was one of the largest general trade unions in the United Kingdom and Ireland – where it was known as the Amalgamated Transport and General Workers' Union (ATGWU) to differentiate its ...

(TGWU), for which she began working, and through the union obtained a scholarship to study at the

London School of Economics , mottoeng = To understand the causes of things , established = , type = Public research university , endowment = £240.8 million (2021) , budget = £391.1 millio ...

.International Federation of Workers' Educational Associations,
The Story of the IFWEA: 1945 to 1978
She lectured at one of the union's first one-day schools for new members, as early as 1944, and became the TGWU's Education Officer in 1946. She came to sit on the executives of the

Workers' Educational Association The Workers' Educational Association (WEA), founded in 1903, is the UK's largest voluntary sector provider of adult education and one of Britain's biggest charities. The WEA is a democratic and voluntary adult education movement. It delivers lea ...

(WEA) and the

National Council of Labour Colleges The National Council of Labour Colleges (NCLC) was an organisation set up in the United Kingdom to foster independent working class education. The organisation was founded at a convention held in the Clarion Club House, Yardley, Birmingham on 8/9 O ...

. During the post-war period, she greatly expanded the union's education programme, for the first time offering much training exclusively to members of the union. In 1958, McCullough became National Women's Officer of the TGWU. During this period, she also served on the

General Council of the Trades Union Congress The General Council of the Trades Union Congress is an elected body which is responsible for carrying out the policies agreed at the annual British Trade Union Congresses (TUC). Organisation The council has 56 members, all of whom must be proposed ...

(TUC).

Trades Union Congress The Trades Union Congress (TUC) is a national trade union centre A national trade union center (or national center or central) is a federation or confederation of trade unions in a country. Nearly every country in the world has a national tra ...

, "Obituary: Ellen McCullough", ''Annual Report of the 1985 Trades Union Congress'', p.390 She was now one of the most prominent women trade unionists of the period, alongside

Ethel Chipchase Ethel Eleanor Beatrice Chipchase (February 1916 – 1 February 1986) was a British trade unionist. Born in Poplar, London, Chipchase grew up in poverty, during the Great Depression. She later stated that during the whole period, her father never ...

Florence Hancock Dame Florence May Hancock DBE (25 February 1893 – 14 April 1974) was a British trade unionist. Hancock was born in Chippenham to Jacob Hancock (1845–1913), a cloth weaver, and his second wife Mary (nee Harding, subsequently Pepler, c18 ...

Anne Godwin Dame Beatrice Annie Godwin DBE (6 July 1897 – 11 January 1992), known as Anne Godwin, was a British trade unionist. Early life Born in July 1897 in Farncombe, Surrey, Godwin's father was a draper. She attended school in Godalming until age 1 ...

and

Anne Loughlin Dame Anne Loughlin, Order of the British Empire, DBE (28 June 1894 – 14 July 1979) was a British labour activist and organiser. Early life Loughlin was born in Leeds, England. Her father, Thomas, was a boot and shoe operative of Irish descent ...

. She was a supporter of the Annual Conference of Unions Catering for Women Workers. In 1963, McCullough was seconded from TGWU to work in the Education Department of the TUC. After two years, she returned to the TGWU, where she instead became National Secretary for Research, and from 1969, Education was also included in her remit. She served as president of the WEA from 1964 to 1971,''Transport and General Workers' Record'', vol.48, p.3 and president of the International Federation of Workers' Education Associations from 1968 until 1972.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:McCullough, Ellen 1908 births 1985 deaths Workers' Educational Association Members of the General Council of the Trades Union Congress