Andrew Conley was a British

British people

The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...

 trade unionist.

Born in Leeds

Leeds

Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...

 to Irish

Irish people

The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...

 parents, Conley fought in the Second Boer War

Second Boer War

The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...

. He then worked as a garment maker, and became a branch secretary in the Amalgamated Union of Clothing Operatives, then national organiser of its successor, the United Garment Workers' Trade Union

United Garment Workers' Trade Union

The United Garment Workers' Trade Union was a trade union in the United Kingdom.The union was founded in 1915, with the merger of the Amalgamated Union of Clothiers Operatives with the Amalgamated Jewish Tailors, Machinists and Pressers, the London and Provincial Cutters, the London Jewish...

.

In 1920, various tailors' trade unions merged to form the National Union of Tailors and Garment Workers

National Union of Tailors and Garment Workers

The National Union of Tailors and Garment Workers was a trade union in the United Kingdom.The union was founded as the Tailors and Garment Workers' Union in 1920 with the merger of the Scottish Operative Tailors and Tailoresses' Association and the United Garment Workers' Union...

 (NUTGW). Although Joseph Young was seen as the obvious choice for its leadership, his health was failing, and he instead supported Conley's successful campaign for the general secretaryship. In post, he focussed on absorbing other unions, arranging mergers with more than twenty before he retired in 1948. He was elected to the General Council of the Trades Union Congress

Trades Union Congress

The Trades Union Congress is a national trade union centre, a federation of trade unions in the United Kingdom, representing the majority of trade unions...

 in 1921, and was its President

President of the Trades Union Congress

The President of the Trades Union Congress is a prominent but largely honorary position in British trade unionism.The President is elected at the annual conference of the Trades Union Congress . They officially fill the office for the remainder of the year and then preside over the following...

 in 1934, where he led centenary commemorations of the Tolpuddle Martyrs

Tolpuddle Martyrs

The Tolpuddle Martyrs were a group of 19th century Dorset agricultural labourers who were arrested for and convicted of swearing a secret oath as members of the Friendly Society of Agricultural Labourers. The rules of the society show it was clearly structured as a friendly society and operated as...

.

Conley also supported women's trade unionism, encouraging women tailors to become active in the NUTGW, and he was succeeded as general secretary by Anne Loughlin

Anne Loughlin

Dame Anne Loughlin, DBE was a British labour activist and organiser.Loughlin was born in Leeds, England. Her father, Thomas, was a boot and shoe operative of Irish descent. When Anne was 12 her mother died, and she had to care for her four sisters...

.