Joseph Jones (trade unionist)
Encyclopedia
Joseph Jones was a British
trade unionist.
Born in St Helens
, Jones studied at a technical college before becoming a coal miner. He moved to work at Thurcroft
, and was elected branch secretary of the Yorkshire Miners' Association
(YMA) in 1914. He was an active methodist, and strongly promoted the cause of temperance, later becoming Chairman of the Workers' Temperance League. He was elected as a Labour Party
member of West Riding County Council in 1919, serving until 1933. In 1923, Jones was elected as Treasurer of the YMA and, the following year, he became its General Secretary. He was elected to Barnsley
Town Council in 1926, serving as Mayor of Barnsley in 1931.
In 1924, Jones contested the General Secretaryship of the Miners' Federation of Great Britain (MFGB) as the candidate of the union's right-wing, but he was narrowly defeated by the communist A. J. Cook
. From 1926 until 1931, Jones was on the National Executive Committee
of the Labour Party, and from 1930 to 1938 he was the government's Coal Mine Reorganisation Commissioner.
Jones was elected as Vice President of the MFGB in 1932, then in 1934 became the union's President. He resigned in 1938 to join the Coal Commission
, and in 1947 was appointed as advisor on social insurance to the National Coal Board
.
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 St Helens
St Helens, Merseyside
St Helens is a large town in Merseyside, England. It is the largest settlement and administrative centre of the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens with a population of just over 100,000, part of an urban area with a total population of 176,843 at the time of the 2001 Census...
, Jones studied at a technical college before becoming a coal miner. He moved to work at Thurcroft
Thurcroft
Thurcroft is a village and civil parish situated southeast of Rotherham in the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham in South Yorkshire, England. From 1902 to 1991, it was a close-knit, mining community. It has a population of 5,296....
, and was elected branch secretary of the Yorkshire Miners' Association
Yorkshire Miners' Association
The Yorkshire Miners' Association was a British trade union.The union was founded in 1881 with the merger of the South Yorkshire Miners' Association, and the West Yorkshire Miners' Association, agreed only because both organisations were weakened by unsuccessful disputes...
(YMA) in 1914. He was an active methodist, and strongly promoted the cause of temperance, later becoming Chairman of the Workers' Temperance League. He was elected as a Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
member of West Riding County Council in 1919, serving until 1933. In 1923, Jones was elected as Treasurer of the YMA and, the following year, he became its General Secretary. He was elected to Barnsley
Barnsley
Barnsley is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Dearne, north of the city of Sheffield, south of Leeds and west of Doncaster. Barnsley is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley, of which Barnsley is the largest and...
Town Council in 1926, serving as Mayor of Barnsley in 1931.
In 1924, Jones contested the General Secretaryship of the Miners' Federation of Great Britain (MFGB) as the candidate of the union's right-wing, but he was narrowly defeated by the communist A. J. Cook
A. J. Cook (trade unionist)
Arthur James Cook , known as A. J. Cook, was a British coal miner and trade union leader. He is remembered as one of the United Kingdom's best known miners’ leaders and a key component of the National Minority Movement around the General Strike of 1926.-Early years:A.J...
. From 1926 until 1931, Jones was on the National Executive Committee
National Executive Committee
The National Executive Committee or NEC is the chief administrative body of the UK Labour Party. Its composition has changed over the years, and includes representatives of affiliated trade unions, the Parliamentary Labour Party and European Parliamentary Labour Party, Constituency Labour Parties,...
of the Labour Party, and from 1930 to 1938 he was the government's Coal Mine Reorganisation Commissioner.
Jones was elected as Vice President of the MFGB in 1932, then in 1934 became the union's President. He resigned in 1938 to join the Coal Commission
Coal Commission
The Coal Commission was a United Kingdom government agency, created to own and manage coal reserves. It was set up in 1938 and ceased to operate on 1 January 1947.- History :...
, and in 1947 was appointed as advisor on social insurance to the National Coal Board
National Coal Board
The National Coal Board was the statutory corporation created to run the nationalised coal mining industry in the United Kingdom. Set up under the Coal Industry Nationalisation Act 1946, it took over the mines on "vesting day", 1 January 1947...
.