Mark Hodgson 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 union

Trade union

A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...

 leader.

Born in Hull

Kingston upon Hull

Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...

, Hodgson grew up in Sunderland, studying at Diamond Hall School before taking an apprenticeship as a plater in the shipyard. He joined the United Society of Boilermakers and Iron and Steel Shipbuilders, and in 1913 became the Tyne

River Tyne

The River Tyne is a river in North East England in Great Britain. It is formed by the confluence of two rivers: the North Tyne and the South Tyne. These two rivers converge at Warden Rock near Hexham in Northumberland at a place dubbed 'The Meeting of the Waters'.The North Tyne rises on the...

 and Wear

River Wear

The River Wear is located in North East England, rising in the Pennines and flowing eastwards, mostly through County Durham, to the North Sea at Sunderland.-Geology and history:...

 delegate on the union's executive council. From 1923 to 1936, he served as the union's chairman, then was elected as its general secretary.

While general secretary, Hodgson negotiated on behalf of members during World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

, and took a number of local and national positions. In 1938, he was awarded the OBE, and in 1945 he received a knighthood. He stood down as secretary in 1948, taking a job as chairman of the Northern Regional Board for Industry, serving in this role until 1965.