Bernard Hopkinson Swindell (27 March 1901 – 23 July 1968) was a British

trade unionist A trade union (British English) or labor union (American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers whose purpose is to maintain or improve the conditions of their employment, such as attaining better wages ...

, who served as chairman of the

National Union of General and Municipal Workers The GMB is a general union, general trade union in the United Kingdom which has more than 560,000 members. Its members work in nearly all industrial sectors, in retail, security, schools, distribution, the utilities, social care, the National He ...

(NUGMW). Swindell was born in Tideswell, Derbyshire on 27 March 1901 as one of ten children. He left school at the age of thirteen to work in a

cotton mill A cotton mill is a building that houses spinning or weaving machinery for the production of yarn or cloth from cotton, an important product during the Industrial Revolution in the development of the factory system. Although some were driven ...

. He later moved to work in a quarry in

Dove Holes Dove Holes is a village in the High Peak district of Derbyshire, England. It has a population of about 1,200 (2001), shown in the 2011 Census as being included in the population of Chapel-en-le-Frith. It straddles the A6 road, approximately ...

, Derbyshire, and became active in the

Amalgamated National Union of Quarryworkers and Settmakers The Amalgamated National Union of Quarryworkers and Settmakers (ANUQ&S) was a trade union representing quarry workers in Britain and the Channel Islands. The union was founded in 1914, when the National Union of Quarrymen merged with the Settmake ...

. This became part of the

, and Swindell became first a

shop steward A union representative, union steward, or shop steward is an employee of an organization or company who represents and defends the interests of their fellow employees as a trades/labour union member and official. Rank-and-file members of the un ...

, then served on district committees, and in 1958 became the union's Lancashire District Secretary. In 1962, Swindell was elected as national chairman of the NUGMW. He was also elected to 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 Trades Union Congresses (TUC). Organisation The council has 56 members, all of whom must be proposed ...

(TUC), and became chair of the TUC's Nursing Advisory Committee. He also served on the Industrial Training Council, various

Joint Industrial Council A joint industrial council (JIC) or national joint industrial council (NJIC), known as a Whitley council in some fields, especially white-collar and government, is a statutory council of employers and trade unions established in the United Kingdom ...

s, and the Lancashire Regional Board for Industry and Industrial Development Association. He retired from his posts in 1966. In his spare time, Swindell served as a

magistrate The term magistrate is used in a variety of systems of governments and laws to refer to a civilian officer who administers the law. In ancient Rome, a '' magistratus'' was one of the highest ranking government officers, and possessed both judi ...

, and on his local

Rural District Council A rural district was a type of local government area – now superseded – established at the end of the 19th century in England, Wales, and Ireland for the administration of predominantly rural areas at a level lower than that of the adm ...

. He was also very interested in hospitals, serving on a regional board and as chair of his local hospital group.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Swindell, Bernard 1901 births 1968 deaths Members of the General Council of the Trades Union Congress Trade unionists from Derbyshire Presidents of the GMB (trade union)