George Henry Lowthian (born 30 January 1908 in Carlisle, Cumberland; died 11 June 1986 in Sutton, Surrey) was a

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

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 ...

. Lowthian entered the building trade at the age of sixteen, and completed his apprenticeship four years later, immediately joining the

Amalgamated Union of Building Trade Workers The Amalgamated Union of Building Trade Workers (AUBTW) was a British trade union. History The AUBTW was founded in 1921 when the Operative Society of Masons, Quarrymen and Allied Trades of England and Wales, the Operative Bricklayers' Societ ...

, and was elected as a branch secretary the following year. He studied extensively with 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 ...

.Benjamin Charles Roberts, ''Trade union government and administration in Great Britain'', p.536 Lowthian rapidly rose through the union, attending its conference from 1936, and joining the executive council in 1940. He became a full-time union official in 1945, as a divisional secretary, and was elected as the union's general secretary in 1950. He served on the General Council of the

Trades Union Congress The Trades Union Congress (TUC) is a national trade union center, national trade union centre, a federation of trade unions that collectively represent most unionised workers in England and Wales. There are 48 affiliated unions with a total of ...

(TUC) for 21 years, and served as

President of the TUC The president of the Trades Union Congress is a prominent but largely honorary position in British trade unionism. History Initially, the post of president was elected at the annual Trades Union Congress (TUC) itself, and would serve just for the d ...

in 1964.''Report of the 118th Annual Trades Union Congress'', p.392 In 1971, Lowthian led his union into a merger which produced the

Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians The Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians (UCATT) was a British and Republic of Ireland, Irish trade union, operating in the construction industry. It was founded in 1971, and merged into Unite (trade union), Unite on 1 January ...

. He spent two years as the secretary of the building section of the new union, before retiring. He maintained links with the trade union movement, including serving as a trustee of the Miners' Hardship Fund, until his death in 1985.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lowthian, George 1908 births 1985 deaths British trade union leaders Presidents of the Trades Union Congress