Arthur Mostyn Evans (13 July 1925 – 12 January 2002) was the

general secretary Secretary is a title often used in organizations to indicate a person having a certain amount of authority, Power (social and political), power, or importance in the organization. Secretaries announce important events and communicate to the org ...

of the

Transport and General Workers Union The Transport and General Workers' Union (TGWU or T&G) was one of the largest general trade unions in the United Kingdom and Ireland—where it was known as the Amalgamated Transport and General Workers' Union (ATGWU)—with 900,000 members (a ...

(TGWU), then the largest general trade union in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

, from 1978 until 1985.

Biography

Moss Evans was born in a small terraced house in the Welsh village of Cefn Coed near

Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil () is the main town in Merthyr Tydfil County Borough, Wales, administered by Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council. It is about north of Cardiff. Often called just Merthyr, it is said to be named after Tydfil, daughter of K ...

. When he was 12, his family moved to

Small Heath, Birmingham Small Heath is an inner-city area in south-east Birmingham, West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England situated on and around the Coventry Road about from the city centre. History Small Heath, which has been settled and used since Roman t ...

, as his father had heard there was work which he was determined to find. This was towards the end of

The Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...

and his father, a coal miner, had been out of work for 14 years. Evans first became involved with trade unions whilst working for the Joseph Lucas combine, where he joined the

Amalgamated Engineering Union The Amalgamated Engineering Union (AEU) was a major United Kingdom, British trade union. It merged with the Electrical, Electronic, Telecommunications and Plumbing Union to form the Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union in 1992. History ...

in 1940 at the age of 15. His long involvement with the

(TGWU) started ten years later when he changed jobs, and moved to the

Bakelite Bakelite ( ), formally , is a thermosetting polymer, thermosetting phenol formaldehyde resin, formed from a condensation reaction of phenol with formaldehyde. The first plastic made from synthetic components, it was developed by Belgian chemist ...

factory in Birmingham, where he became

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 ...

a year later. His rise through the organisation of the TGWU started in 1956 when he became engineering and chemical officer for the Birmingham East district. This was followed by; * Birmingham regional trade group secretary 1960–1966 * London Engineering National Officer 1966–1969 * National Secretary (Automotive Section) 1969–1973 * National Organiser 1973–1978 * General Secretary 1978–1985 also * Member,

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 ...

General Council 1977–1985 * Councillor (Labour Party), Borough of King's Lynn and West Norfolk 1991–2001 *

King's Lynn King's Lynn, known until 1537 as Bishop's Lynn and colloquially as Lynn, is a port and market town in the borough of King's Lynn and West Norfolk in the county of Norfolk, England. It is north-east of Peterborough, north-north-east of Cambridg ...

town Mayor 1996–1997

Personal life

He married Laura Bigglestone in 1947; they had three sons and three daughters together. He died in

Norfolk Norfolk ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in England, located in East Anglia and officially part of the East of England region. It borders Lincolnshire and The Wash to the north-west, the North Sea to the north and eas ...

on 12 January 2002.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Evans, Moss 1925 births 2002 deaths General secretaries of the Transport and General Workers' Union Members of the General Council of the Trades Union Congress