Samuel Shaftoe (25 May 1841 – 27 November 1911) 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 ...

. Born in

York York is a cathedral city in North Yorkshire, England, with Roman Britain, Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers River Ouse, Yorkshire, Ouse and River Foss, Foss. It has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a Yor ...

, Shaftoe moved with his family to

Kingston upon Hull Kingston upon Hull, usually shortened to Hull, is a historic maritime city and unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It lies upon the River Hull at its confluence with the Humber Est ...

when he was eleven, leaving school and becoming an apprentice basket maker. He joined the Basket Makers' trade union in 1862, and took part in a strike two years later, but lost his job as a result, and moved to

Bradford Bradford is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in West Yorkshire, England. It became a municipal borough in 1847, received a city charter in 1897 and, since the Local Government Act 1972, 1974 reform, the city status in the United Kingdo ...

to find work. There, he played a prominent part in a six-month long strike, and was then elected as the local secretary of the Yorkshire Skep and Basket Makers' Union.

Keith Laybourn Keith Laybourn (born 13 March 1946) is Diamond Jubilee Professor of the University of Huddersfield and Professor of History. He is a British historian of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century specialising in Labor history (discipline) ...

and John Saville, ''Dictionary of Labour Biography'', vol.III, pp.158-160 Shaftoe immediately began campaigning for the union to expand its remit and provide benefits for members who were unable to work due to illness, and for families of deceased members. This was agreed, and in 1868 he was appointed as the union's general secretary. He led two strikes, both successful, resulting in increases in wages and a maximum nine-hour day. In 1872, Bradford Trades Council was refounded, and Shaftoe was elected as its first president. He was seriously injured in 1875, and took two years out of union activism, but returned, then in 1882, instead became secretary of the trades council. He also regularly attended 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), and was elected 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 ...

when it met in Bradford in 1888. From 1891 until 1894, Shaftoe served on Bradford Town Council as a Liberal-Labour member, backed by the Bradford Labour Union. During this time, he was also prominent in the

Labour Electoral Association {{Short description, Political motive of the Labour Electoral Association The Labour Electoral Association was a political organisation in the United Kingdom which aimed to get working men elected to Parliament. Foundation The issue of political re ...

, and these roles brought him into conflict with the Bradford Labour Union, who wanted labour candidates to be entirely independent of the

Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. For example, while the political systems ...

. In 1893, he was defeated for his trades council post by a member of the new

Independent Labour Party The Independent Labour Party (ILP) was a British political party of the left, established in 1893 at a conference in Bradford, after local and national dissatisfaction with the Liberal Party (UK), Liberals' apparent reluctance to endorse work ...

. Despite bad feelings, Shaftoe remained involved with the labour movement in Bradford, and also became the first working man in the

West Riding of Yorkshire The West Riding of Yorkshire was one of three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the riding was an administrative county named County of York, West Riding. The Lord Lieutenant of the West Riding of Yorkshire, lieu ...

to become 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 ...

. By 1905, Shaftoe was suffering poor health and struggling for an income. The trades council persuaded the town council to pay him a small pension until his death in 1911.

The Life and Legacy of Samuel Shaftoe: A Pioneering Trade Unionist

1841

* 25 May: Samuel Shaftoe is born at Dundas Street, York to Thomas Shaftoe and Mary (née Cowan).

1850

* Age 9: The Shaftoe family moves to Hull.

1852

* Age 11: Samuel is apprenticed to a basket maker.

1862

* Joins Basket Makers’ Union: Quickly becomes the union secretary.

1865

* Victimised in Hull Strike: Moves to Bradford.

1866

* Bradford District Secretary: Appointed for the Yorkshire Skep and Basket Makers’ Union.

1868

* General Secretary: Appointed for the union.

1871

* Major Dispute: Leads a successful strike reducing weekly working hours.

1873

* Major Dispute: Leads a successful strike for increased wages and a nine-hour workday.

1872

* Bradford Trades Council Reformed: Shaftoe becomes president.

1877-1882

* President: Serves as president of the Bradford Trades Council.

1882

* Newlands Mills Disaster: Advocates for victims and establishes a permanent legal compensation fund.

1882-1893

* Secretary: Serves as secretary of the Bradford Trades Council.

1885

* Campaign Success: Secures the appointment of a full-time stipendiary magistrate for Bradford.

1888

* TUC President: Elected president of the TUC conference held in Bradford.

1887

* Labour Electoral Association: Becomes secretary of the local association.

1891

* Manningham Mills Dispute: Supports strikers, leading to the formation of the Bradford Labour Union.

1892

* Magistrate: Appointed as the first working man in West Riding to be raised to the Bench. * General Election: Labour Union contests local elections, challenging the Lib-Labs.

1893

* Trades Council Secretary: Replaced by George Cowgill. * 11 May: Receives a testimonial of a timepiece and a hundred guineas.

1891-1894

* Town Council: Serves on the Town Council.

1905

* Pension: Granted a small pension by Bradford Corporation.

1911

* 27 November: Samuel Shaftoe dies. * Funeral: Held at Bowling, Bradford, buried in Bowling Cemetery. The cortege includes the Lord Mayor of Bradford, magistrates, and prominent trade unionists. ''Based on original article by Keith Laybourne and John Saville.''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shaftoe, Samuel 1841 births 1911 deaths Councillors in Bradford Trade unionists from Kingston upon Hull Liberal-Labour (UK) politicians Presidents of the Trades Union Congress