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Ellen McCullough

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Ellen McCullough
Born
Ellen Cecelia McCullough

22 November 1908[1]
Died19 May 1985 (aged 76)
Camden, London, England
OccupationTrade unionist

Ellen Cecelia McCullough (22 November 1908 – 19 May 1985) was a British trade unionist.

McCullough entered trade unionism when she was fourteen, working in the office of the Workers' Union. In 1929, this became part of the Transport and General Workers' Union (TGWU), for which she began working, and through the union obtained a scholarship to study at the London School of Economics.[3][4] She lectured at one of the union's first one-day schools for new members, as early as 1944, and became the TGWU's Education Officer in 1946. She came to sit on the executives of the Workers' Educational Association (WEA) and the National Council of Labour Colleges. During the post-war period, she greatly expanded the union's education programme, for the first time offering much training exclusively to members of the union.[5]

In 1958, McCullough became National Women's Officer of the TGWU. During this period, she also served on the General Council of the Trades Union Congress (TUC).[6] She was now one of the most prominent women trade unionists of the period, alongside Ethel Chipchase, Florence Hancock, Anne Godwin and Anne Loughlin.[7] She was a supporter of the Annual Conference of Unions Catering for Women Workers.[8]

In 1963, McCullough was seconded from TGWU to work in the Education Department of the TUC. After two years, she returned to the TGWU, where she instead became National Secretary for Research, and from 1969, Education was also included in her remit.[6] She served as president of the WEA from 1964 to 1971,[9] and president of the International Federation of Workers' Education Associations from 1968 until 1972.[4]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007
  2. ^ England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915
  3. ^ Ken Coates and Tony Topham, The making of the labour movement: the formation of the Transport & General Workers' Union, 1870-1922, p.397
  4. ^ a b International Federation of Workers' Educational Associations, "The Story of the IFWEA: 1945 to 1978"
  5. ^ John P. Fisher, Bread on the Waters: A History of TGWU Education, 1922-2000, pp.75-97
  6. ^ a b Trades Union Congress, "Obituary: Ellen McCullough", Annual Report of the 1985 Trades Union Congress, p.390
  7. ^ Nina Fishman, Alan Campbell and John McIlroy, British Trade Unions and Industrial Politics, 1945-79, p.93
  8. ^ Norbert C. Soldon, Women in British trade unions, 1874-1976, p.172
  9. ^ Transport and General Workers' Record, vol.48, p.3
Trade union offices
Preceded by National Women's Officer of the Transport and General Workers' Union
1958–1963
Succeeded by
Preceded by Women Workers member of the General Council of the Trades Union Congress
1958–1963
With: Anne Godwin
Succeeded by
Preceded by
?
National Officer (Research) of the Transport and General Workers' Union
1965–1970
Succeeded by
Academic offices
Preceded by President of the Workers' Educational Association
1968 – 1971
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Sven-Arne Stahre
President of the International Federation of Workers' Educational Associations
1968–1972
Succeeded by
Josef Eksl