Vic Feather

The Right Honourable
The Lord Feather
CBE
President of the European Trade Union Confederation
In office
1973–1974
Preceded by Heinz Oskar Vetter
Succeeded by Heinz Oskar Vetter
General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress
In office
26 February 1969  7 September 19731
Preceded by George Woodcock
Succeeded by Len Murray
Assistant General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress
In office
1960–1969
General Secretary George Woodcock
Preceded by George Woodcock
Succeeded by Len Murray
Personal details
Born 10 April 1908
Idle, near Bradford, West Riding of Yorkshire, England, UK
Died 28 July 1976 (aged 68)
1 Acting from 26 February 1969 to 2 September 1969

Victor Grayson Hardie "Vic" Feather, Baron Feather, CBE (10 April 1908 28 July 1976) was General Secretary of the Trade Union Congress in Great Britain from 1969 to 1973.

Early life and career

Feather was born in Idle, near Bradford, West Riding of Yorkshire in 1908, and was named after the recently elected socialist MP Victor Grayson. He was educated at Hanson Grammar School in Bradford. He began work at age 14 and joined the Shopworkers' Union. He was elected shop steward at age 15, and chairman of his branch committee at age 21. In 1937 he joined the staff of the Trades Union Congress. He became Assistant Secretary (1947–60), Assistant General Secretary (1960–69), and General Secretary (1969–73). He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1961 New Year's Honours.[1]

As General Secretary, Feather led the British trade union movement's fight against Heath government's Industrial Relations Act 1971. After retirement from the TUC, he was President of the European Trade Union Confederation (1973–74). He was created Baron Feather, of the City of Bradford, on 6 March 1974.[2] Lord Feather died two years later in 1976.

With his blunt Yorkshire manner, he was something of a "character" in British public life. He was often imitated by Mike Yarwood. When he appeared on Parkinson he admitted to stealing sheep in the 1930s. He was the subject of an episode of This Is Your Life (UK TV series), first broadcast on 28 November 1973.

Personal life

He married Alice Ellison in 1930 and had two children together, Alexander and Patricia.

References

  1. London Gazette no. 42231. p. 8898
  2. London Gazette no. 46231. p. 3167

External links

Political offices
Preceded by
George Woodcock
Assistant General Secretary of the TUC
1960–1969
Succeeded by
Len Murray
Preceded by
George Woodcock
General Secretary of the TUC
1969-73
Succeeded by
Len Murray
Preceded by
Heinz Oskar Vetter
President of the ETUC
197374
Succeeded by
Heinz Oskar Vetter