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, Bradford, West Riding of Yorkshire, England |
| 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, 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 (CBE) in the 1961 New Year 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 a life peer as 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
- ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 42231. p. 8898. 31 December 1960.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 46231. p. 3167. 11 March 1974.
External links
- Vic Feather on cover of Private Eye - private-eye.co.uk
- BBC "On This Day" 1 March 1971 - news.bbc.co.uk
- BBC "On This Day" 1 May 1973 - news.bbc.co.uk
| 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 1973–74 |
Succeeded by Heinz Oskar Vetter |