Sir Arthur Pugh CBE (19 January 1870 – 2 August 1955) was a British trade unionist.

Born in Ross-on-Wye, Pugh was apprenticed to a farmer who also worked as a butcher, but soon moved to Neath to work in the steel industry, where he became active in the British Steel Smelters' Association. In 1901, he moved to Frodingham, Lincolnshire, and he became first Assistant Secretary and then Office Secretary of the union. In 1917, he played a leading role in the formation of the Iron and Steel Trades Confederation (ISTC) and the British Iron, Steel and Kindred Trades Association, becoming the first General Secretary of the ISTC. He served as President of the Trades Union Congress in 1926, during the UK General Strike, was on the economic consultative committee of the League of Nations, and was active in running the Daily Herald newspaper. He retired from his union posts in 1935, and wrote Men of Steel, a history of the metal-workers trade unions.[1]

Pugh was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1930 New Year Honours for public services,[2] and knighted in the 1935 Birthday and Silver Jubilee Honours.[3]

He was featured in Jack Thorne's 2023 play When Winston Went to War with the Wireless, played by Elliott Rennie.[4]

References

  1. ^ "Pugh, Sir Arthur", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
  2. ^ "No. 33566". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 1929. p. 7.
  3. ^ "No. 34166". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 May 1935. p. 3592.
  4. ^ "Donmar Warehouse reveals complete cast for "When Winston Went to War with the Wireless"". WhatsOnStage.com. 24 April 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
Trade union offices Preceded byJ. T. Macpherson Assistant General Secretary of the British Steel Smelters' Association 1906 – 1917 Succeeded byPosition abolished Preceded byNew position General Secretary of the Iron and Steel Trades Confederation 1917–1935 Succeeded byJohn Brown Preceded byAlonzo Swales President of the Trades Union Congress 1926 Succeeded byGeorge Hicks Preceded byNew position Iron, Steel and Minor Metal Trades representative on the General Council of the TUC 1921 – 1935 With: William Kean Succeeded byJohn Brown and William Kean Preceded byJohn Bromley and George Hicks Trades Union Congress representative to the American Federation of Labour 1927 With: Will Sherwood Succeeded byEbby Edwards and John Marchbank Academic offices Preceded byFred Bramley President of the Workers' Educational Association 1926 – 1928 Succeeded byR. H. Tawney
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