Arthur Deakin

Arthur Deakin CH CBE PC (11 November 1890 – 1 May 1955) was a prominent British trade unionist who was acting general secretary of the Transport and General Workers' Union from 1940 and then general secretary from 1945 to 1955.

Deakin, third from left middle row, in a World War II patriotic poster

Arthur Deakin was born at Holland Street, Sutton Coldfield, Warwickshire, on 11 November 1890, the son of a domestic servant, Annie Deakin. His birth certificate did not record the name of his father. At the age of ten he moved with his mother and stepfather to Dowlais in south Wales.[1] He began his working life at the age of 13 at the Dowlais Ironworks.[2] https://doi.org/10.1093/ref:odnb/32761

In 1910 Deakin moved to Shotton in north Wales and took a job with another steel firm as a roll turner.[3] He became an active trade unionist during the First World War and a full-time official in 1919.[2] In 1932, he became national secretary of the General Workers National Trade Group within the TGWU and in 1935 became assistant general secretary. In 1940 he effectively took over the position of general secretary, following the appointment of Ernest Bevin as a cabinet minister. Deakin's period as general secretary was marked by a consolidation of the powers of executive, occasional serious outbreaks of unofficial strike action among union members and a fierce anti-communist line.

Deakin was due to retire in November 1955 but on 1 May 1955 Deakin was addressing a May Day rally at the Corn Exchange in Leicester when he collapsed, he was dead on arrival at hospital.[4]

Deakin was succeeded as general secretary by Jock Tiffin.