Trade Unions

A plaque on Brook Street commemorates the Newbold & Burton factory.

Mr Whittington: They were dead against trade unionism in Sileby for some time. But the Exelsior shoe factory, they started off in 1913 or thereabouts and it was through the trade unions and the co-operative society formed them I believe, so I understand, so of course they had to be a trade union. I became out of work in 1921 so I was out of work off and on for about six months, and I got a job eventually with the Excelsior’s when they were on overtime. So that’s how I got to know about them, it was compulsory for me to join the trade union then, you see. So I joined the trade union I think it was about 1940, er 1924 I should say. So I became interested in the trade union then. When I got another job with Lawson Ward & Co [?] working for him for a time. I got various little jobs in between, being out of work. So then, I was a Sunday School secretary for quite a while and a friend of mine, Mr Marshall Russell, he says to me one day, will you give a subscription to so-and-so, so I said well I really can’t afford it, I said I’m out of work, I was at the time. So, I’m very sorry about that, he says I didn’t know you was out of work, said I’ll try and get you a job at Newbold & Burton’s – where he was a foreman. So that’s how I got in there and I never looked back after that.

Interviewer: And there was a union in Newbold & Burton’s was there?

Mr Whittington: Yes, they did allow it you see, because they were an offspring from the Excelsior. Mr Newbold and Mr Burton they were amongst the people that started the Exelsior, so anyway they started on their own. So I went to work for them, that would be about 1924. So, anyway, the war came along in 1939, the young man that was collecting the trade union at that time, he had to join up you see, and he never returned. So some of my friends in the clicking department, one of them came to me and said we’d like you to be the shop steward, said we know that you’re honest.

Interviewer: Had you taken a lot of interest in the union before then?

Mr Whittington: Not particularly, no. I was interested, but not a lot. So, anyway, this man came to me – it rather surprised me because I didn’t think they thought enough of me for that – but anyway he came to me, he said we’d like you to take it on because we know you’re honest, you see, they knew I came from the right family you see. And I’d been, as I say, Sunday School secretary and they trusted me, which I was rather surprised at, but anyway, so, I agreed to take it on, and then they nominated me for the trade union committee.

Interviewer: What did you do as a shop steward?

Mr Whittington: I had to collect all the fees from the men, which at that time I think was about a shilling (5p) a head. That went to finance the union and if they had any illnesses they got a certain amount of sick pay from the trade union and various benefits like that. Almost like being in the National Health now.

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