Herbert Skinner (trade unionist)

John Herbert Sebastian Skinner (5 September 1861^[1] – 2 June 1934) was a British trade unionist.

Skinner was born in Tiverton in Devon.^[2] He was living with a 27-year-old aunt prior to his 10th birthday.^[3] He worked as a compositor and moved to Kingston-upon-Hull to work at a newspaper there. He became involved with the Typographical Association, and in 1894 became its full-time National Organiser. From this post, he was promoted to Assistant General Secretary, then in 1900 was elected as its General Secretary.^[4]

During his time as General Secretary, Skinner devoted much effort to building links with other unions. He represented the Typographical Association to the Trades Union Congress (TUC), serving for a time on the General Council of the TUC,^[4] and in 1908 being chosen as its delegate to the American Federation of Labour. He also served on the Joint Industrial Council and Printing and Kindred Trades Federation.^[4]

Skinner resigned from his trade union posts around the start of 1933, due to poor health, and died 18 months later in Manchester.^[4][5]

References

1. Devon, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1920
2. 1901 England Census
3. 1871 England Census
4. Trades Union Congress, Report of the 1934 Trades Union Congress, p.213
5. England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966, 1973-1995

Trade union offices
Preceded by A. Jones	General Secretary of the Typographical Association 1900 – 1933	Succeeded by John Fletcher
Preceded by John Hodge and David Shackleton	Trades Union Congress representative to the American Federation of Labour 1908 With: John Wadsworth	Succeeded by J. R. Clynes and Alfred Henry Gill
Preceded by New position	Printing and Paper Group member of the General Council of the Trades Union Congress 1921 – 1933	Succeeded by George Isaacs