William Westwood, 1st Baron Westwood
Encyclopedia
William Westwood, 1st Baron Westwood OBE
(28 August 1880-13 September 1953), was a British
trade unionist and Labour
politician.
Westwood was the son of William Westwood of Dundee
, Scotland
. He was National Supervisor of the Ship Constructors' and Shipwrights' Association (now part of GMB Union
) from 1913 to 1929 and its General Secretary from 1929 to 1945 as well as Chief Industrial Adviser from 1942 to 1945. In 1944 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Westwood, of Gosforth in the County of Northumberland. He then served in the Labour government
of Clement Attlee
as a Lord-in-Waiting
(government whip in the House of Lords
) between 1945 and 1947 and was also Chairman of the Mineral Development Committee under the Ministry of Fuel and Power from 1946 to 1949.
Lord Westwood married firstly Margaret, daughter of William Young, in 1905. After her death in 1916 he married secondly Agnes Helen, daughter of James Downie, in 1918. She died in 1952. Lord Westwood survived her by a year and died in September 1953, aged 73. He was succeeded in the barony by his eldest son from his first marriage, William
.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(28 August 1880-13 September 1953), was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
trade unionist and Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
politician.
Westwood was the son of William Westwood of Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. He was National Supervisor of the Ship Constructors' and Shipwrights' Association (now part of GMB Union
GMB Union
The GMB is a general trade union in the United Kingdom, and has more than 600,000 members. Its members are drawn from many sectors, with particular strength amongst manual workers in local government and the health service...
) from 1913 to 1929 and its General Secretary from 1929 to 1945 as well as Chief Industrial Adviser from 1942 to 1945. In 1944 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Westwood, of Gosforth in the County of Northumberland. He then served in the Labour government
Labour Government 1945-1951
The Labour Party came to power in the United Kingdom after their unexpected victory in the July 1945 general elections. Party leader Clement Attlee became Prime Minister and hastily replaced his predecessor Winston Churchill at the Potsdam Conference in late July. Ernest Bevin was Foreign Secretary...
of Clement Attlee
Clement Attlee
Clement Richard Attlee, 1st Earl Attlee, KG, OM, CH, PC, FRS was a British Labour politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1945 to 1951, and as the Leader of the Labour Party from 1935 to 1955...
as a Lord-in-Waiting
Lord-in-Waiting
Most Lords in Waiting are Government whips in the House of Lords who are members of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. As members of the Royal Household their duties are nominal, though they are occasionally required to meet visiting political and state leaders on visits...
(government whip in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
) between 1945 and 1947 and was also Chairman of the Mineral Development Committee under the Ministry of Fuel and Power from 1946 to 1949.
Lord Westwood married firstly Margaret, daughter of William Young, in 1905. After her death in 1916 he married secondly Agnes Helen, daughter of James Downie, in 1918. She died in 1952. Lord Westwood survived her by a year and died in September 1953, aged 73. He was succeeded in the barony by his eldest son from his first marriage, William
William Westwood, 2nd Baron Westwood
William Westwood, 2nd Baron Westwood was a British peer, director of Hornby Railways and former chairman of Newcastle United.-Biography:...
.