Mann, Tom, 1856-1941

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Tom Mann was born in Coventry in 1856. Starting work at the age of nine, he eventually found his trade as an engineer in Birmingham and London, joining the Amalgamated Society of Engineers in 1881. An attempt to become the union's General Secretary in 1892 failed, but Mann had already gained fame as the leader of the 1889 London dock strike, and he became President of the Dock, Wharf, Riverside and General Workers' Union of Great Britain and Ireland in the same year. This was a post he held until 1893, during which time he was also a member of the Royal Commission on Labour. Mann's political interests also grew during this time, and he became Secretary of the Independent Labour Party in 1894. An advocate of direct trade union action, Mann was imprisoned several times, both in Britain and abroad. Mann's career was truly international, and in 1896 he founded and became the first President of the International Transport Workers' Federation. He continued to be active in the labour movement throughout his life, founding the British Communist Party in 1920, and becoming General Secretary of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers (1919-20) and its successor, the Amalgamated Engineering Union (1920-1). He died in 1941.

Reference: The Concise Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford, 1992).

From the guide to the Papers of Tom Mann, 1879-1956, (Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick Library)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Papers of Tom Mann, 1879-1956 Modern Records Centre
referencedIn Tom Mann Memorial Fund, 1942-1994 Modern Records Centre
referencedIn Guide to the Daily Worker and Daily World Photographs Collection, 1920-2001 Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives
referencedIn International Transport Workers' Federation, 1896-1986 Modern Records Centre
referencedIn Volkhovskii, F. (Feliks), 1846-1914. Correspondence, 1878-1932 Houghton Library
referencedIn Earl Browder Papers, 1879-1990 Syracuse University. Library. Special Collections Research Center
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Amalgamated Engineering Union corporateBody
associatedWith Amalgamated Society of Engineers corporateBody
associatedWith Browder, Earl, 1891-1973 person
associatedWith Communist Party of Great Britain corporateBody
associatedWith Communist Party of the United States of America. corporateBody
associatedWith Dock, Wharf, Riverside and General Workers' Union of Great Britain and Ireland corporateBody
associatedWith Great Britain Royal Commission on Labour corporateBody
associatedWith Independent Labour Party (Great Britain) corporateBody
associatedWith International Transport Workers' Federation corporateBody
associatedWith Mann Thomas 1856-1941 person
correspondedWith Volkhovskii, F. (Feliks), 1846-1914 person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Pontardawe (Wales)
Subject
Labor leaders Great Britain
Occupation
Activity

Person

Birth 1856-04-15

Death 1941-03-13

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