Vincent Evans General Secretary 1918-1946

George Vincent Evans

General Secretary 1918-1946

‘G.V.E’ as he was generally known, was born 1889 in Enfield, Middlesex, the second son of Mr J Evans and Mrs Evans of Chase Farm Schools, Enfield.

His Poor Law career commenced at Battle, Sussex in 1905 as an articulated clerk then, 1906 at Poplar Board of Guardians office, as a junior clerk, and finally at Paddington Board of Guardians as a Deputy Clerk.

He had convened the meeting of 6^th December 1918 Holbourn, which finally propelled the Poor Law Workers Trade Union into the existence (out of the National Poor Law Officers Association)

Initially appointed London organiser, he was elected General Secretary unopposed when Archibald Milne resigned after two months “nerve racking” effort.

He steered the union through various spurts in membership growth and a number of name changes National Union of Councty Officers (NUCO) and Hospital & Welfare Services Union (HWSU).

Evans was a deeply religious man and a well known accomplished organist (notably at TUC Congress) and composer.

On amalgamation into COHSE (the other union being the Mental Health & Institutional Workers Union) Vincent Evans accepted the post of head of Finance but died within a year of amalgamation in late 1946, his death hastened, it was suggested by the work he had put into creating COHSE.