Cliff Comer General Secretary 1948-1953

Cliff Comer

COHSE General Secretary 1948-1953

Clifford F Comer was born at Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset and began his career as a mental nurse at Wells hospital in 1918, where for many years he was branch secretary (from the mid 1920’s onwards) of the National Asylum workers Union & Mental Health & Institutional Workers Union. Cliff living at 3 Bath Road Terrace, Wells.

Wells NAWU branch had been established September 1914

He was also a firm Labour Party member and was always active in his local Constituency, serving for many years on the Somerset county council as well as Labour Party Secretary.

He then had the distinction in 1932 of being appointed the unions first national organiser, based in the unions office in Manchester.

In 1938 he was transferred to London as the Southern Organiser to replace Rev Stanley Morgan organiser 1921-1937and where a new office was opening and until amalgamation in 1946 he ran the London office to cover the Southern region.

Cliff was elected assistant General secretary of the Confederation of Health service employees (COHSE) in 1947 and played a key role in smoothing the teething problems that inevitably resulted from merger and the formation of the new NHS.

In 1948 as “heir apparent” he was elected general secretary as successor to George Gibson.

It was Cliff’s vision and forward thinking that saw COHSE take a major steps towards becoming Britain’s specialist NHS union.

He was renowned for his clarity of vision, his sound tactical sense and his total commitment to the union and was according to some “far from the humourless bureaucrat of tradition”. Indeed it was aid he had an “impish” scene of humour and his twinkling smile enlivened any meeting”.

He retired unexpectedly in April 1953 for “personal reasons” but many believed because of his frustration at the lack of growth in membership and the splits on the National Executive Committee.

He attended every union conference from 1926 until 1978, which must be a record.

It must have given him great satisfaction to visit the unions headquarter at Glen house, Banstead, Surrey when it was opened in 1976.

A non smoker or drinker and strong Christian.

He died 22 September 1978 and his funeral took place at the Salvation Army Citadel, Weston-Super-Mare, where Cliff served for many years as a trombonist in the Army band.

Died 22 September 1976 aged 83

born 1896 ?

Dick Akers General Secretary 1967-1969

Arthur Richard Akers

COHSE General secretary 1967 - 1969

Arthur Richard Akers or “Dick “ as he was commonly known was born in 1904 in London.

He was employed as a boy clerk in the telegraph office at Barking station (he first joined a union in 1919) but became a steward on transatlantic liners. He later became a valet to a rich family in Long Island, New York,USA.

After being refused a work permit for the States he returned in 1930, later taking up “temporary” employment at Goodmays Psychiatric hospital, Ilford, Essex, where he later qualified as a mental nurse RMPA (Gold badge). Joining the MH&IWU in 1932.

While at Goodmayes he was schooled in trade unionism by Joe Soley the Mental Hospital & institutional workers Union Branch secretary. (The Goodmayes branch of the National Asylum Workers Union was established in 1913 and recognition followed in 1919)

He became branch secretary at Goodmayes hospital in 1944 and was appointed COHSE Regional Secretary in 1947.

He was active in organising the famous Trafalgar square (and Hyde Park) 1,000 strong student nurse demonstration of 15^th August 1948. He was later alsoinvolved in the 1962 nurses pay campaign including a rally in Trafalgar Square and mass meetings at Caxton and Albert hall.

he was appointed a COHSE national Officer and in 1962 was elected by a large majority and on a 58% turnout Assistant General secretary.

He was credited in 1964 of securing the passage of a resolution calling for the “nationalization” of the Ambulance service at TUC congress. NUPE and other being opposed because it was under Local authority control.

In 1966 he was elected General secretary on the retirement of Jack Jepson, once again beating frank Lynch in the process. Taking up post on January 1^st 1967.

He lived in Carlshalton, Surrey and had a wife, Hilda and two sons and one daughter. His daughter sue, being a nurse and COHSE member.

“his cheerful disposition and sharp cockney wit are allied to a sound common sense, which makes him a shrewd Whitley negotiator and entertaining platform speaker” according to the COHSE Journal of January 1962.

retired as COHSE General Secretary June 1969.

Died 1977

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.

George Gibson - General Secretary

George Gibson was born in Glasgow, Scotland he became a Charge Nurse at Winwick Hospital and soon became active in the National Asylum Workers Union. He directed the the NAWU militancy after the end of World War One, which resulted in permanent improvements in pay and conditions as well as national bargaining framework. Elected General secretary of the National Asylum Workers Union 1913 As a member of the TUC he was involved in the TUC's campaign to organise general nurses in the 1930's and the 1937 TUC Nurses Charter. He was a member of the Rushcliffe Committee which led to the establishment of the Nurses & Midwives Whitley Council in 1948. He resigned as General Secretary in 1947 and died in 1953.