Chapter 16: obituary

Chapter 16 - obituary

Sir David H (Dai) Davies, who died on 2 April, served on the General Council from 1967-1975. He was born in Beaufort, Gwent in 1909 and, at the age of 14, entered the steel industry at the Ebbw Vale Works. He was elected to the union executive in 1948 and was appointed assistant general secretary in 1953. He became general secretary of the Iron and Steel Trades Confederation in 1967, retiring eight years later. An active member of the Labour Party, he was a member of the NEC from 1954, becoming chairman in 1963 and party treasurer in 1965. He was awarded a knighthood in 1973.

George Doughty, former general secretary of the Draughtsmen's and Allied Technicians Association (DATA), died on 25 July, aged 87. Born in Birmingham, he worked in the drawing office of GEC before being elected a district official of DATA in 1946. He became general secretary of the union in 1952 and served on the TUC General Council from 1968 until 1974. He also was an executive member of the Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions.

Lord Howell, formerly Dennis Howell, who died on 19 April aged 74, was president of the Association of Professional, Executive, Clerical and Computer Staffs (APEX) from 1971 until 1983. Born in Birmingham and a clerk by profession, he became one of the city's Labour MP's in 1955, and though he lost his seat in 1959 he returned to Parliament in 1962 and remained an MP until 1992, becoming a life peer later that year. Well known as a professional football referee, he was appointed as Britain's first minister for sport in 1964.

Peter Lenahan, former Executive Council chairman of the Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians, died on 15 February aged 62. He was a member of the General Council from 1991-93. He was also regional organiser and regional council member for UCATT's North West region and served on the union's executive until 1995 when the full time EC was replaced by a new lay executive.