Bill Morris, Baron Morris of Handsworth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Lord Morris of Handsworth
OJ DL
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| Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal |
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| In office 7 June 2006 – 21 July 2020 Life peerage |
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| General Secretary of the Transport and General Workers' Union | |
| In office 1992–2003 |
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| Deputy General Secretary of the Transport and General Workers' Union | |
| In office 1986–1992 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
William Manuel Morris
19 October 1938 (age 86) Manchester Parish, Jamaica |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | legislator, appointee to various quangos |
| Known for | first black leader of a British trade union |
William Manuel Morris, also known as Lord Morris of Handsworth, is a very important British leader. He was born on 19 October 1938. He is famous for being the first black leader of a major trade union in Britain.
A trade union is a group that helps workers. It makes sure they have fair pay and good working conditions. Lord Morris led the Transport and General Workers' Union (TGWU). This was a very big union in the UK. He was its General Secretary from 1992 to 2003.
Lord Morris also served in the House of Lords. This is part of the UK Parliament. He was a member from 2006 until 2020. He worked with the Labour Party.
Contents
Growing Up: Bill Morris's Early Life
William Morris, often called Bill, was born in Manchester Parish, Jamaica. His father, William, was a part-time policeman. After his father passed away, his mother, Una, moved to England. She went there to find work.
Una settled in Handsworth, a town near Birmingham. Bill joined his mother in the UK in 1954. He found a job at a company that made car parts. It was called Hardy Spicer Engineering Ltd.
Bill Morris married Minetta in 1957. They had two sons together. Minetta sadly passed away in 1990.
Becoming a Union Leader: His Career
Bill Morris started his journey with the Transport and General Workers' Union (TGWU) in 1958. He quickly became a shop steward in 1962. A shop steward is a worker chosen to represent other workers. They help solve problems and make sure rules are followed.
From 1972 to 1973, Bill was part of the TGWU's main council. Then, he became a full-time union official. He worked in different areas, helping bus and coach company staff. In 1985, he became the Deputy General Secretary.
Leading the Union: General Secretary
In 1992, Bill Morris was chosen to be the General Secretary. This was the top job at the TGWU. He was re-elected in 1995. He stayed in this important role until he retired in 2003.
During his time, he was also a member of the TUC General Council. The TUC is a big group that represents many unions in the UK. He also served on the board of the Bank of England. This shows how trusted and respected he was.
Bill Morris helped with many important things. He was part of a group looking at changes for the House of Lords. He also helped universities like London South Bank University and Staffordshire University. He even became the first Chancellor of the University of Technology, Jamaica.
He also worked with the BBC and helped with racial equality. In 2004, he led an investigation into police standards. He has always worked to make things fairer for people.
Serving in Parliament: The House of Lords
In 2002, Bill Morris received a special award from Jamaica. It was called the Order of Jamaica. In 2003, he was made a Knight by the Queen. This meant he could be called "Sir Bill Morris."
In 2006, it was announced that he would join the House of Lords. He became a "life peer." This means he got a special title, Baron Morris of Handsworth, and could serve in Parliament for his lifetime. He worked on human rights issues there.
In 2014, he joined many public figures in a letter. They spoke out against Scottish independence. He retired from the House of Lords on 21 July 2020.
