William Crawford (trade unionist)

William Crawford (1833 – 1 July 1890) was an English miner, trade unionist, and a Liberal politician.

Crawford was born at Cullercoats Northumberland^[1] and worked in Hartley Coal Mines from the age of 10. In 1862 he actively opposed the attempt of the Northumberland mine owners to impose the system of yearly hiring. He became Secretary of the Durham Miners' Association in 1863,^[2] and spoke frequently at the Durham Miner's Gala^[3] He was briefly secretary of the breakaway Northumberland Miners' Mutual Confident Association.^[4]

In 1885 Crawford was elected Member of Parliament for Mid Durham and held the seat until his death aged 57. From 1889 to 1890 he was a member of the Institute of Mining Engineers. Crawford was a chief promoter of the College of the Venerable Bede, Durham and acted as its treasurer until his death.^[5]

References

^ British Census 1881
^ Debretts Guide to the House of Commons 1886
^ Durham Mining Museum - Willia Crawford
^ Morpeth Antiquarian Society
^ "The Eagle". 1859.

External links

Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by William Crawford

Parliament of the United Kingdom
New constituency	Member of Parliament for Mid Durham 1885 – 1890	Succeeded by John Wilson
Trade union offices
Preceded by New position	Secretary of the Northumberland Miners' Association 1864	Succeeded by Thomas Burt
Preceded by William Crake	President of the Durham Miners' Association 1870–1871	Succeeded by John Forman
Preceded by A. Cairns	General Secretary of the Durham Miners' Association 1871–1890	Succeeded by William Hammond Patterson
Preceded by Thomas Halliday	Secretary of the Miners' National Union 1877 – 1890	Succeeded by John Wilson
Preceded by Henry Slatter	Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee of the TUC 1880 – 1881	Succeeded by Thomas Birtwistle
Preceded by James Millar Jack	Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee of the TUC 1887 – 1888	Succeeded by George Shipton