Frank Chapple
Encyclopedia
Frank Chapple was general secretary of the Electrical, Electronic, Telecommunications and Plumbing Union
(EETPU), a leading British trade union.
Frank Chapple was born in the slum area of Hoxton
, east London, in a flat above his father's shoe-repair shop. There was no bath or running hot water in the Chapple home.
When he was demobbed from the army in 1947, he had already married Joan Nicholls while on leave the previous year, and their first home together in Stamford Hill
still had no bath. Chapple claimed he did not have a properly plumbed bath at home until he was 42 years old. A Communist Party
member early in his adult life, Chapple left the party over the Hungarian Revolution of 1956.
Frank Chapple was a member of the TUC general council for 12 years to 1983, having first joined the union in 1937, and he served at every level in the electricians' union from shop steward to leader.
He was general secretary of EETPU from 1966 to 1984 before his retirement when he was elevated to the House of Lords
as Lord Chapple of Hoxton. His successor was Eric Hammond
. One of Chapple's sons, Barry Chapple, is a regional official of Amicus
, which succeeded the EETPU.
Electrical, Electronic, Telecommunications and Plumbing Union
The Electrical, Electronic, Telecommunications and Plumbing Union, known as the EETPU was a British trade union formed in 1968 as a union for electricians.-History:...
(EETPU), a leading British trade union.
Frank Chapple was born in the slum area of Hoxton
Hoxton
Hoxton is an area in the London Borough of Hackney, immediately north of the financial district of the City of London. The area of Hoxton is bordered by Regent's Canal on the north side, Wharf Road and City Road on the west, Old Street on the south, and Kingsland Road on the east.Hoxton is also a...
, east London, in a flat above his father's shoe-repair shop. There was no bath or running hot water in the Chapple home.
When he was demobbed from the army in 1947, he had already married Joan Nicholls while on leave the previous year, and their first home together in Stamford Hill
Stamford Hill
Stamford Hill is a place in the north of the London Borough of Hackney, England, near the border with Haringey. It is home to Europe's largest Hasidic Jewish and Adeni Jewish community.Stamford Hill is NNE of Charing Cross.-History:...
still had no bath. Chapple claimed he did not have a properly plumbed bath at home until he was 42 years old. A Communist Party
Communist Party of Great Britain
The Communist Party of Great Britain was the largest communist party in Great Britain, although it never became a mass party like those in France and Italy. It existed from 1920 to 1991.-Formation:...
member early in his adult life, Chapple left the party over the Hungarian Revolution of 1956.
Frank Chapple was a member of the TUC general council for 12 years to 1983, having first joined the union in 1937, and he served at every level in the electricians' union from shop steward to leader.
He was general secretary of EETPU from 1966 to 1984 before his retirement when he was elevated to the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
as Lord Chapple of Hoxton. His successor was Eric Hammond
Eric Hammond
Eric Albert Barrett Hammond, OBE, was general secretary of the EETPU, a British trade union, from 1984 to 1992....
. One of Chapple's sons, Barry Chapple, is a regional official of Amicus
Amicus
Amicus was the United Kingdom's second-largest trade union, and the largest private sector union, formed by the merger of Manufacturing Science and Finance, the AEEU agreed in 2001, and two smaller unions, UNIFI and the GPMU...
, which succeeded the EETPU.