John Hilton (industrial relations)
Encyclopedia
John Hilton was the first Montague Burton Professor of Industrial Relations
at Cambridge University, broadcaster
and journalist
.
. After serving an apprenticeship
as a mill mechanic, he worked as foreman and manager of engineering works before spending the period 1907-08 studying in Russia
.
After four years of lecturing and technical journalism, he became in 1912 the acting secretary of the Garton Foundation, newly established to propagate Norman Angell's
ideas on international relations. In 1919 he joined the Ministry of Labour
as Assistant Secretary and Director of Statistics.
In 1931 he took up the newly established position of Professor of Industrial Relations at the Cambridge University. In this period he made weekly broadcasts called This and that (1934–36) and This way out (1936–37), and wrote weekly articles and daily questions-and-answers in the News Chronicle
(1936–39).
On the outbreak of the World War II
he became in September 1939 Director of Home Publicity at the Ministry of Information, but stood down in the following June and resumed broadcasting, with John Hilton talking, speaking largely to those affected directly and personally by the war, those in the Forces, those left behind and those subject to industrial conscription.
He was approached in March 1942 by the News of the World
to do the same sort of thing for the newspaper. So he became Director of the News of the World Industrial Advice Bureau which, after his death in August 1943, was renamed after him. Based in Cambridge the Bureau called on a panel drawn from dozens of professions with expertise to deal with readers' queries. It continued in peacetime until 1968, particularly addressing the public's concerns in their dealings with the Welfare State
.
Montague Burton Professor of Industrial Relations
The Montague Burton Professorship of Industrial Relations is a professorship in industrial relations at the University of Cambridge. It was founded on 14 November 1930 and endowed by Montague Burton...
at Cambridge University, broadcaster
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
and journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
.
Life
John Hilton was born in LancashireLancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
. After serving an apprenticeship
Apprenticeship
Apprenticeship is a system of training a new generation of practitioners of a skill. Apprentices or protégés build their careers from apprenticeships...
as a mill mechanic, he worked as foreman and manager of engineering works before spending the period 1907-08 studying in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
.
After four years of lecturing and technical journalism, he became in 1912 the acting secretary of the Garton Foundation, newly established to propagate Norman Angell's
Norman Angell
Sir Ralph Norman Angell was an English lecturer, journalist, author, and Member of Parliament for the Labour Party.Angell was one of the principal founders of the Union of Democratic Control...
ideas on international relations. In 1919 he joined the Ministry of Labour
Ministry of Labour
The Ministry of Labour was a British civil service department established by the New Ministries and Secretaries Act 1916. It was renamed the Employment Department in 1988, and finally abolished in 1995...
as Assistant Secretary and Director of Statistics.
In 1931 he took up the newly established position of Professor of Industrial Relations at the Cambridge University. In this period he made weekly broadcasts called This and that (1934–36) and This way out (1936–37), and wrote weekly articles and daily questions-and-answers in the News Chronicle
News Chronicle
The News Chronicle was a British daily newspaper. It ceased publication on 17 October 1960, being absorbed into the Daily Mail. Its offices were in Bouverie Street, off Fleet Street, London, EC4Y 8DP, England.-Daily Chronicle:...
(1936–39).
On the outbreak of the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he became in September 1939 Director of Home Publicity at the Ministry of Information, but stood down in the following June and resumed broadcasting, with John Hilton talking, speaking largely to those affected directly and personally by the war, those in the Forces, those left behind and those subject to industrial conscription.
He was approached in March 1942 by the News of the World
News of the World
The News of the World was a national red top newspaper published in the United Kingdom from 1843 to 2011. It was at one time the biggest selling English language newspaper in the world, and at closure still had one of the highest English language circulations...
to do the same sort of thing for the newspaper. So he became Director of the News of the World Industrial Advice Bureau which, after his death in August 1943, was renamed after him. Based in Cambridge the Bureau called on a panel drawn from dozens of professions with expertise to deal with readers' queries. It continued in peacetime until 1968, particularly addressing the public's concerns in their dealings with the Welfare State
Welfare State
The Welfare State is a commitment to health, education, employment and social security in the United Kingdom.-Background:The United Kingdom, as a welfare state, was prefigured in the William Beveridge Report in 1942, which identified five "Giant Evils" in society: squalor, ignorance, want, idleness...
.
Publications
- Industrial Relations Inaugural Lecture, Cambridge University Press, 1931
- This and That: the broadcast talks of John Hilton, George Allen & Unwin Ltd, London, 1938