Ken Thomas
Encyclopedia
Kenneth Rowland Thomas OBE (7 February 1927 – 12 August 2008) was a Welsh trade unionist and General Secretary of the Civil and Public Services Association
(CPSA).
, Glamorgan
. His father died when he was a boy, and he was brought up by his mother and two sisters. After Penarth Grammar School, he worked briefly as a trainee journalist for the South Wales Echo
and Western Mail from 1943–1944.
of the union in 1976, a post from which he retired in 1982, asking for a composition by Welsh composer Daniel Jones
. He was also a member of the TUC
General Council from 1977–82.
He was awarded an OBE in 1995.
Civil and Public Services Association
The Civil and Public Services Association was a trade union in the United Kingdom, representing civil servants.The union was founded in 1921, when the Civil Service Clerical Union and the Clerical Officers' Association merged to form the Civil Service Clerical Association. It affiliated with the...
(CPSA).
Early life
Thomas was born in PenarthPenarth
Penarth is a town and seaside resort in the Vale of Glamorgan , Wales, 5.2 miles south west from the city centre of the Welsh capital city of Cardiff and lying on the north shore of the Severn Estuary at the southern end of Cardiff Bay...
, Glamorgan
Glamorgan
Glamorgan or Glamorganshire is one of the thirteen historic counties and a former administrative county of Wales. It was originally an early medieval kingdom of varying boundaries known as Glywysing until taken over by the Normans as a lordship. Glamorgan is latterly represented by the three...
. His father died when he was a boy, and he was brought up by his mother and two sisters. After Penarth Grammar School, he worked briefly as a trainee journalist for the South Wales Echo
South Wales Echo
The South Wales Echo is a daily tabloid newspaper published in Cardiff, Wales and distributed throughout the surrounding area.The newspaper was founded in 1884 and was based in Thomson House, Cardiff city centre. It is published by Media Wales Ltd , part of the Trinity Mirror group...
and Western Mail from 1943–1944.
Civil Service career
Thomas joined the Civil Service in 1944. He became an assistant secretary of the CPSA from 1955 until 1967, Deputy General Secretary from 1967 and was appointed General SecretaryGeneral Secretary
The office of general secretary is staffed by the chief officer of:*The General Secretariat for Macedonia and Thrace, a government agency for the Greek regions of Macedonia and Thrace...
of the union in 1976, a post from which he retired in 1982, asking for a composition by Welsh composer Daniel Jones
Daniel Jones (composer)
Daniel Jenkyn Jones OBE was a composer of classical music, who worked in Britain. He used both serial and tonal techniques...
. He was also a member of the TUC
Trades Union Congress
The Trades Union Congress is a national trade union centre, a federation of trade unions in the United Kingdom, representing the majority of trade unions...
General Council from 1977–82.
Retirement
In retirement Thomas sat on various boards and committees including Occupational Pensions Board (1981–1997); the Civil Service Appeal Board (1984–91); the Law Society Professional Purposes Committee (1984–86); and the Solicitors' Complaints Bureau (1986–92). He was also a trustee of the Post Office Pension Fund (1969–84), the London Development Capital Fund (1984–99) and the British Telecommunications Fund (1983–97) as well being a director of the West Midlands Enterprise Board from 1982, the Warwickshire Venture Capital Fund (1988–91) and the West Midlands Growth Fund (1990–2005).He was awarded an OBE in 1995.