Ronald Gould
Encyclopedia
Sir Ronald Gould was General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers
from 1947–1970. He was the son of the Labour MP Frederick Gould
.
, Somerset
. His father, Frederick Gould
, was a bootmaker who was later Labour MP of nearby Frome
.
His mother, Emma Gay, had been a servant to the Monckton family at Clevedon
, her duties including looking after their children including the young Sir Walter Monckton
. She was a descendant of the playwright John Gay
. Fred and Emma were both musical: he was a baritone and she a soprano.
At the age of three-and-a-half Ronald attended the local Methodist infants' school. At seven he transferred to a local middle school. After that he attended grammar school in Shepton Mallet
, before going to Westminster College
, London
for teacher training.
, and then took up a post at Radstock Council School, Radstock
, Somerset
. At the outbreak of the war in 1939, Somerset County Council
appointed him as Educational Liaison Officer with responsibilities for evacuated children from London
, Ilford
and East Ham
. He was also appointed as chairman of the local invasion committee.
After becoming a teacher, he regularly attended meetings of the Radstock
N.U.T. association. He was elected to the local committee and then to the Somerset County Association. He attended his first national NUT meeting in 1931. He made his first speech at the conference a few years later in Scarborough.
He became head teacher of Welton Council School (now Welton Primary School in Midsomer Norton
). In 1936 was elected to the NUT Executive. In 1942, Ernest Bevin
, Minister of Labour, invited him to join a committee enquiring into the reasons for poor recruitment into coalmining. In April 1943 he was inducted as President of the NUT, a post he held for a year. By 1946 he was chairman of Radstock
Urban District Council and also a magistrate. In 1947 he became General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers
, a post he held until 1970. He was also the first President of the World Confederation of Organisations of the Teaching Profession. In 1955 he received his knighthood.
, daughter of Joseph Willie Fish and Rose Denning. He had two sons, Terence and Derek.
The Times
described his tenure as General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers
as "immensely popular". Generally regarded as an effective leader, it has been suggested he was reluctant to support militancy amongst teachers, preferring to keep the membership of the union together.
National Union of Teachers
The National Union of Teachers is a trade union for school teachers in England, Wales, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. It is a member of the Trades Union Congress...
from 1947–1970. He was the son of the Labour MP Frederick Gould
Frederick Gould
Frederick Gould OBE was an English trade unionist and Labour Party politician who was Member of Parliament for Frome from 1923 to 1924 and from 1929 to 1931. He was also the father of Sir Ronald Gould, teacher and trade unionist.-Early life:Gould was born in Midsomer Norton. He came from a...
.
Early life
He was born in Midsomer NortonMidsomer Norton
Midsomer Norton is a town near the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England, south-west of Bath, north-east of Wells, north-west of Frome, and south-east of Bristol. It has a population of 10,458. Along with Radstock and Westfield it used to be part of the conurbation and large civil parish of Norton...
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
. His father, Frederick Gould
Frederick Gould
Frederick Gould OBE was an English trade unionist and Labour Party politician who was Member of Parliament for Frome from 1923 to 1924 and from 1929 to 1931. He was also the father of Sir Ronald Gould, teacher and trade unionist.-Early life:Gould was born in Midsomer Norton. He came from a...
, was a bootmaker who was later Labour MP of nearby Frome
Frome
Frome is a town and civil parish in northeast Somerset, England. Located at the eastern end of the Mendip Hills, the town is built on uneven high ground, and centres around the River Frome. The town is approximately south of Bath, east of the county town, Taunton and west of London. In the 2001...
.
His mother, Emma Gay, had been a servant to the Monckton family at Clevedon
Clevedon
Clevedon is a town and civil parish in the unitary authority of North Somerset, which covers part of the ceremonial county of Somerset, England...
, her duties including looking after their children including the young Sir Walter Monckton
Walter Monckton, 1st Viscount Monckton of Brenchley
Walter Turner Monckton, 1st Viscount Monckton of Brenchley, GCVO, KCMG, MC, PC was a British politician.-Early years:...
. She was a descendant of the playwright John Gay
John Gay
John Gay was an English poet and dramatist and member of the Scriblerus Club. He is best remembered for The Beggar's Opera , set to music by Johann Christoph Pepusch...
. Fred and Emma were both musical: he was a baritone and she a soprano.
At the age of three-and-a-half Ronald attended the local Methodist infants' school. At seven he transferred to a local middle school. After that he attended grammar school in Shepton Mallet
Shepton Mallet
Shepton Mallet is a small rural town and civil parish in the Mendip district of Somerset in South West England. Situated approximately south of Bristol and east of Wells, the town is estimated to have a population of 9,700. It contains the administrative headquarters of Mendip District Council...
, before going to Westminster College
Westminster College, Oxford
Westminster College was a college of higher education in England. The college was founded in London in 1851 as a training institute for teachers for Methodist schools, and moved to Oxford in 1959. Following the move, the college also began to offer degree courses in Theology and Education. In 2000,...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
for teacher training.
Career
He completed his teacher training in 1924 and was offered a temporary teaching post at Milk Street Council School in FromeFrome
Frome is a town and civil parish in northeast Somerset, England. Located at the eastern end of the Mendip Hills, the town is built on uneven high ground, and centres around the River Frome. The town is approximately south of Bath, east of the county town, Taunton and west of London. In the 2001...
, and then took up a post at Radstock Council School, Radstock
Radstock
Radstock is a town in Somerset, England, south west of Bath, and north west of Frome. It is within the unitary authority of Bath and North East Somerset and had a population of 5,275 according to the 2001 Census...
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
. At the outbreak of the war in 1939, Somerset County Council
Somerset County Council
Somerset County Council is the county council of Somerset in the South West of England, an elected local government authority responsible for the most significant local government services in most of the county.-Area covered:...
appointed him as Educational Liaison Officer with responsibilities for evacuated children from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Ilford
Ilford
Ilford is a large cosmopolitan town in East London, England and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Redbridge. It is located northeast of Charing Cross and is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. It forms a significant commercial and retail...
and East Ham
East Ham
East Ham is a suburban district of London, England, and part of the London Borough of Newham. It is a built-up district located 8 miles east-northeast of Charing Cross...
. He was also appointed as chairman of the local invasion committee.
After becoming a teacher, he regularly attended meetings of the Radstock
Radstock
Radstock is a town in Somerset, England, south west of Bath, and north west of Frome. It is within the unitary authority of Bath and North East Somerset and had a population of 5,275 according to the 2001 Census...
N.U.T. association. He was elected to the local committee and then to the Somerset County Association. He attended his first national NUT meeting in 1931. He made his first speech at the conference a few years later in Scarborough.
He became head teacher of Welton Council School (now Welton Primary School in Midsomer Norton
Midsomer Norton
Midsomer Norton is a town near the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England, south-west of Bath, north-east of Wells, north-west of Frome, and south-east of Bristol. It has a population of 10,458. Along with Radstock and Westfield it used to be part of the conurbation and large civil parish of Norton...
). In 1936 was elected to the NUT Executive. In 1942, Ernest Bevin
Ernest Bevin
Ernest Bevin was a British trade union leader and Labour politician. He served as general secretary of the powerful Transport and General Workers' Union from 1922 to 1945, as Minister of Labour in the war-time coalition government, and as Foreign Secretary in the post-war Labour Government.-Early...
, Minister of Labour, invited him to join a committee enquiring into the reasons for poor recruitment into coalmining. In April 1943 he was inducted as President of the NUT, a post he held for a year. By 1946 he was chairman of Radstock
Radstock
Radstock is a town in Somerset, England, south west of Bath, and north west of Frome. It is within the unitary authority of Bath and North East Somerset and had a population of 5,275 according to the 2001 Census...
Urban District Council and also a magistrate. In 1947 he became General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers
National Union of Teachers
The National Union of Teachers is a trade union for school teachers in England, Wales, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. It is a member of the Trades Union Congress...
, a post he held until 1970. He was also the first President of the World Confederation of Organisations of the Teaching Profession. In 1955 he received his knighthood.
Later life
He retired in 1970. In 1976, he published his autobiography. His wife Nellie died in 1979. He died in 1986.Family life
His wife was Nellie Denning Fish (8 March 1904 – 22 May 1979), from RadstockRadstock
Radstock is a town in Somerset, England, south west of Bath, and north west of Frome. It is within the unitary authority of Bath and North East Somerset and had a population of 5,275 according to the 2001 Census...
, daughter of Joseph Willie Fish and Rose Denning. He had two sons, Terence and Derek.
Views and impact
Ronald Gould's tenure as General Secretary of the N.U.T. was at a period of immense change in UK schooling, heralded by the post-war Education reforms. The 1944 Education Act paved the way for much of this change. Gould saw the importance of "establishing equality of opportunity" via free secondary education, greater access to higher education, the virtual aboliton of selection and the introduction of comprehensive schools.The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
described his tenure as General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers
National Union of Teachers
The National Union of Teachers is a trade union for school teachers in England, Wales, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. It is a member of the Trades Union Congress...
as "immensely popular". Generally regarded as an effective leader, it has been suggested he was reluctant to support militancy amongst teachers, preferring to keep the membership of the union together.