Thomas Burlison, Baron Burlison
Encyclopedia
Thomas Henry Burlison, Baron Burlison, DL
(23 May 1936 – 18 May 2008) was a British
footballer, GMB trade union
ist and Treasurer of the Labour Party
. He was the first professional footballer to take a seat in the House of Lords
.
Burlison was born in Edmondsley
, County Durham
, the son of a miner
, Robert Burlison, and his wife, Georgina. He was educated in Edmondsley and worked as panel beater from 1951 to 1957, joining the General and Municipal Workers' Union (GMWU, later merged to form the GMB).
, Hartlepool United
and Darlington
). Between 1959 and 1961, he did National Service
in the Royal Air Force
.
in 1965, and regional secretary in 1978. A polite and unassuming man with a low profile, he was an effective "fixer" behind the scenes, drawing from a base in the union's heartland in the northeast, and responsible for setting many on the path to power. His staff included former Labour ministers Nick Brown
and Doug Henderson
, and former MEP and Labour leader in the European parliament Alan Donnelly
. He was also involved in the selection of many Labour MPs, including Tony Blair
and Peter Mandelson
.
He was involved in the negotiations in 1982 to merge the GMWU with the Boilermakers to form the General, Municipal, Boilermakers and Allied Trades Union. He was runner-up behind John Edmonds in the election for general secretary of the GMB in 1985. The GMB merged with APEX
in 1989 for form the GMB Union
, and Burlison served as deputy general secretary of the merged union from 1991 to 1996.
from 1992 to 1996. He was chairman of the TUC northern region for nine years. He was also a trustee of the Board of Governors
of the University of Northumbria, a Deputy Lieutenant
and Honorary President of Hartlepool United
. He was an important moderniser on Labour's National Executive Committee
in the years before the party's landslide victory at the 1997 general election
.
as Baron Burlison of Rowlands Gill, in the County of Tyne and Wear
. He was a working peer, and was a Lord in Waiting (a Government whip in the House of Lords) from 1999 to 2001.
Burlison married Valerie Stephenson in 1981. They had one son and one daughter.
Burlison lived in Rowlands Gill
, Tyne and Wear
, for at least 20 years. He died in Gateshead
on 20 May 2008 at the age of 71.
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
(23 May 1936 – 18 May 2008) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
footballer, GMB trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
ist and Treasurer of the Labour Party
Treasurer of the Labour Party
The Treasurer of the Labour Party is a position on the National Executive Committee of the British Labour Party.Although a post with little power, in the past, it was often hotly contested by people who later became big names in British politics: Arthur Greenwood beat Herbert Morrison in 1943, Hugh...
. He was the first professional footballer to take a seat in 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....
.
Burlison was born in Edmondsley
Edmondsley
Edmondsley is a small village in County Durham, England. It is situated a few miles south-west of Chester-le-Street, near the villages of Craghead and Sacriston....
, County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
, the son of a miner
Miner
A miner is a person whose work or business is to extract ore or minerals from the earth. Mining is one of the most dangerous trades in the world. In some countries miners lack social guarantees and in case of injury may be left to cope without assistance....
, Robert Burlison, and his wife, Georgina. He was educated in Edmondsley and worked as panel beater from 1951 to 1957, joining the General and Municipal Workers' Union (GMWU, later merged to form the GMB).
Professional football
He was a professional footballer from 1953 to 1965 (playing for Lincoln CityLincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
, Hartlepool United
Hartlepool United F.C.
Hartlepool United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Hartlepool that currently play in League One. The team won promotion to League One in the 2006–07 season...
and Darlington
Darlington F.C.
Darlington Football Club is a professional association football club based in Darlington, County Durham, currently playing in the Conference National. The club was founded in 1883, and originally played its games at Feethams, before moving to the Darlington Arena in 2003...
). Between 1959 and 1961, he did National Service
National service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
in the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
.
GMWU/GMB trade union
He became a regional officer of the GMB in Newcastle upon TyneNewcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
in 1965, and regional secretary in 1978. A polite and unassuming man with a low profile, he was an effective "fixer" behind the scenes, drawing from a base in the union's heartland in the northeast, and responsible for setting many on the path to power. His staff included former Labour ministers Nick Brown
Nick Brown
Nicholas Hugh "Nick" Brown is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Newcastle upon Tyne East since 1983...
and Doug Henderson
Doug Henderson
Douglas John "Doug" Henderson is a British Labour Party politician who was the Member of Parliament for Newcastle North from 1987 until 2010.-Early life:...
, and former MEP and Labour leader in the European parliament Alan Donnelly
Alan Donnelly
Alan Donnelly is a British politician from Jarrow who served as a Labour Member of the European Parliament and leader of the European Parliamentary Labour Party....
. He was also involved in the selection of many Labour MPs, including Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
and Peter Mandelson
Peter Mandelson
Peter Benjamin Mandelson, Baron Mandelson, PC is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Hartlepool from 1992 to 2004, served in a number of Cabinet positions under both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, and was a European Commissioner...
.
He was involved in the negotiations in 1982 to merge the GMWU with the Boilermakers to form the General, Municipal, Boilermakers and Allied Trades Union. He was runner-up behind John Edmonds in the election for general secretary of the GMB in 1985. The GMB merged with APEX
Association of Professional, Executive, Clerical and Computer Staff
The Association of Professional, Executive, Clerical and Computer Staff was a British trade union which was formed in 1890 as the Clerks Union and later was renamed as the National Union of Clerks...
in 1989 for form the GMB Union
GMB Union
The GMB is a general trade union in the United Kingdom, and has more than 600,000 members. Its members are drawn from many sectors, with particular strength amongst manual workers in local government and the health service...
, and Burlison served as deputy general secretary of the merged union from 1991 to 1996.
Labour Party
He was also treasurer of the Labour PartyLabour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
from 1992 to 1996. He was chairman of the TUC northern region for nine years. He was also a trustee of the Board of Governors
Board of governors
Board of governors is a term sometimes applied to the board of directors of a public entity or non-profit organization.Many public institutions, such as public universities, are government-owned corporations. The British Broadcasting Corporation was managed by a board of governors, though this role...
of the University of Northumbria, a Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
and Honorary President of Hartlepool United
Hartlepool United F.C.
Hartlepool United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Hartlepool that currently play in League One. The team won promotion to League One in the 2006–07 season...
. He was an important moderniser on Labour's National Executive Committee
National Executive Committee
The National Executive Committee or NEC is the chief administrative body of the UK Labour Party. Its composition has changed over the years, and includes representatives of affiliated trade unions, the Parliamentary Labour Party and European Parliamentary Labour Party, Constituency Labour Parties,...
in the years before the party's landslide victory at the 1997 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
.
Baron Burlison
On 21 October 1997, he was created a life peerLife peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
as Baron Burlison of Rowlands Gill, in the County of Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear is a metropolitan county in north east England around the mouths of the Rivers Tyne and Wear. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972...
. He was a working peer, and was a Lord in Waiting (a Government whip in the House of Lords) from 1999 to 2001.
Burlison married Valerie Stephenson in 1981. They had one son and one daughter.
Burlison lived in Rowlands Gill
Rowlands Gill
Rowlands Gill is a village situated along the A694, between Winlaton Mill and Blackhall Mill, on the north bank of the River Derwent, Tyne and Wear, England. With the coming of the Derwent Valley Railway in 1867, Rowlands Gill became both a coal mining village, and during the early part of the...
, Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear is a metropolitan county in north east England around the mouths of the Rivers Tyne and Wear. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972...
, for at least 20 years. He died in Gateshead
Gateshead
Gateshead is a town in Tyne and Wear, England and is the main settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead. Historically a part of County Durham, it lies on the southern bank of the River Tyne opposite Newcastle upon Tyne and together they form the urban core of Tyneside...
on 20 May 2008 at the age of 71.