Papers of H.J. Arnold, Gas Staff Association

The minute books record various stages in the development of a national staff association for gas employees and include minutes of predecessors and Gas Staff Association 1943-6; Gas Light & Coke Company non-manual staff co-ordinating committee minutes, 1944-7. Arnold's autobiography sets out his own role in this process.

H. J. Arnold was born in St Pancras, London in 1900. In 1916 he was employed as a clerk with the Gas Light & Coke Company but joined the army as a bandsman from 1917-1923. He then returned to employment with the Gas Light & Coke Company where he became chairman of the gas sales department staff associations. He was appointed Secretary of the Gas Staff Association when it was formed in 1944 and was acting General Secretary from 1945. He was briefly made the first General Secretary of the British Gas Staff Association in July 1946 but then served as its National Organiser from December 1946 until the association amalgamated with the National Association of Local Government Officers in 1963.

Reference: 'Thermfare', Journal of the British Gas Staff Association, July 1947; December 1962.

This collection is available to researchers by appointment at the Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick. See http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/library/mrc/using/

Link to full catalogue: http://mrc-catalogue.warwick.ac.uk/records/ARN

The deposit was collected by Richard Storey of the Modern Records Centre from H J Arnold in August 1975.