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Ernest Bevin: Unskilled Labourer and World Statesman, 1881-1951
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142 pages, Paperback
First published March 6, 1981
About the author
Mark Stephens
6 booksLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
November 14, 2015
In the conclusion of this book the author states, ‘No Englishman in history has risen from such humble origins to such high office, or contributed so much to the world from so deprived a background as Ernest Bevin.’
I would agree wholeheartedly with that statement. Born the illegitimate son of a poverty stricken Somerset woman and was orphaned aged eight. He left school at eleven years old to become an unskilled labourer. He remained working in various unskilled occupations until he was aged thirty. A committed Christian and Socialist, he then went on to totally transform the UK trade union movement, then became an essential member of Churchill’s war Cabinet in World War Two, before becoming Foreign Secretary in post-war Britain, which in turn made him one of the most respected and influential politicians of the twentieth century.
This is a short book comprising of some 135 pages and is now sadly out of print. However, there does appear to be plenty of copies for sale on the internet. Some sections of the book can be a little dry and there is much focus on his work in the trade union movement. Nevertheless there are glimpses of this extraordinary man’s personality, intelligence, which in turn gives us some understanding of how in an early twentieth century class conscious Britain, he was admired not only be the bulk of the working class, but also by politicians of the left and right of the political spectrum: he also had the ear of King George. I did find the book interesting; although there may be other books out there that give more details of his personal life and the dynamic between him and other historical figures of the first half of the twentieth century.
I would agree wholeheartedly with that statement. Born the illegitimate son of a poverty stricken Somerset woman and was orphaned aged eight. He left school at eleven years old to become an unskilled labourer. He remained working in various unskilled occupations until he was aged thirty. A committed Christian and Socialist, he then went on to totally transform the UK trade union movement, then became an essential member of Churchill’s war Cabinet in World War Two, before becoming Foreign Secretary in post-war Britain, which in turn made him one of the most respected and influential politicians of the twentieth century.
This is a short book comprising of some 135 pages and is now sadly out of print. However, there does appear to be plenty of copies for sale on the internet. Some sections of the book can be a little dry and there is much focus on his work in the trade union movement. Nevertheless there are glimpses of this extraordinary man’s personality, intelligence, which in turn gives us some understanding of how in an early twentieth century class conscious Britain, he was admired not only be the bulk of the working class, but also by politicians of the left and right of the political spectrum: he also had the ear of King George. I did find the book interesting; although there may be other books out there that give more details of his personal life and the dynamic between him and other historical figures of the first half of the twentieth century.
November 10, 2019
I'd heard the name of Ernest Bevin before. I'd seen a statue of him in Cardiff somewhere. Or was that Nye Bevin?
I was intrigued by the numerous mentions of him in two books I'd recently read: 'A Line In The Sand' and 'Lords Of The Desert'. Both books cover Britain's involvement in the Middle East. Ernest Bevin was Foreign Secretary from 1945 and was very much involved in the crisis in Palestine after WWII.
Without looking these mentions up in either of the above books, one of the anecdotes was how Senior Civil Servants at the Foreign Office were initially concerned that the new Foreign Secretary didn't know how to hold a knife and fork. Also, the new Foreign Secretary had left school at 11 years old and started work as a farm labourer, and continued in unskilled work until 30 years of age, and he had no further formal education past the age of 11.
Nevertheless, the Foreign Office mandarins became quickly impressed by him.
I had to learn more about this man.
This is a short and fascinating book about the life of a truly extraordinary man.
Amongst other things, he can be credited with, or at least played a very significant role in, are: the creation of the TGWU, the mobilisation of the British workforce for total war in WWII, the Beveridge Report (leading to creation of the British welfare state), the Berlin Airlift, the creation of NATO and on page 112 "one of the most decisive acts in the history of diplomacy: the State Department decided that Great Britain had 'handed the job of world leadership with all its burdens and glories to the United States'. That was precisely what Bevin was trying to do."
These are a few anecdotes that I think are worth quoting, one in particular bearing in mind I write this on the 11th November,
on D-Day: pp107 "While Churchill, Atlee, Bevin and Eden watched the men file past them before joining their landing crafts, a member of his own union called out: 'Look after the missus and kids Ernie.' Painfully aware of what awaited that man and thousands of others on the other side of the channel, Bevin walked back to his car in tears."
pp129 "Bevin's other connection with royalty was a full length portrait of King George III which hung behind his desk in the Foreign Office. Unlike George Brown who had it taken down, Bevin thought it was a huge joke to have the most imperialist of English monarchs for his visitors to gaze at.
'E's my hero,' he would say to American visitors. 'Let's have a drink to 'im. If 'e hadn't been so stoopid, you wouldn't have been strong enough to come to our rescue in the War'.
PP125 His education was minimal and he never acquired a skill. Whenever he dictated to a secretary, she had to 'put his words into English'. Whenever he spoke in the House of Commons 'ex tempor' as he described an off-the-cuff speech, a civil servant had to tidy up Hansard without changing the sense in order to make his sentences grammatical.
PP125 That this immensely tough and ill-educated farm labourer from the borders of Exmoor should have become the greatest trade unionist, the greatest Minister of Labour and arguably the greatest Foreign Secretary this century is amazing. His rise must rank as one of the greatest achievements in the history of human endeavor.
This book is a short and easy read about the amazing life of a real working class hero.
I was intrigued by the numerous mentions of him in two books I'd recently read: 'A Line In The Sand' and 'Lords Of The Desert'. Both books cover Britain's involvement in the Middle East. Ernest Bevin was Foreign Secretary from 1945 and was very much involved in the crisis in Palestine after WWII.
Without looking these mentions up in either of the above books, one of the anecdotes was how Senior Civil Servants at the Foreign Office were initially concerned that the new Foreign Secretary didn't know how to hold a knife and fork. Also, the new Foreign Secretary had left school at 11 years old and started work as a farm labourer, and continued in unskilled work until 30 years of age, and he had no further formal education past the age of 11.
Nevertheless, the Foreign Office mandarins became quickly impressed by him.
I had to learn more about this man.
This is a short and fascinating book about the life of a truly extraordinary man.
Amongst other things, he can be credited with, or at least played a very significant role in, are: the creation of the TGWU, the mobilisation of the British workforce for total war in WWII, the Beveridge Report (leading to creation of the British welfare state), the Berlin Airlift, the creation of NATO and on page 112 "one of the most decisive acts in the history of diplomacy: the State Department decided that Great Britain had 'handed the job of world leadership with all its burdens and glories to the United States'. That was precisely what Bevin was trying to do."
These are a few anecdotes that I think are worth quoting, one in particular bearing in mind I write this on the 11th November,
on D-Day: pp107 "While Churchill, Atlee, Bevin and Eden watched the men file past them before joining their landing crafts, a member of his own union called out: 'Look after the missus and kids Ernie.' Painfully aware of what awaited that man and thousands of others on the other side of the channel, Bevin walked back to his car in tears."
pp129 "Bevin's other connection with royalty was a full length portrait of King George III which hung behind his desk in the Foreign Office. Unlike George Brown who had it taken down, Bevin thought it was a huge joke to have the most imperialist of English monarchs for his visitors to gaze at.
'E's my hero,' he would say to American visitors. 'Let's have a drink to 'im. If 'e hadn't been so stoopid, you wouldn't have been strong enough to come to our rescue in the War'.
PP125 His education was minimal and he never acquired a skill. Whenever he dictated to a secretary, she had to 'put his words into English'. Whenever he spoke in the House of Commons 'ex tempor' as he described an off-the-cuff speech, a civil servant had to tidy up Hansard without changing the sense in order to make his sentences grammatical.
PP125 That this immensely tough and ill-educated farm labourer from the borders of Exmoor should have become the greatest trade unionist, the greatest Minister of Labour and arguably the greatest Foreign Secretary this century is amazing. His rise must rank as one of the greatest achievements in the history of human endeavor.
This book is a short and easy read about the amazing life of a real working class hero.
January 3, 2019
A lovely little book on the nation's most underrated trade unionist and Foreign Secretary. He should be remembered not just for his contributions to NATO and the UN, but honoured too for his work in advancing the welfare of workers when in government during the war.
Pick this book up as a briefer of the man as opposed to a detailed biography, although it does feature enough emotional anecdotes to yield the same reactionary most good biographies do.
High time someone made a thorough contemporary biography of Bevin.
Pick this book up as a briefer of the man as opposed to a detailed biography, although it does feature enough emotional anecdotes to yield the same reactionary most good biographies do.
High time someone made a thorough contemporary biography of Bevin.
February 4, 2018
While Churchill, Attlee, Bevin and Eden watched the men file past them before joining their landing crafts, a member of his own union called out: 'Look after the missus and kids, Ernie.' Painfully aware of what awaited that man and thousands of others on the other side of the Channel,
Bevin walked back to the car in tears. (107)
This little book can be picked up very cheap second-hand online. It has a beautiful cover and a nice set of photos in the centre. Its publication in between the fall of Callaghan and the Miners' Strike (the book is published by the trade union which was forged by Bevin) provides it with a certain potency. While the writing is dry in patches and occasionally awkward, it is impossible to misconstrue the magnitude of the man. His life was an improbable adventure. Fine little episodes are littered among a list of occurrences. This is supplemented with a modest but compelling analysis, particularly in the conclusion. But despite a couple of late hints towards Bevin's imperfections, the books strays a bit close to hagiography. There isn't any mention of his heavy drinking, or of the inevitable negative consequences of his bullish manner. It also omits one of Bevin's greatest character references, which is the comment from Stalin that he 'is no gentleman'. His role in the creation of Britain's nuclear bomb is another glaring exclusion - he wanted to have the bloody thing at all costs and said that we have to stick the bloody Union Jack on it! Perhaps this information wasn't available in 1981?
The book is good. Not amazing, but because Bevin and his life were amazing, it is a highly recommended read. One of my strongest reactions is the sense that we now need a modern, fuller account of Bevin from some living academic. The other books on him are even older than this and seemingly impossible to find at a reasonable price.
Bevin walked back to the car in tears. (107)
This little book can be picked up very cheap second-hand online. It has a beautiful cover and a nice set of photos in the centre. Its publication in between the fall of Callaghan and the Miners' Strike (the book is published by the trade union which was forged by Bevin) provides it with a certain potency. While the writing is dry in patches and occasionally awkward, it is impossible to misconstrue the magnitude of the man. His life was an improbable adventure. Fine little episodes are littered among a list of occurrences. This is supplemented with a modest but compelling analysis, particularly in the conclusion. But despite a couple of late hints towards Bevin's imperfections, the books strays a bit close to hagiography. There isn't any mention of his heavy drinking, or of the inevitable negative consequences of his bullish manner. It also omits one of Bevin's greatest character references, which is the comment from Stalin that he 'is no gentleman'. His role in the creation of Britain's nuclear bomb is another glaring exclusion - he wanted to have the bloody thing at all costs and said that we have to stick the bloody Union Jack on it! Perhaps this information wasn't available in 1981?
The book is good. Not amazing, but because Bevin and his life were amazing, it is a highly recommended read. One of my strongest reactions is the sense that we now need a modern, fuller account of Bevin from some living academic. The other books on him are even older than this and seemingly impossible to find at a reasonable price.
October 24, 2013
Good little book about one of Attlee's ministers in his post war goverment
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews