Alex Gossip

Alex Gossip (11 September 1862 – 14 May 1952) was a Scottish trade union leader and political activist.

Biography Born at Crawford Priory in Fife, where his father was head gardener, Gossip was educated at Madras Academy, leaving at the age of fourteen to complete an apprenticeship as a cabinet-maker.

Gossip was a founding member of the Independent Labour Party (ILP) in 1893. Three years later, he moved to Glasgow, where he became involved in the Socialist Sunday School movement. In 1901, he was elected as his union's general secretary, and immediately negotiated a merger between it and its English equivalent, the Alliance Cabinet Makers' Association, to form the National Amalgamated Furnishing Trades Association (NAFTA). Gossip served as its assistant general secretary, moving to London, then in 1906 succeeded as general secretary.

Facing poor health, Gossip retired as NAFTA general secretary in 1940, moving to Cupar.