C. J. Drummond
English trade unionist
About C. J. Drummond
Lived 1848 – 1929 (aged 80).
Charles James Drummond (30 July 1848 – 10 February 1929) was a British trade union leader.
Drummond was born in Ipswich, the son of schoolmaster Charles Drummond and his wife, Lucy Stevens. He became a compositor. In 1869, he moved to London, and immediately joined the London Society of Compositors (LSC), also becoming active on the London Trades Council. He devoted much of his time to the LSC, and within a few years was elected to its committee and appointed as its chairman. In 1878, he was appointed as assistant secretary of the union, then in 1881 he succeeded as its general secretary.
As general secretary, Drummond focused on arbitrating disputes, often finding in favour of the employers, and also on an ultimately successful campaign for a nine-hour working day. In 1890, he was central to the formation of the Printing and Kindred Trades Federation, and served as its first president.
Unlike the large majority of trade unionists, Drummond was a supporter of the Conservative Party. This led to disputes between him and the majority of his union, and he resigned as secretary in 1892. After a period out of work, he found a job with the Labour Department of the Board of Trade, and remained in it until his retirement.
In 1923, Harry Levy-Lawson, 1st Viscount Burnham hosted a lunch in Drummond's honour, at which he was given an annuity of £200 per year.
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Important facts
People in C. J. Drummond's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped C. J. Drummond's
Frequently asked questions
Who was C. J. Drummond?
English trade unionist
When was C. J. Drummond born?
C. J. Drummond was born on 30 July 1848.
When did C. J. Drummond die?
C. J. Drummond died on 10 February 1929.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). C. J. Drummond. https://biography.guide/c-j-drummond/
MLA: "C. J. Drummond." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/c-j-drummond/.
Chicago: "C. J. Drummond." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/c-j-drummond/.
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