Jim Figgins
Scottish trade unionist
About Jim Figgins
Lived 1893 – 1956 (aged 63).
James Hugh Blair Figgins (8 March 1893 – 27 December 1956) was a Scottish trade unionist.
Figgins was born in Largs in Ayrshire, and began working on the railways, initially as a ticket collector, then later as a signalman. During World War I, he was a conscientious objector. He came to prominence as a member of the National Union of Railwaymen (NUR), first attending its annual general meeting in 1924. In 1931, he was elected to the union's executive, and from 1938 he worked full-time for the union, as a district organiser.
In 1943, Figgins became the assistant to John Benstead, the union's general secretary. When Benstead resigned, in 1948, Figgins was elected as his replacement, serving until his retirement in 1953. He was also elected to replace Benstead on the General Council of the Trades Union Congress. During this time, he was associated with the left wing of the Labour Party, and frequently disagreed with his counterparts in the Railway Clerks' Association and the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen.
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Important facts
People in Jim Figgins's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Jim Figgins's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Jim Figgins?
Scottish trade unionist
When was Jim Figgins born?
Jim Figgins was born on 8 March 1893.
When did Jim Figgins die?
Jim Figgins died on 27 December 1956.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Jim Figgins. https://biography.guide/jim-figgins/
MLA: "Jim Figgins." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/jim-figgins/.
Chicago: "Jim Figgins." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/jim-figgins/.
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