Sydney Ombler
British trade unionist
About Sydney Ombler
Lived 1892 – 1984 (aged 91–92).
Sydney Ombler OBE (1892 – 5 November 1984) was a British trade unionist.
Born in Kingston upon Hull, Ombler became a shipwright. He served with the Royal Engineers during World War I, then after the war returned to Hull and joined the Ship Constructive and Shipwrights' Association. He gradually rose to prominence in the union, serving as branch secretary for eighteen years. In 1936, he was elected to the union's executive committee, and in 1946, he became the union's assistant general secretary, narrowly defeating John McMillan in an election.
The union's general secretary, John Willcocks, resigned in 1948, and Ombler won the election to succeed him. He complained that he could not afford a house suitable for his family on his salary. So the union agreed to purchase a house for them. Under his leadership, employment in shipbuilding declined, as did the union's membership. He remained the leader of the union until his retirement, in 1957.
Ombler died on 5 November 1984 at the age of 92.
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Important facts
People in Sydney Ombler's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Sydney Ombler's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Sydney Ombler?
British trade unionist
When was Sydney Ombler born?
Sydney Ombler was born in 1892.
When did Sydney Ombler die?
Sydney Ombler died in 1984.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Sydney Ombler. https://biography.guide/sydney-ombler/
MLA: "Sydney Ombler." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/sydney-ombler/.
Chicago: "Sydney Ombler." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/sydney-ombler/.
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