Tom Yates

Sir Thomas Yates (26 September 1896 – 27 May 1978) was a British trade unionist.

Born in Wallasey, Yates studied locally at St Mary's School before, With the First World War ongoing, he joined the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. He married Lillian in 1918 and had four children (Grace known as Win, Les, Doug and Len), In this post, he was known for his anti-communism,

Yates was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1951, and was then knighted in 1959. In 1957/8, he served as President of the Trades Union Congress. He retired from his union post in 1960, the same year that his wife died. He remarried (Dorothy Yates) in 1962 and the year after was appointed to the Southern Region Railway Board. Among his many other appointments were chairing the Merchant Seamen's War Memorial Society, and serving on the Coastal Advisory Committee, Merchant Navy Training Board and Seamen's Welfare Board. In old age, he retired to Sydney in Australia.