Ernest Bevin

Politician

Ernest Bevin (9 March 1881 – 14 April 1951) was a British trade union leader and Labour politician, best known for his time as Minister of Labour in the war-time coalition government, as Foreign Secretary in the post-war Labour Government, and as general secretary of the powerful Transport and General Workers' Union from 1922 to 1945.

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Documents about Ernest Bevin

Friday 31st May 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Latest evacuation figures (1200 BST) 139, 244 returned from BEF, 14811 Allied troops. Evacuees classed as casualties 9480
extract Rumours Germans developing amphibious tanks for UK landings. Beach mines being produced at rate of 10,000 a week
extract In last 24 hours 5 ships have been sunk, 3 on fire, 4 damaged. 222 Navy vessels and 665 ships and boats used in operation
extract First Sea Lord has ordered "equal opportunities" for British and French troops for embarkation from beaches
extract Eden to order Lord Gort's departure for his own safety. French troops to be evacuated until "not safe" for UK to remain
extract First Sea Lord says "swell on the beaches" delaying embarkations. Will "probably abate later"
extract Signs of major German attack; unclear for today or tomorrow. Lord Gort hopes most remaining troops will sail tonight
extract War Secretary Eden reports Dunkirk evacuation figures as at 0700 BST: 133,878 men from BEF and 11,666 Allied troops
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person George Cadogan, 3rd Earl Cadogan
person John Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort
person Ernest Bevin
person E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax
place Portugal
place Halifax Peninsula
place Lisbon, New York
place Rome
organisation RAF Coastal Command
organisation United States Navy
organisation United States Congress
 

Thursday 12th September 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Minister of Labour warns of danger of demonstrations against London's "want of evident defence" if AA barrage not kept up
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Ernest Bevin
person Ernest Brown
person Frederick Marquis, 1st Earl of Woolton
person John Reith, 1st Baron Reith
organisation Home Office
 

Friday 18th October 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Admiralty: UK cannot currently assemble strong fleet at Straits of Gibraltar. Again urge "tolerable agreement" with Vichy
extract Halifax opposes bombing Vichy if France attacks Gibraltar. Ambassador authorised to deliver this "threat" to deter attack
extract "Serious damage" to Treasury overnight in London bombing. "Minor scale of attack on Birmingham and Liverpool"
extract Air Chief: All overnight UK bomber missions cancelled due to adverse weather. Equipment for landings in fog being fitted
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Walter Hines Page
person Stafford Cripps
person Samuel Hoare
person Ernest Bevin
person Kingsley Wood
person Bob Kerslake
person Archibald Sinclair, 1st Viscount Thurso
person Robert Craigie (diplomat)
place Newcastle upon Tyne
place Cranborne
place Hong Kong
place Gibraltar
place Dakar
place Africa
organisation New Zealand Treasury
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation ING Group
 

Monday 4th November 1940

Meeting minutes

extract General Dill: "Possibility" of Italian advance into Egypt. Greece situation "still obscure". RAF will report tomorrow
extract Air Chief: Enemy air attacks "on a low scale" over weekend. A number of attacks on East Coast convoys, no casualties
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Herbert Morrison
person Samuel Hoare
person Ernest Bevin
person Kingsley Wood
person Archibald Sinclair, 1st Viscount Thurso
person Clement Attlee
person John Dill
person Jean Bart
place Greece
place Egypt
place Cranborne
place Gisborne, New Zealand
place Halifax Peninsula
place Malta
place Toulon
organisation Home Office
organisation Government of Canada
organisation Daily Mirror
 

Meeting minutes

extract UK Naval Attaché Washington has seen "hypothetical" US Navy plans for entering war. Far East "second place" to Europe
extract Cabinet told Roosevelt likely to be re-elected "by a large majority". Election may turn out to be "democratic landslide"
extract General Dill: Indications Italian advance in Western Desert may be resumed. We might expect an attack about 9th November
extract Halifax to press Bulgaria for assurance she will not attack Greece, in order to release Greek troops for Albanian front
extract General Dill: Greek army now mobilised, Italian morale low. UK reinforcing Crete so Greek Division can fight on mainland
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Charles de Gaulle
person Duff Cooper
person Samuel Hoare
person Ernest Bevin
person Kingsley Wood
person John Dill
place Greece
place Egypt
place Cranborne
place Halifax Peninsula
place Europe
place Dakar
place Bulgaria
organisation New Zealand Treasury
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation House of Lords
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation United States Navy
 

Christmas Break for Workers on War Production.

extract Minister for Labour proposes "3 clear days" workers holiday at Christmas. "I am convinced that it will help" production
person Ernest Bevin
 

Friday 27th December 1940

Man-Power for the Armed Forces.

extract Minister for Labour Bevin requests permission to widen Britain's call up age to include 19 year olds and those aged 37-40
person Ernest Bevin
organisation Air Force F.C.
organisation United States Navy
 

Thursday 2nd January 1941

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet approves Chancellor's plan of economic action against Eire. Irish food imports and shipping to be disrupted
extract American Naval Attaché in London to be informed of defects in US supplied Destroyers. President not to be told directly
extract President expects financial aid bill for UK to be passed around February 15th. Possible to meet our payments until then
extract President Roosevelt proposes sending Red Cross food aid to France and Spain. PM: Not politically possible to oppose this
extract General Heywood reports "very rigorous conditions" on Greek Front causing frostbite but Greek forces "in very good heart"
extract Air Chief: Last night's attack on Bremen appears "from preliminary reports to have been highly successful"
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Herbert Morrison
person Ernest Bevin
person Clement Attlee
person John Dill
person Frederick Marquis, 1st Earl of Woolton
place South Africa
place Greece
place Cranborne
place Gibraltar
place Washington
organisation Home Office
organisation International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet approves seizure of 4 French ships. Vessels to be held until Vichy releases Allied vessels held in French ports
extract Admiralty: Attacks on UK shipping now "on a greatly reduced scale" due to wintry weather and "our protective measures"
extract Unconfirmed reports Gazala (30 miles west of Tobruk) abandoned by the enemy. 35 enemy aircraft "burnt out and abandoned"
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Hugh Dalton
person Ernest Bevin
person Kingsley Wood
person Clement Attlee
person Leo Amery
place Cranborne
place Gibraltar
place Tobruk
place Burma
organisation Home Office
 

Labour Policy.

extract Minister of Labour unveils new powers over any jobs deemed "national work". Termination of employment forbidden
person Ernest Bevin
 

Tuesday 4th February 1941

Entertainments on Sundays.

extract Ernest Bevin calls for an end to restrictions on entertainments on "dreary" Sundays to help avoid "staleness and boredom"
person Ernest Bevin
 

Supply of Men for the Defence Services.

extract Labour Secretary concerned manpower targets for Army "cannot be obtained without serious dislocation of vital industries"
person Ernest Bevin
organisation United States Navy
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet approves non compulsory "thinning out" of coastal towns. PM: "Undesirable to exercise too great pressure"
extract Cabinet votes to approve double summer-time from around 1st May to 8th August. Home Secretary to take necessary steps
extract Admiralty: 19 convoy vessels sunk or damaged off Ireland. PM: Effort against this danger must "be our supreme exertion"
extract Air Chief: RAF bombed Cologne and invasion ports overnight. 1st use of Manchester bombers. 150 fires observed in Cologne
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Herbert Morrison
person Ernest Bevin
person Kingsley Wood
person Ernest Brown
person Archibald Sinclair, 1st Viscount Thurso
person Clement Attlee
place Somaliland
place Manchester
place Cranborne
place Malta
place Eritrea
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Home Office
 

Tuesday 6th May 1941

Provision of men for the Army (General Service). Smoke Screen Units and Civil Defence Duties April to September, 1941.

extract Minister of Labour: "Extreme and increasing stringency" of manpower for recruitment. May not be able to meet targets
person Ernest Bevin
 

Whit Holidays in 1941.

extract Minister of Labour to cancel Whit Monday holiday for factories "engaged upon specially urgent munitions work"
person Ernest Bevin
 

Application of Conscription to Northern Ireland.

extract Minister of Labour supports conscription in Ulster. Eire statement this would be "an act of war" not a "fatal objection"
person Ernest Bevin
person James Craig, 1st Viscount Craigavon
place Northern Ireland
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
 

Meat Supply.

extract Minister of Labour: Limited meat ration placing "strain" on morale. Strongly urge "special measures" to ensure increase
person Ernest Bevin
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet postpones decision on N.Ireland conscription. NI Government says opposition "more widespread" than realised"
extract Some Ministers express doubt over "adequacy of the preparations in Crete to meet the scale of attack which had developed"
extract Cabinet told "critical point" reached in operation to hold Crete. "Crucial" to prevent reinforcements reaching the enemy
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person George Cadogan, 3rd Earl Cadogan
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Herbert Morrison
person Ernest Bevin
person John Maffey, 1st Baron Rugby
person Maxime Weygand
place Cranborne
place Washington
place Northern Ireland
place Denmark
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Home Office
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom