Ambrose Callighan CBE (12 April 1883[1][2] – 15 March 1955) was a British trade unionist.

Callighan was born in Jarrow, County Durham.[3] He worked in a foundry, joining the Cleveland Blastfurnacemen's Association. He also joined the Labour Party, and was elected to Jarrow Town Council in 1911.[4]

In 1913, Callighan served as chairman of the Cleveland Blastfurnacemen. In 1919, he moved to Cumberland to become full-time secretary of the Cumberland and Lancashire Blastfurnacemen's Association, and in 1921, he was elected to Cumberland County Council.[4]

The Cumberland and Lancashire Blastfurnacemen were affiliated to the National Union of Blastfurnacemen, Ore Miners, Coke Workers and Kindred Trades (NUB), and Callighan was elected as its president in 1939. Later in the year, the post of general secretary of the NUB became available, and Callighan was elected. In 1945, he was additionally elected to the General Council of the Trades Union Congress. He joined the Iron and Steel Board in 1946, and retired from all his posts two years later.[4]

Callighan was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1948 Birthday Honours.[5]

References

  1. ^ England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975
  2. ^ 1939 England and Wales Register
  3. ^ 1911 England Census
  4. ^ a b c Trades Union Congress, "Obituary: Ambrose Callighan", Annual Report of the 1955 Trades Union Congress, p.309
  5. ^ "No. 38311". The London Gazette. 10 June 1948. p. 3374.
Trade union offices Preceded byHenry Nixon General President of the National Union of Blastfurnacemen 1939 Succeeded byHarry France Preceded byThomas McKenna General Secretary of the National Union of Blastfurnacemen 1939 – 1948 Succeeded byJack Owen Preceded byJohn Brown and William Kean Iron, Steel and Minor Metal Trades representative on the General Council of the TUC 1945 – 1948 With: Lincoln Evans Succeeded byLincoln Evans and Jack Owen
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