Robert Getgood

Robert Getgood (1882 – 30 November 1964), sometimes known as Bob Getgood, was a politician and trade unionist in Northern Ireland.

Getgood joined the Amalgamated Transport and General Workers Union (ATGWU), and later became its Textile Officer.^[1] He also joined the Northern Ireland Labour Party (NILP).^[2] In 1931, he stood in an election for the Chairmanship of the party against Harry Midgley and Sam Kyle, but they were all beaten by Hugh Gemmell. However, Midgley became Chair later in the decade. During a dispute about the Spanish Civil War, Midgley stood down and Getgood finally became Chair in 1938.^[3]

In 1940, Getgood was elected to the Executive of the Irish Trades Union Congress (ITUC), and he became Chair in 1944.^[1] He stood for Westminster for the NILP at the Antrim by-election, 1943,^[2] taking second place, with 28.3% of the votes cast.^[4]

Getgood stood in Belfast Oldpark at the Northern Ireland general election, 1945, and gained the seat from the Alexander Hungerford of the Ulster Unionist Party. However, he lost the seat to the Unionists at the 1949 general election.^[2]

Getgood retired from active trade unionism in 1947.^[1] He resigned as Chairman of the NILP in 1948, after it came close to declaring in favour of the partition of Ireland.^[3] In 1952, he acted as a delegate to the Moral Rearmament World Assembly held at Caux.^[2]

References

1. Matt Merigan, Eagle Or Cuckoo?: The Story of the Atgwu in Ireland
2. Biographies of Members of the Northern Ireland House of Commons
3. Graham S. Walker, The Politics of Frustration: Harry Midgley and the Failure of Labour in Northern Ireland
4. By Election - Antrim, ElectionsIreland.org