Gibson Jock

Born in 1908, although a Scotsman in origins, Jock Gibson was a long-standing Communist of note in Coventry engineering industry.  He was Coventry Trades Council President from 1934-36.

The holder of the TUC Tolpuddle Medal, awarded for recruitment activities in the 1930s, he was also presented with a gold wrist-watch by his own branch as a mark of appreciation of his organising efforts. He was debarred from holding union office in his own union, the TGWU, due to the anti-communist bans.

Despite being a member of a non-craft union, he became trade union convenor at Daimler as early as in 1941, so talented was he. He was even elected Chairman of the CSEU District Committee in 1942. Despite the later claims of many that the young Jack Jones, by now a local paid official in Coventry, created a new paradigm for the TGWU in the locality, it was Jack Gibson was cemented the role of his union into the local labour movement, as its membership now sky-rocketed since women could join it, whereas the AEU did not permit this until 1942. 

In later years, Jock would be convenor of the Rootes (later Chrysler) plant in Coventry and was promptly elected to the T&G General Executive Council when the bans were lifted in 1968.

Jock had worked since the war years at the plant when it was engaged in war production and was one of those close to Jack Jones, when he was Coventry T&G District Secretary.  Jock Gibson retired in 1972.