Jack Boddy: Norfolk district organiser for the National Union of Agricultural and Allied Workers

by

Jim McNeill
  • Jack Richard Boddy born Norwich 23 August 1922
  • MBE 1973
  • General Secretary, National Union of Agricultural Workers 1978-82
  • Group Secretary, Agricultural and Allied Workers Trade Group, Transport and General Workers’ Union 1982-87
  • Married 1943 Merle Webb (died 1987; three sons, one daughter)
  • 1990 married Joan Laws (née Britton)
  • Died Swaffham, Norfolk 9 March 2004.

Jack Boddy (right), lived in Swaffham and was the former general secretary of the National Union of Agricultural Workers. It was latterly the rural and agricultural workers’ section of the Transport and General Workers’ Union. His main objective was always to secure the future of rural trade unionism. He did this for the sake of vulnerable workers and their families.

Jack was born in Norwich. His desire to work on the land began when he was three years old. When he left the City of Norwich Grammar School in 1939, he went to work on a farm. His teachers thought it was a waste of a good education. Few who knew him later would believe that.

He was the son of Quaker parents. They were both active in the trade union and labour movement. Their house formed the local Labour committee rooms. As a child, he helped there during elections. His mother, Lucy, was one of the first left-wing women to be made a Justice of the Peace. Boddy originally hoped to become a veterinary surgeon. However, his parents could not afford the tuition. Instead, he became a cowhand on a local farm. He also became a trade union activist for the National Union of Agricultural and Allied Workers (NUAAW). He collected union dues from other workers almost from the time he left school.

During these early years at a Quaker meeting, he met his school teacher wife Merle. She shared his political views. Together they won seats on the district council. Jack was twice the Mayor of Swaffham and also a Norfolk county councillor, and became leader of its Labour group. Merle was also a onetime Mayor of Swaffham. During a lifetime of public service, Boddy was appointed as one of the country’s youngest magistrates. He served as a member of local hospital management committees. He was also chairman of one. In addition, he was a member of the East Anglian economic planning council.

In 1960, he moved to become the Norfolk District organiser. He served in this position until 1978. That year, he was elected as the union’s General Secretary in a fiercely contested election. He defeated Arthur Leary, Len Pike and Jim Watts. In contrast to his predecessors, he was seen as a left-winger. He represented a change from the rightwing authoritarian leadership of the past. Jack Boddy was a gentle man. He had a passion for social justice. His passion found expression within the union and the Labour Party. He was very progressive and very much in tune with the wishes of his members.

Merle Boddy, Branch Secretary of Swaffham Agricultural Workers Union, Swaffham Labour Mayor 1985

On taking over, he realised that the union was close to financial collapse. He initially focused on recruiting new members while cutting costs without laying off staff. However, these measures were insufficient, and he negotiated a merger with the Transport and General Workers’ Union. Although this was a highly controversial proposal, it was ultimately approved by members. The approval came with a landslide majority of 7 to 1 in favour. His aim was to preserve rural trade unionism, and he had the tenacity to carry it through.

During this period, Boddy was also active in local politics, representing the Labour Party on Norfolk County Council. He also served on the General Council of the TUC from 1978 until 1983. He served on the European Economic and Social Committee. He was also on the Industrial Injuries Advisory Committee.

He was awarded the MBE in 1973 for public service.

The merger took place in 1982. Boddy became the Group Secretary of the TGWU’s new Agricultural and Allied Workers Trade Group. He retired in 1987, returning to local politics by serving on Breckland District Council and Swaffham Town Council.

His wife, Merle, died shortly after his retirement. Jack Boddy resumed his political activity. He became a local councilor once again with a renewed interest in the environment. In 1990 he married Joan Laws (née Britton); a friend from his early trade union years who had been recently widowed.

Image left is from the ‘LANDWORKER‘, January 1986.

Our Community History Archive is home to Jack Boddy’s bound volumes of Landworker newsletters from 1944-1988. These were kindly donated by Jack’s descendant, James Boddy of Swaffham.

Jack served as Mayor of Swaffham in 1991/1992, and only retired from the council in 2003.

The union and the Labour party dominated his life. He was never a “yes” man. He was often critical of the establishment within the union. He felt that successive Labour governments sided with employers rather than the workers. As time went by he became less enamored by New Labour. After over 50 years’ of membership Jack finally resigned from the party in 2003 over the Iraq War. The television pictures of the bombing of Baghdad were more than he could take:

“My Quaker Mum and Dad, members of the party from its earliest days, would be revolving in their graves at the behaviour of the Labour government.”

He died in Swaffham on 9 March the following year. Until weeks before his death he took a keen interest in public affairs. He received Hansards of the debates on gangmasters and Jim Sheridan’s Bill which was going through the House of Commons.

Shortly before he died, the Mayor of Swaffham, Ian Sherwood, went to Boddy’s home. He conferred honorary citizenship of Norwich. This was to add to his award of the Freedom of the City.

He is buried in the Norwich Quaker Burial ground. He was survived by Joan who nursed him during his final year. He also had three sons and a daughter from his first marriage.

Quote from Jack Boddy, Lynn Advertiser, 5 October, 1990.

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