Papers of Brenda Dean, Baroness Dean of Thornton-le-Fylde, printing trade union official

Scope and Content

This collection includes: records relating to the dispute with News International over the Wapping plant and to the merger of SOGAT '82 with the National Graphical Association to form the Graphical, Paper and Media Union.

Administrative / Biographical History

Brenda Dean (1943-2018) joined the Manchester branch of the Society of Graphical and Allied Trades (SOGAT) in 1959. She first served as branch administrative secretary and became assistant branch secretary and branch secretary in 1971 and 1976 respectively. She was elected as general president of the national union in 1983 and as its general secretary in 1984. She was the first woman to lead a major British craft or industrial trade union. She became a life peer in 1993 and a Privy Councillor in 1998.

Access Information

This collection is available to researchers by appointment at the Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick. See https://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/library/mrc/using/

Acquisition Information

These records were deposited by Baroness Dean in December 2008. Additional papers and videos deposited Nov 2011 (Acc. 828)

Other Finding Aids

Related Material

The Centre also holds archives of the Society of Graphical and Allied Trades and related bodies.

Corporate Names