James Crinion

Born in Lees, near Oldham, Lancashire, he worked as a spinner in a cotton mill from an early age.

When his family moved to Chadderton, he became involved in the Cardroom Amalgamation, and was soon secretary of the local branch of its Oldham affiliate.

The Amalgamation was nearly bankrupted by a strike in 1893, but Crinion worked with its secretary, William Mullin, to rebuild it, and was rewarded in 1896, when he was elected as president.

[1] Crinion was able to greatly increase membership of the Amalgamation, and gained prominence in the wider trade union movement.

[1] In later years, Crinion was known for stressing the importance of health and safety in cotton mills, particularly the need to reduce dust levels.