Owing to his mother's influence he grew up with a love of Victorian ballads and music hall songs and became an accomplished pianist himself.
On demobilisation in 1947, he returned home and worked in the Labour Party (UK) for his local MP, the Prime Minister Clement Attlee.
The General Secretary of the T&G, Jack Jones, moved Todd to the Stratford office, so that he could take charge of the interests of workers at the Dagenham plant.
Todd became a household name as the officer in charge of the Ford pay negotiations at the end of the Callaghan government in the autumn of 1978.
After being elected to succeed Moss Evans as the union's seventh general secretary in 1985, following a second ballot, Todd was also named as an honorary vice-president of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.
Todd's final move before he retired was to pave the way for his successor, Bill Morris, the first black leader of a major British trade union.
On his retirement, Todd received a congratulatory telegram from the Queen Mother in her capacity as an honorary member of the union's branch at Smithfield meat market.
Ron carried the trade union flame throughout the darkest days of Thatcherism, leading the T&G in very difficult years with decency, integrity and commitment.
Ron always put the members' interests first, and remained rock-solid to the end in his loyalty to the enduring values of the labour movement.
His passing will be mourned not just by his family and by trade unionists throughout Britain, but also in South Africa, where his campaigning lead against apartheid will always be remembered.
In saluting his memory, the T&G pledges to stay true to Ron Todd's principles.Tributes were paid to him from leading figures across the labour movement, led by the then Prime Minister Tony Blair who said: "He was a greatly respected trade union leader and a good friend.
Tony Woodley remarked: ""Ron carried the trade union flame throughout the darkest days of Thatcherism, leading the T&G in very difficult years with decency, integrity and commitment.
Ron always put the members' interests first and remained rock solid to the union in his loyalty to the enduring values of the Labour movement.
Ken Livingstone the then Mayor of London remarked: "Ron Todd was one of the most decent men I have ever met in public life.
A registered charity called the Ron Todd Foundation continues to fight on the issues that were important to him, and to keep his memory alive.