William A. Appleton

William Archibald Appleton (31 December 1859 – 20 November 1940) was a British trade union leader.

Born in Nottinghamshire, Appleton attended the Trinity Day School and St Luke's Evening School before working making lace and hosiery in Nottingham. He joined the Amalgamated Society of Operative Lace Makers and was elected its general secretary in 1896, after its previous leader was sacked as he had been involved in fraud. Appleton ran the union in the style of a guild, with admission fees of up to £15 and benefits including two saloon bars in Nottingham exclusively for members' use, and loans of up to £200 available in order for members to set up their own businesses. He represented the union at the Trades Union Congress (TUC), but was unsuccessful in securing a powerful position in the wider trade union movement.

In 1898, Appleton was elected to Nottingham City Council, serving until 1907. He founded the International Lacemakers' Federation in 1900, with corresponding unions in Scotland and France. The following year, he became president of Nottingham Trades Council, serving until 1907, and affiliated the Lacemakers to the General Federation of Trade Unions (GFTU), and was elected to its management committee in 1903.

Isaac Mitchell, the secretary of the GFTU, resigned in 1907. Appleton was one of five candidates for the post, but the only one who was a member of the management committee. He won more than half the votes cast and was elected to the post. He stood down as secretary of the Lacemakers' Society, but remained treasurer of the International.

In 1917, Appleton was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

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