Draft:James Evans (mayor)

James Evans (1904–1976) was a prominent British trade unionist, coal miner, civic leader, magistrate, and Labour Party politician who served as the Lord Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent from 1966 to 1967. Born into a large mining family in Burslem, Staffordshire, Evans rose from the harsh conditions of the coalfields to become an influential advocate for workers’ rights and a devoted public servant in his community.

Early Life and Family

James Evans was born in 1904 in Burslem, one of the six towns that form the city of Stoke-on-Trent, England. He was the second child among eight siblings in a family deeply embedded in the industrial heart of the Potteries. His father, William Evans, worked as a coal miner and hewer, embodying the hard labour that sustained the region’s economy, while his mother, Alice Evans (née Ashley), was employed in the local ceramics industry as a potters’ sporer maker — a skilled occupation in the famous Staffordshire pottery trade.

At the time of James’s birth, his father was 25 and his mother was 21, both relatively young parents in a household that would grow to include: William Evans Jr. (born 1903) — James’s eldest brother Mary Alice Evans (born 1908)Abraham Evans Leonard Evans (born 1912)George Evans (born 1916) Jane Evans (born 1917) Elise Evans (born 1919)

Growing up amidst the soot, clatter, and resilience of Burslem, James learned early the values of diligence, solidarity, and communal responsibility that would define his life’s work.

Entry into the Coal Mining Industry

Economic necessity dictated that James, like so many of his generation, left formal schooling at the age of thirteen to help support his family. By the age of fourteen, he was working underground in the local pits — a physically demanding and often perilous occupation that exposed boys barely in their teens to the rigours and hazards of the mining life.

Over the ensuing years, Evans worked his way through virtually every position in the colliery. He started as a pony driver and door trapper, roles traditionally filled by the youngest pit boys, then progressed to more skilled and strenuous tasks such as haulage hand, coal face worker, and ultimately charge hand official, supervising crews at the coal face. These formative years laid the groundwork for his deep understanding of the industry and the lives of working miners.

Commitment to Education and Trade Unionism

Despite long hours underground, Evans demonstrated an unyielding determination to educate himself. At eighteen, inspired by the rising tide of worker solidarity, he became actively involved in trade union activities and simultaneously pursued studies at the historic Wedgwood Institute in Burslem. There, he undertook evening classes in English and mathematics, earning two first-class certificates in each subject — a remarkable accomplishment for a young man with little formal schooling.

At twenty-one, Evans’s leadership potential was recognised when he was elected collector and canvasser for his local trade union branch. By the age of twenty-two, he had secured a seat on the Branch Committee of the Sneyd Branch of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) — beginning a remarkable tenure that would see him occupy every major office within the branch over the next twenty-one years, including Chairman, Secretary, and Delegate.

Regional and National Union Leadership

Beyond his branch, Evans made significant contributions to miners’ representation on a wider scale. For twelve years, he served as a member of the North Staffordshire Miners District Council, one of the key representative bodies for miners in the region. He was also a long-standing member of the Executive Committee of the Midland Miners Federation, attending annual national conferences and helping shape policies to improve working conditions, wages, and welfare for thousands of miners.

Evans additionally served on the Miners’ Welfare Committee, the Welfare Management Committee, and undertook financial oversight as an auditor of branch accounts, ensuring transparency and integrity within the union’s operations.

During the Second World War, he played a crucial role as joint chairman of the Pit Production Committee, balancing the government’s urgent demands for maximum coal output with the vital need to protect miners’ rights and safety. He also represented miners on the North Staffordshire Trades Council, further strengthening inter-union solidarity.

Political Career and Civic Service

In 1945, reflecting his deep belief in political action to advance the rights of working people, Evans became a founder member of the newly formed Ward 4 Labour Party in Stoke-on-Trent. He served as its secretary until 1950, then as president until 1964, and subsequently as treasurer. He also held the position of treasurer for the Ward 3 Labour Party and was an influential figure within the Stoke-on-Trent (North) Constituency Labour Party, where he served as Vice-Chairman, Chairman, and election agent for parliamentary candidates.

Evans furthered his formal knowledge of mining and management by attending additional evening classes at Tunstall Technical School and at Stoke. In 1947, following a serious mining accident, he was appointed a colliery official and joined the National Association of Colliery Overmen, Deputies and Shotfirers (NACODS) while continuing his membership in the NUM — a rare dual affiliation reflecting his lifelong commitment to the mining community at all levels.

Council and Community Involvement

In 1947, Evans’s dedication to civic duty led to his election to the Stoke-on-Trent City Council. He served with distinction on a wide range of committees, including the Gas, Airport, Sewage, Reconstruction, Water, Fire Services, and Libraries Committee. He chaired the Libraries Committee for five years and later served as its Vice-Chairman, helping to expand educational and cultural access across the city.

He also represented the city on the Libraries and Museums Committee of the Association of Municipal Corporations, contributing to broader policy discussions about public culture and education in urban Britain.

In 1952, Evans became chairman of the Ward 4 Old People’s Annual Party, leading fundraising efforts that provided televisions for hospitals and old people’s homes throughout North Stoke-on-Trent — with 26 sets donated under his leadership, enhancing the quality of life for many elderly residents.

In 1953, Evans was appointed a Magistrate, becoming the first working miner in the city’s history to hold this esteemed position. He served on the Burslem and Hanley Benches and was an active member of the Licensing and Betting Bench, Chair of its Compensation Committee, and a member of the Magistrates’ Courts and General Purposes Committee.

Lord Mayor and Later Life

James Evans reached the pinnacle of his civic service when he was elected Lord Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent for the term 1966–1967. His mayoralty was marked by a steadfast commitment to community welfare, cultural development, and the representation of ordinary working families in municipal affairs.

In 1957, due to severe ill health caused by pneumoconiosis, an occupational lung disease common among miners, Evans was forced to retire from the mining industry, classified as 100% disabled. Despite this, he remained deeply involved in local politics, community projects, and the Labour movement until his passing.

Personal Life and Legacy

James Evans married a fellow Burslem native, the daughter of a miner, with whom he raised a large and loving family of seven children — four sons and three daughters — and was a proud grandfather to eleven grandchildren.

Evans died in 1976, leaving behind a legacy of unwavering dedication to the welfare of working people, steadfast integrity in public office, and an enduring example of how one man’s commitment can elevate an entire community.