Reading's Great People

Walter A Cannon, Union Leader and Railwayman

“The man of destiny who was responsible for this revolution in my political career was Wilf Cannon, a railwayman on the Great Western who worked in the marshalling-yard at Scurrs Lane, just to the west of Reading General Station”. “I remember him as a lean, vigorous, silver haired patrician-looking man, a good talker, a good listener and a discriminating reader, an intensely political animal”. Ian Mikardo (1)

Walter A. Cannon was a Reading union leader who was responsible for creating the resolution for nationalising "the Commanding Heights of Industry" which was carried out by the Labour Government in 1945. This contribution was suggested and written by Keith Jerrome.

The Annual Report of Reading and District Trades and Labour Council for 1915 states, "Our President Mr. F.W.A. Dunstone having joined the colours, Mr W. Cannon was elected to complete the year, (1914/15) as our Vice- President. (Mr. Dunstone was replaced as Branch Secretary of the Postal Telegraphic Clerks by Miss Phoebe Blackall, (Cusden)(2). As a delegate from the National Union of Railwaymen No.2 Branch the same year when the Reading Trades Union Club was established in Oxford Street.(3) (In premises now occupied by the British School of Motoring and the Comrades Club.) WA Cannon was elected as a Trustee. The minutes record that it was, "Agreed for Children's Party Bro. Cannon act as Father Christmas"(4)

Through the inter war period Wally Cannon was active in his union, club and in the Labour Party of which the Reading membership was amongst the largest in the country. In 1931 a 'Labour Hall' was opened in the Minster Street premises to which the Club had moved in 1924. It was in this hall that Ian Mikardo was selected to fight to become MP for Reading in 1945.

Minutes of the National Union of Railwaymen, Reading No.2 Branch Meeting held on Friday March 2nd 1945 at No2 Room Trades Club and Institute, Minster Street Reading, Chairman Bro. G. Jerome:

"Leaflet read re coming General Election. Suspension of 'Standing Orders' moved by Bros. Proctor & Robey and Carried.

Chairman in introducing Mr. Ian Mikado prospective Labour Candidate for Reading read H.O. Circular 'Your future and the future of your industry' Mr Mikado then addressed the meeting. He said how pleased he was to have had the invitation to visit the Reading No. 2 Branch. He urged members to become as politically minded as they were industrially and asked members to belong to their ward Association and thus add strength to local elections and the Party. He instanced the work of Branches. How Reading No. 1 Branch had tabled a resolution for the Labour Party Conference which had become Labour Party Policy. Nationalisation of the Railways, Land, Heavy Industries, Banking, Transport, Fuel and Power & Localisation of Industries. He gave reasons why these industries should be under Government Control, especially the Railways".

This resolution to Nationalise the Commanding Heights of the economy had begun it's life as a request for the nationalisation of the railways. Walter Cannon had persuaded the Branch to raise their sights towards the 'The whole cake', "We would get an expanding and efficient railway system, he contended, only within a total economic system which was expanding and efficient".(5) In his working clothes he then attended the General Management Committee of Reading Labour Party where he proposed and won it's adoption for consideration at the Party Conference in May 1945. Unchanged as the composite of resolutions from over 20 constituency parties it was moved by the Reading delegate Ian Mikardo in the face of determined opposition by the National Executive. He urged the party to contest the next election with a programme based on socialist principles to include transfer to public ownership.(6)

Among the speakers a young Jim Callaghan said 'I think it is high time we should restate our fundamental principles' and Bessie Braddock said, 'I cannot for the life of me understand how we are going to fight a General Election when we are practically in complete agreement with the Conservative Party'. Walter Cannon's resolution was carried overwhelmingly, leading to the famous misjudgement of Herbert Morrison in his remark to Mikardo in the conference hall, 'Young man, you did very well this morning. That was a good speech you made - but you realise don't you, that you have lost us the general election'. The National Executive Commitee concluded in its post conference meeting that it could not interfere with the resolution, that it must form the economic policy on which the Party would fight and win the General Election of July 1945 since the decisions of the Party Conference were sacrosanct.

1. Mikardo, Ian Back-Bencher (London 1988) 
2. see Stout Adam, A Bigness of Heart, Phoebe Cusden of Reading. (Reading 1997) 
3. Annual Report, Reading And District Trades and Labour Council 1915 
4. The Minute Books for RTU Club are deposited in the Berkshire County Record Office 
5. Mikardo p. 75
6. Report Labour Party Conference 1944 p. 160-168

Other External Links to more information:

Let Us Face the Future: A Declaration of Labour Policy for the Consideration of the Nation - Labour Manifesto, 1945

NOTE: There is more to discover on the life of Walter A Cannon in order to properly recognise his contribution. If you have any further information please contact us.