Trade Unionists (Joe Gormley; Sir Thomas Jackson; Sidney Weighell)

Sittersback to top

• Joseph ('Joe') Gormley, Baron Gormley (1917-1993), President of the National Union of Mineworkers. Sitter in 8 portraits.
• Sir Thomas Jackson (1925-2003), General Secretary, Union of Communication Workers. Sitter in 6 portraits.
• Sidney Weighell (1922-2002), General Secretary to the National Union of Railwaymen. Sitter in 8 portraits.

Artistback to top

• Hans Schwarz (1922-2003), Painter. Artist of 13 portraits, Sitter in 2 portraits.

This portraitback to top

This portrait of three trade union leaders was commissioned by the Gallery in 1984 from the Vienna-born artist Hans Schwarz who came to England in 1939 and trained at Birmingham Art School. The sitters are, from left to right, Joe Gormley, Baron Gormley, President of the National Union of Mineworkers; Tom Jackson, General Secretary to the Union of Communications Workers; and Sid Weighall, General Secretary to the National Union of Railwaymen. The three men are standing in Trafalgar Square with Landseer's lions behind them and Big Ben in the distance. The portrait is framed, at the suggestion of Weighall, in a wood and metal frame made by British Rail Engineering in Derby to a design by the artist.

Related worksback to top

• NPG 5793(1): Joe Gormley (study)
• NPG 5793(2): Sidney Weighell (study)
• NPG 5793(3): Sir Sir Thomas Jackson (study)
• NPG 5793(4): Trade Unionists (sketch) (Joe Gormley; Sidney Weighell; Sir Thomas Jackson) (sketch)
• NPG 5793(5): Trade Unionists (sketch) (Joe Gormley; Sir Thomas Jackson; Sidney Weighell) (sketch)
• NPG 5793(6): Trade Unionists (sketch) (Joe Gormley; Sir Thomas Jackson; Sidney Weighell) (sketch)
• NPG 5793(7): Trade Unionists (sketch) (Joe Gormley; Sir Thomas Jackson; Sidney Weighell) (sketch)
• NPG D196: Unveiling of NPG 5749 Trade Unionists (Joe Gormley; Sidney Weighell; Harold Wilson; Hans Schwarz) (related to)

Linked publicationsback to top

• Cooper, John, Visitor's Guide, 2000, p. 103
• Saywell, David; Simon, Jacob, Complete Illustrated Catalogue, 2004, p. 726
• Simon, Jacob, The Art of the Picture Frame: Artists, Patrons and the Framing of Portraits in Britain, 1997 (accompanying the exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery from 8 November 1996 - 9 February 1997), p. 189

Linked displays and exhibitionsback to top

• Britain 1960-1990 (From 18 September 2004)

Subjects & Themesback to top

• Commissions - Paintings and Drawings
• Group portraits
• London
• Pets and animals
• Portraits with Archive documents