# Joseph Toyn

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**Joseph Toyn** (28 September 1838 – 27 January 1924) was a [British](/source/British_people) [trade unionist](/source/Trade_unionist).

Born in [Tattershall](/source/Tattershall) in [Lincolnshire](/source/Lincolnshire), Toyn worked as a bird-scarer on a farm from the age of six. After a variety of other farm work, when he was fourteen, he began working on a canal barge, then three years later became an ironstone miner in [Cleveland](/source/Cleveland,_Yorkshire). After some time, he was promoted to become an overman, but soon resigned to work underground again.[1]

In 1872, Toyn was a founder of the [Cleveland Miners' Association](/source/Cleveland_Miners'_Association), serving as a delegate from his mine, then in 1875 he became the union's president. The following year, the union appointed him as its full-time agent. As agent, he was the leading figure in setting up a conciliation board to resolve disputes in the industry, which he credited with preventing any strikes during his time in office.[1]

Through his work for the union, Toyn regularly attended the [Trades Union Congress](/source/Trades_Union_Congress), and also served on the board of the [Miners' National Union](/source/Miners'_National_Union) (MNU). However, in 1892, he persuaded the union to leave the MNU and instead affiliated to the rival [Miners' Federation of Great Britain](/source/Miners'_Federation_of_Great_Britain) (MFGB). This federation was campaigning for an eight-hour maximum working day, an issue which Toyn strongly supported.[1]

Toyn was elected to the executive of the MFGB in 1896, but served only a single year. He also became active in the [Labour Electoral Association](/source/Labour_Electoral_Association), which proposed him as a [Liberal-Labour](/source/Liberal-Labour_(UK)) candidate in the [Cleveland by-election, 1902](/source/Cleveland_by-election,_1902). However, by this time, the Cleveland Miners were affiliated to the [Labour Representation Committee](/source/Labour_Representation_Committee_(1900)), forerunner of the [Labour Party](/source/Labour_Party_(UK)), and were hoping to sponsor a rival candidate. Ultimately, Toyn decided not to run.[1]

Toyn was appointed as a [magistrate](/source/Magistrate) in 1906, and was also prominent in the local [co-operative movement](/source/Co-operative_movement) and as a [Primitive Methodist](/source/Primitive_Methodist) [lay preacher](/source/Lay_preacher). He retired from his trade union posts in 1911.[1]

## References

1. Joyce Bellamy, "Toyn, Joseph", *Dictionary of Labour Biography*, vol.II, pp.368-370

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