Sir Bill Morris OJ was born in Bombay, Jamaica and grew up in Cheapside, attending school in Mizpah. He arrived in Birmingham, England in 1954 and worked his way through the ranks of the Transport and General Workers Union to be elected as Britain's first black General Secretary in 1991 and re-elected in 1995. He retired from that post in October 2003 after 12 years.

Bill Morris is continuing his public role in a variety of ways, an d his appointments include:

• Chair, The Morris Public Inquiry (into the professional standards and workplace issues of the Metropolitan Police; reported December 2004)
• Non-Executive Director, Bank of England (1998-May 2005)
• Member, Employment Appeals Tribunal (since 1988)
• Chancellor, University of Technology, Jamaica (since 2000)
• Chancellor, Staffordshire University (since 2004)
• Member, Cricket Board for England and Wales (since 2004)
• Member, Panel of Mergers and Takeovers (since 2005)
  
  

Bill Morris is an established professional speaker, registered with Celebrity Speakers. His themes include transport, management of change, diversity, conflict resolution, globalisation and the economy. He is also a regular broadcaster on current social, economic and political issues. In 2005 he presented a Radio Four series, "Workaday World".

Sir John Dankworth shows his opinion of Bill’s musical abilities at The Stables, Wavendon.

In October 2002 Bill Morris was awarded the
Order of Jamaica by the Jamaican Government for services to international trade unionism.

In November 2003 he received a Knighthood from the Queen.

In April 2006 Bill Morris was awarded a life peerage.  He took his seat in the House of Lords on 13 June 2006 and took the title: Lord Morris of Handsworth. He now plays an active role in the work of the House.

 

Design & Development by Debra Hamilton & Darius Karimi. ©2006