University of Sussex Library Special Collections: Mass-Observation Archive

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Worktown Collection (1937-40)

Box 13: Trade Unions

13/A Origins, history/structure of unions

"Trades Unions", ms, 89pp, draft manuscript

13/B Trade unions questionnaire

"Unions", ts 1p, list, points to be covered

"The Trade Unions", ts, 1p, background information

Questionnaire about trade union membership, 49 replies, completed by respondents, EB

"Analysis of T.U. Questionnaire", ts, 1p

"Trade Union", ms, 4pp 12.37, JD, chart

13/C Union branches

"Alti-Politics", ts, 13pp, list of material gathered

"T.U. Secretaries", ms, 2pp, list for Tonge Moore and Great Lever

"Labour Party Delegates", ms, 2pp, list of names

Fish Fryers Union: Booklets (2) The Bolton and District Fish Fryers Journal, April and May 1938; "Meeting of Fish Fryers", ms, 11pp, 15.8.[?], WH; Misc printed material 4pp

Operative Cotton Spinners and Twiners Provincial Association: "Notes on the work of the Operative Cotton Spinners and Twiners ......", ms, 9pp; "Minutes of Joint Meeting of List Sub-Committee", ts, 4pp, 22.2.18, official document; "Extracts from Operative Spinners' 39th Annual Report of Council .....", ts, 2pp, 31.12.18, official document; "Extract from Minutes of the Joint Meeting ....", ts, 1p, 19.11.24, official document

National Spinsters Pension Association: Handbills (4), "Britain's Spinsters Demand Justice!", "National Spinsters Pensions Association. Non-party Movement", "Mr, Mrs, or Miss!", "Are You Aware"

Mental Hospital Workers' Union: Letter from Fishpool Branch to Eric Bennett, ms, 3pp, 1.38, details of branch membership and activity; "Mental & Institutional Workers Union Bolton Branch", ms, 2pp, 12.1.38, EB background information about the formation of the union

Cinema Branch of the Electrical Workers Union

Observer accounts: "Meeting held in Bush Hotel to start a Cinema Branch of the Elect. W.U.", ms, 15pp, 11.7.37, WH; "Cinema Branch Meeting", ms, 10pp, 15.8.[?], WH

Handbill "Would you treat an agreement as a scrap of paper?"

Cotton Unions

Observer accounts: "Cotton Spinners Association", ts, 1p, 11.9.40, BA; "T & G.W. Union", ts, 1p. 11.9.40, BA; "Beamers, Twisters and Machine Minders", ts, 1p, 11.9.40, BA; "Engineering Union", ts, 1p, 11.9.40, BA; "Weavers Association", ts, 1p, 11.9.40, BA; "Winders at Brandwood Textile Co", ms, 4pp, TB

13/D Bolton Trades Council

Observer Accounts: "Bolton Trades Council Meeting", ms, 3pp, 20.10.[37], EB; "Bolton Trades Council Executive", index card, ms, 10.11.37, EB; "Trades Council Executive Committee", ms, 11pp, 9.12.37, EB; "Bolton Delegates to T.U.C, Plymouth 1936", ms, 2pp, 10.1.38, EB list of delegates; "Trades Council Executive Committee", ms, 5pp, 12.1.38, EB; "Trades Council Elections", ms, 3pp, 18.1.38, EB, list of names and number of votes, diagram of ballot paper; "Resolution of China-Japan", ms, 5pp, EB about boycotting Japanese goods

Paper folder containing "Future Trade in Bolton", ts, 3pp, GW interviews with Warehouse Manager, Mill owner, Manager of Rayon Crepe Ltd.

Charts (4) "Trade Union Branches", "Northtown Trades Unionism", "Trades Council and Labour Party", "Trades Council Meeting Delegate Meeting"

Booklets (3) "Rules and Standing Orders", 69th Annual Report and Balance Sheet", "18th Annual Report and Statement of Accounts for 1937"

Agendas (7) "Bolton and District United Trades Council" 1937-38

"Elected Unopposed", printed, 1p, list of elected officials

Booklet: Annual Report Bolton Chamber of Trade Limited, for the annual meeting to be held on 28.2.39, Blackshaw, Sykes & Morris Ltd., Bolton

Newspaper cutting 26.8.38

Misc 8pp, ts/ms

13/E Strikes and disputes

Programme: "Six Men of Dorset", The Opera House, Manchester, 26.4.37, play

Letter to Mr Barnard, ms, 1p, unsigned, referring to working conditions of bus drivers

Letter to Walter Hood from Frank Townson, ts, 1p, 5.9.37, reference to a meeting held to discuss the dismissal of Dr Lyng

Observer accounts: Transport and General Workers Union: "From Ben Caldwell - Transport Dept.", ms, 1p, 17.11.[?], WH dispute at work; "Frank Townsend on Tramway Strike", ts, 1p, 11.2.[38], FHC; "Tramway Sheds", ts, 1p, 11.2.[38], FHC; "Transport Workers Strike", ts, 1p, 11.2.38, WH; "T & G W Strike", ts, 1p, 13.2.38, EB conversations outside Spinners Hall; "Midnight Meeting of the Tramwaymen", ms, 8pp, 28.8.[?], [incomplete]; "Tramwaymen - Interview with Townsend....", ms, 1p, 30.8.[?], WH; Newspaper cutting Bolton Evening News, "Paid Up", 12.2.38

Apprentices Strike: Newspaper cuttings, (9)

Observer accounts: Leather Workers Union: "Leather Workers Dispute", ms, 1p, 16.11.37, EB, interview with David Delaney; "Leather Workers Dispute", ts, 1p, 28.2.38, EB, the G-men employed to institute a time system; "Leather Workers Union", ts, 1p, EB, non-affiliation to the Bolton Labour Party; "Interview with a friend of Ben Caldwell ...", ms, 11pp, 6.3, WH; "Talk with man near Weston St.", ms, 1p, 17.12.[?], WH, comments about G Men; "2 stories of G-Men", ms, 3pp, WH; "Walkers Tannery", ms, 1p, 17.11.[?], WH, observer refused entry to a meeting; "Talk in Nelson Arms", ms, 2pp, 18.11.[?], WH, index card attached; "Walkers Tannery", ms, 4pp, 19.11.[?], WH, giving in notice; "Walter Grundy Lime jobber", ms, 3pp, 22.11.[?] WH, interview; "Walkers Tannery", ms, 3pp, 24.11.[?], WH, interview with an unnamed man; "Walker's Tannery", ms, 2pp, 4.12.[?], WH, talk with Ben Caldwell; "Walkers Tannery", ms, 1p, 4.12.[?], strike threat; Newspaper cuttings (6)

Co-op Clerks: "Secretary of N.U.C.", ts, 1p, interview with Harold Halliwell about the dispute; Untitled document, ms, 1p, brief note about why Co-op clerks are discontented; Untitled document, ms, 1p, Co-op clerks strike ballot

DeHavilland Airworkers: "DeHavilland Strike", ts, 4pp, 14.2.38, EB, observations, overheard comments; "Strike at DeHavilland", ms, 3pp, 28.3.[?], observations and overheard coments

Newspaper cutting, "Strike Threat over 4,000 workers Involved"

Misc 17pp

13/F Tenants associations

Observer accounts: "Tenants League", ms, 2pp, 24.2.38, NC, interview with Mrs Dawson , President of the Tenants League; "Corporation Tenants Associations", ts, 1p, 9.3.[?], meeting held in the Methodist Misson Hall; "Meeting of the Bolton & District Property Owners & Ratepayers Assoc.", ts, 2pp, 15.3.38, JAS; "Kenley & Whyteleaf Residents Association, ms, 3pp, 20.12.38, LT, meeting; "Corporation Tenants Association", ts, 5pp, background information and meeting held on 9.3.[?], at the Methodist Mission Hall; "Corporation Tenants Association", ts, 7pp, meeting held on 9.3.[?], at the Methodist Mission Hall; [Incomplete] document, ts, 2pp references to housing

Letter from Mrs. M.E. Dawson to Miss ??, ms, 1p, 27.2.[?], enclosing 2 Tenants' Association leaflets

Form and postcard "Property Owners' and Ratepayers Association Ltd"

Newspaper cutting

Mass-Observation Archive

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