D. C. CUMMINGS
A HISTORICAL SURVEY
OF THE
BOILER MAKERS' AND IRON AND STEEL SHIP BUILDERS' SOCIETY
FROM AUGUST, 1834, TO AUGUST, 1904,
With a brief sketch of the life and work of its leading Officials ;
Comparisons between Boilermaking, Shipbuilding, and Bridgebuilding in
the early days of its history and of modern times; and
Interesting Arbitration Awo.rds and Agreements,
\ v^*? BY
D^C^Cim/AINGS.
GENERAL SECRETARY.
ILLUSTRATED.
NKWCASTLE-ON-TYNE : R. ROBINSON & Co. LTD., PRINTERS AND PUBLISHERS, CLAVERING PLACE.
1905.
TO
ALL THOSE BRANCH OFFICERS AM> M KM HERS WHO, BELIEVING IN
THE EFFICACY AND VALUE OF TRADE UNIONISM, ARE DAY BY
DAY DOING THEIR DUTY IRRESPECTIVE OF MATERIAL GAIN
TO THEMSELVES IS THIS WORK DEDICATED BY
ITS AUTHOR
AS AN EXI'HESSION OF THANKFULNESS FOR THE GOOD WORK THEY HAVE DONE AND ARE DOING.
690287
PREFACE.
Mr. R. Knight, writing in 1872, said : " It is sad, but true, that we have no record of the many years of our Society's past existence, and to write its history would be impossible."
Thirty years later, when I promised to attempt the task, and when the difficulties to obtain early records would be immeasurably greater, I had not seen that utterance, and did not realise the almost impossible task I had set myself to do ; but after long labour I am gratified that the difficulties have been to a great degree surmounted and a work produced that, although it may not shine with literary merit, does at least give as comprehensive a history of the seventy years' life of the Society as it is possible to obtain. The labour has been all the more difficult because of the impossibility to give many consecutive hours to the task. Sometimes a few evening hours could be devoted to it, and just as some progress was being made the demands of a busy life caused it to be dropped for weeks and sometimes months together, until evening work had to be given up, and Saturday afternoons utilised in order to get some continuity of thought and action.
I am indebted to all those who, recognising the need of some such work, assisted me in searching out old members and the sons of old members in order to obtain past records of the Society's work. It would be invidious to mention any one in particular, but I have thankful recollections of those who kindly did whatever they were asked to do in that direction.
I am also indebted to Mr. Wilson Worsdell (North Eastern Railway), Sir Benjamin Baker, the Thames Shipbuilding and Engineering Co. Limited, Messrs. Laird Bros., and the Editors of The Skipping World, The Engineer, and Engineering Times for the permission so kindly granted me to reproduce the illustrations published in that portion of the work dealing with the trade in the early days of the Society and the present.
I trust the book will be found interesting, and that the reading of it will enthuse the present and future generations into emulating the best deeds of their forefathers.
My task is completed, and as I do not seek any pecuniary gain I can express the hope that a ready sale of the work will take place, and that some profit will be made on the sale in order that I may have the two-fold satisfaction of having done something to instruct my fellows and by it realised a sum of money sufficient to do some good to the orphans of our deserving members or some other equally good object.
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
EARLY TRADE UNION STRUGGLES— 1800-1834
It is not my purpose to write at length upon the early history of Trade Unionism or I might have to trace back to the days of the wanderings of the children of Israel in the land of the Egyptians, at which period some writers are at pains to discover the first symptoms of combination among the workers, but only to deal briefly with the aspirations of the workmen of Great Britain and Ireland from 1800 to 1834, in which year the Friendly Society of Boiler Makers first saw the light. In Professor Thorold Rogers's " Six Centuries of Work and Wages," George Howell's " Old and New Unionism," and in Sidney and Beatrice Webb's works may be found much interesting information of the early struggles of workmen, in the past centuries — enough and sufficient for those who care to take the trouble to make themselves acquainted with the doings of those days.
The beginning of the year 1800 saw the Combination Act of 1799 re-affirmed and amended in such a way as to unduly press upon those workmen who were desirous of combination. Prior to this the central or local authority acted as a Court of Appeal on all questions affecting work and wages. If the men and masters failed to come to terms upon what constituted a fair day's wage or work this authority had the right to intervene. No doubt it fell greatly into disuse, for towards the end of the 18th century free bargaining between employers and their workmen became almost the sole method of fixing wages. The Combination Act altered all this — an injustice had the law been dealt out impartially, but proving a far grosser injustice through the extreme partiality of the administrators. The law was supposed to prevent a combination of employers as well as workmen, but a single employer could be within the law and yet discharge the whole of his workmen if they refused to accept the wages he chose to offer; yet if those same workmen agreed together to leave their employment because of that employer's refusal to pay the wages they requested, it at once became an offence under the Act and was dealt with as rigorously as only partial administrators know how. It must not be inferred that every combination of workmen was proceeded against, because in some cases the masters themselves connived with the men, and others were not discovered ;.. when they were, and it suited the employers to proceed, prosecutions were carried out to an extent -hardly to be credited
2
10 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
to-day. Bad as the English judges were, the Scotch judges went one better, for they applied the criminal procedure of Scotland to simple interchange of opinions between workmen where no real combination existed. On the other hand, employers openly combined, and history does not record that they were proceeded against and imprisoned for so doing.
The unjust administration of the Acts found for the workers many Nyini»athisers outside their own ranks, but the credit of obtaining their repeal must be given to Francis Place, a master tailor, and Joseph Hume, whom Place had converted to his opinions. In 1822 Hume, at the instigation of Place, gave notice of his intention to bring in a Bill to repeal the Act, and for two years the arrangements went on until, in the early part of 1824, Hume induced the Prime Minister to appoint a Select Committee of Inquiry. Hume, with consummate skill, managed to secure control of the Committee, while Place, having the confidence of the working-class leaders, systematically supplied him with all the necessary particulars required to make out a good case. The result of the inquiry was a series of resolutions by the Committee in favour of freedom of combination, and a Bill to repeal all the Combination Laws and tn legalise Trade Unions was rapidly passed through both Houses of Parliament. So quietly was the Bill got through that judges as well as employers were surprised to learn that an alteration in the laws had taken place.
Trade societies now sprang into existence on all sides, although one searches in vain for any records of Boiler Makers having made any effort to combine together for their mutual interests.
The following year of 1825 witnessed the employers aroused and determined to abolish the Bill so recently passed, and they persuaded Mr. Huskisson, M..P. for Liverpool, and the then President of the Board of Trade to move and obtain a Committee of Inquiry into the doings of Trade Unionists.
This time the composition of the Committee was carefully watched, and consisted of a picked body of employers and their interested friends, whose original intention was to only call as witnesses a few employers and exclude all evidence from the Trade Unionists themselves ; this was frustrated by large deputations of workmen, who thronged the precincts of the House of Commons and so pestered individual M.P's by their persistence that the Committee found themselves compelled to hear evidence from a few of the men's repre- sentatives. Hume was again supplied with details, information that enabled him to greatly expose the exaggerations of the employers' witnesses, the whole resulting in the passing of a measure which, although it nominally established
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 1 1
the prohibition of combination, yet it specifically excepted from prosecution associations or combinations for the purpose of regulating hours of labour or wages. The employers, especially those in the shipping industry, were furious, and issued broadcast leaflets condemning all concerned in the passing of the Act, which, though it fell short of the measure which preceded it, and was maladministered ; at least gave the workmen the right of collective organising, and with it the power to withhold labour from the market by combined action — a right that has of late years again been seriously challenged and attempts made to utterly destroy it.
Activity in Trade Union circles again became general, but unfortunately the close of 1825 witnessed the commencing of a depression in trade which lasted until 1829, greatly reducing wages, and other conditions going far to break the spirit of the movement altogether. The non-success of the several disputes at this time gave rise to the idea of a national union of all trades and callings. A meeting of delegates was held in Manchester in 1830, which ended in the formation of a National Association for the Protection of Labour, whose express object was to resist reductions. In this National Association it is just possible that Boiler Makers could be found as units, but they certainly were not connected or affiliated as a union.
The next few years — 1830-34 — witnessed some fierce struggles between employers and workmen, and amidst it all the National Union found itself in conflict with the law. Two instances will suffice. In 1832 Trade Unionists were indicted for illegal combination merely for writing to their employers stating that a strike would take place. In February, 1834. five members of the Friendly Society of Agricultural Labourers, who were affiliated to the Grand National Union, were arrested and lodged in gaol. No accusation was made against them, no evidence of illegal act other than the taking of oaths — the oath of the Grand National Union, which formed part of the initiation ceremony — they had not struck work, neither had they applied for a rise of wages, yet they were convicted as criminals and sent to Botany Bay for seven years, the then Whig Home Secretary (Lord Melbourne) expressing the opinion that the law had been properly applied.
After this conviction the oath was to a great extent dropped out of Trade Union ceremonies. Strikes and disputes were still the order of the day, ending generally in the defeat of the workmen ; but such was the temper at the time that the Executive Council of the Grand National struggled in vain to arrest this ruinous policy, and their publication of a Declaration of
12 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
the Views and Objects of Trade Unions, condemning strikes and advocating co-operative pnxJuction, issued at the period, fell upon unheeding minds.
The non-success of the strikes crippled the National Union, until it was obvious that by the close of the summer of 1834 the ambitions of this federation had ended in a complete failure.
In this the beginning of the 20th century there are still to be found Trade Unionists who are smitten with a desire to strike in season or out of season, men who utterly disregard the lessons of the past, closing their eyes to the fact that Trade Union history has again and again repeated itself, and has on many occasions conclusively proved the strike policy to have been the means of setting back the hands of the Trade Union clock and hindering the real and true progress of the movement. Those who to-day are inclined to create disputes on every conceivable occasion would do well to pause and reflect before they advocate a policy that has done immense injury, ofttimes irretrievable, to those who have from time to time been attacked by its feverish symptoms.
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
THE FRIENDLY BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY— 1834-1840.
For some time there had been lurking in the minds of individual Boiler Makers a strong desire to form a union of those engaged in the boiler-making trade, a desire that found tangible expression by the decision of the Manchester meeting held Angust 20th, 1834 — to at once institute a Society of Friendly Boiler Makers. It has been freely stated that the present Manchester No. 1 (Loyal Patriot Lodge) is not the oldest continuous branch of the Society, the original Manchester No. 1 having been closed for some little time and later on re-opened. The present Bolton branch, opened two months later, on October 18th, 1834, is certainly a continuous branch, and claims to be the oldest continuous branch of the Society. If that be so, still the fact remains that the Society first saw the light as the " Friendly Boiler Makers " (Manchester Unity) in the then town but now city of Manchester, and has always had a branch or branches of the Society within its boundaries. For some years Manchester was the centre of attraction for the Boiler Makers of the country, the place to which they turned for guidance, and the scene of many annual and other delegate meetings.
The names of the actual founders of the Society (14 in number) have not been recorded, or if recorded, have been allowed to be blotted out in the course of years. It is safe to assume that some of the members of the tirst General Council who met on May llth, 1835, scarcely nine months after the Society's inception, played some little part in the meeting of August, 1834. The following is a list of the members of that Council, names that will now be preserved for all time : —
Samuel Heywood. Thomas Sutcliffe. William Jones.
Amos Rhodes. James Barker. Thomas Taylor.
William Deal. Joseph Calver. James Massey.
James Crelin. Joseph Swift. Edward Hartley.
Abraham Hughes (Chairman). William Hughes (Secretary).
Their names should not only be preserved as being the names of the members of the first official gathering, but as men worthy of honour and esteem for so ably carrying out the momentous duty of doing work that was to be the means of drawing their fellow-workmen together in the bonds of
14
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
Unionism and giving official birth to the infant that has grown into the lusty Society of to-day.
Some of their work has lived right on down to the present day, for the very first words uttered in their lecture book printed in 1835 are: "Worthy President, Vice, Officers, and Brothers all" — words that have been able to stand the test of seventy years, for it is still the method of our address.
WILLIAM HUGHES can then be said to be the first corresponding Secretary of the Society.
The names of the actual founders of the Bolton branch have been better preserved, for it is on record that James Cooper, Gilbert Ridings, Thomas Jones, and James Mann met together on Saturday, October 18th, 1834, at Happy Jack's, or the Cross Keys Inn, Little Bolton, and formed the Bolton branch, James Cooper being the first secretary.
A word should be said here of James Cooper in praise of the energy he put forward on behalf of the then baby Society, spending his spare time journeying to Bury and Blackburn in order to preach to his fellows the benefit
of combination. History says that his efforts were successful, for he succeeded in converting to his views a few men in each town, they appointing one of their number to collect contributions and send them to Bolton until the time came when they were in a position to form branches on their own account.
One of the first presidents of the branch was James Warbrick, and it was customary for him to gather round as many members as possible every Sunday night at their club-room in order to keep alive their enthusiasm for the young Society. He is credited with having been a fluent speaker and a recognised authority on all matters connected with the Society and its members. To the credit of the Bolton branch, it is to be said that from those early days right up to the present the JAMES COOPER. members have never worked mates with
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 15
any other workmen than those who were members of the Society, and even in 1851, when the strike took place against the determined attempt of the employers to5 break up Trade Unionism, the Bolton members stood firm and by their loyalty to each other preserved the citadel intact.
Another interesting matter connected with the past history of the branch is that in 1862, at their annual demonstration, the lead was taken by Thomas Jones, one of the founders, who, being too old to walk the distance, was mounted on a black pony, and proudly did he bear himself. In the procession were several lurries conveying various then known types of boilers, and on one of the lurries a set of riveters were busily riveting a flue. These anniversaries at a still earlier period caused a little excitement in the breasts of the wives of the members, for one good old soul now living has a very vivid recollection of the landlady of the club-house giving a tea in the year 1848 to which only members' wives were admitted, all the males being rigidly excluded. Shortly afterwards trade took a turn for the worse, and the men declared that the women had made so many boilers at that tea that the whole of the country was supplied, and they there and then resolved that the women should not meet in social harmony without they, the lords of creation, were there to govern and control them.
To return to William Hughes and his work for the Society. William Hughes, if one may judge him from his writings, was imbued with a desire to uplift his fellow-men, and, like many of the prominent Trade Union pioneers of that day, a sincere Christian man. To him was allotted the task of obtaining an emblematic design by which the Society should be easily recognised, the production of an opening ceremony, form of initiation, and lectures in the form of dialogues for the two-fold purpose of instructing and interesting the members who attended the lodge meetings. A careful comparison of the work of this worthy pioneer with some of our forms and ceremonies of to-day will prove how well he did his work, despite the apologies in his letter, for after the lapse of seventy years we find some of it still unaltered.
It will not be necessary to print the contents of the Lecture Book (the Society's first guide to its members) in its entirety, for without doubt the fac simile of the first emblematic design, the letter or preface by which William Hughes submitted his labours to the General Council and the rest of the members, the opening ceremony, form of initiation, lectures 1 and 2, and the closing ceremony will answer the purpose.
16
A HISTORICAL SURVEY or THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
A study of this design will show how closely it is in touch with our ilisjHMisations of to-day, and, crude as it is, a strong resemblance can be traced to our emblem, a design of nearly a h-alf-century later. Over the centre will be noticed a representation of the sign of the Order, " The uplifting of the hand." In one of the four centre designs there is a representation of a steamship of those days, a prophetic vision of the day, at that time far
distant, when iron and steel ships would totally supersede the wooden walls of Britain. In the opposite corner below is the gripping together of hands. Taken in conjunction with the other, it certainly may be made to typify the then coming Unity of Boiler Makers and Iron Ship Builders, and of their determination to stand for ever together hand in hand.
Humani Nihil Alienmn.
To Humanity Nothing Hostile.
A motto declaring that the unionism of workers was not hostile to humanity ; but on the contrary a means of its uplifting.
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 17
PREFACE.
WORTHY PRESIDENT, VICE, OFFICERS, AND BROTHERS ALL — the following pages have been written at the sacrifice of a great deal of time and study ; nevertheless, as there is nothing done perfect at once, so I am certain that there will be many defects found in the said pages. But let the defects be whatever they may, be assured they have not been wilful defects; but I beg you will weigh one thing with another and you will find the meaning to be pure and good. And as to writing on different subjects and that in a sort of dialogue, I have felt, and at present feel my utter inability to perform such a task. I am sorry it did not fall into more able hands than mine, which if it had, it might have been written more grammatically, and in a more masterly style ; but sure I am, not with a warmer heart nor with better wishes for the success of the order in general. My dear br-others, the Order of Friendly Boiler Makers is a thing which has been wanting a many years none can deny, and I am very happy it has commenced, and I am sure it must be gratifying in the extreme to every man of feeling and of common sense, to see so many rallying to the standard of our order, namely : —
THE ORDER OF FRIENDLY BOILER MAKERS:
and I hope, and that sincerely that it will be a stimulant to every officer and brother, to be on the alert in discharging the duties of his respective office, in that becoming manner which marks the true character of a man and a brother. The meaning of the lecture is to turn men from evil to good, that we may so let our light shine before men, that they may see the good effects of society, and likewise to fit and prepare every member of our order for any office he may be called into, and to warn one and all of the uncertainty of this transitory state of existence.
I have the honour to be,
Your very Humble Servant,
WILLIAM HUGHES, Secretary. May, 1835.
,s A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
The Opening Ceremony, Form of Initiation, and Lecture 1 partake of a religious character, Lecture 2 being a business one.
OPENING CEREMONY.
A Prayer to be said at the Opening of the Lodge, to b3 upstanding and uncovered ; to be said by the President.
ALMKJHTV God who disposed of man in the way which seemeth best to thy Godly wisdom, so Jit and prepare our hearts, that while we remain together we may receive thy good i/ifts with thankfulness, through Jesus Christ our
Lord. Amen.
BROTHERS, I declare this Lodge to be duly opened under the title
of " The Order of Friendly Boiler Makers."
FORM OF INITIATION. THE OBLIGATION OR PROMISE.
I, A. B. do most solemnly declare and promise, before God and this Assembly, that I will keep inviolable all the secrets or transactions that I do hear see or receive, relative to this Order, namely: — The order of Friendly Boiler Makers, especially the grip, words, signs, or countersigns of a Friendly Boiler Maker, except it be unto a Friendly Boiler Maker, whom I believe to be a true and faithful brother amongst us, and that I will be true and steadfast in all things lawful and not otherwise. I, A. B. having made the above vows and promises of my own free will and accord, may God assist me in these my most solemn vows. The whole assembly to respond at the word " vows " Amen.
AN ADDRESS TO THE CANDIDATE.
Vows in all ages have been held sacred. A vow is a solemn appeal to Almighty God, desiring his mercy and protection no otherwise than in tin' matter or thing vowed to be true or false, and when it is done in an <>/>' •// assembly, before an officer appointed for that purpose it is called a solemn vow, because the person layeth his hand upon the word of God, thereby intimatinf/ the person who shall vow shall pledge his expectations of God's b/rsxiny in this life, and of eternal salvation in the life hereafter, for we read in the Sacred Book of God, '' If thou vow a vow unto the Lord tit// Got/, thou shalt not slack to pay it, for the Lord will require of thee, and that which is gone out of thy lips, thou shalt keep and perform according as thou hast vowed unto the Lord, and which thou hast promised with thy mouth. And Jephtha, a Judge of the Israelites, rather than break his vow sacrificed his only daughter.
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 19
LECTURE.
PART I.
PRESIDENT. What was your reason for becoming a member of the Order of Friendly Boiler Makers?
ANSWER. Curiosity combined with a love for society.
P. Can you give me an instance of the evil effects of curiosity?
A. Yes, worthy president ; for when Adam was first created he was created in all lovely innocence ; in the image of God and had free access to the fruit of every tree in that beautiful garden in which he was placed one only excepted, of which the Lord told him, " in the day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die " ; but curiosity tempted him to partake of that also ; then came the curse of man.
P. How came that the curse of man 1 can you inform me ?
A. Yes, Adam having lost that state of innocence in which he was created was not deemed a fit person to discharge the duties of the office which he held, but was discharged with disgrace and a curse then passed upon the whole family of man, from the mouth of the Almighty, for He said unto Adam " cursed is the ground for thy sake ; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life ; in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return to the ground, for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return."
P. Can you give me an instance of the good effects of curiosity ?
A. Yes, worthy president. When Naaman, a great Syrian general was smote with the leprosy, a little maid a Jewess, who was a captive or slave to the wife of Naarnan, besought her mistress that her master would go to the prophet Elisha that he might recover him of his leprosy, so curiosity tempted him to go to Samaria to the prophet in order that he might be rid of that loathsome disease. But because the prophet did not use a great deal of show and pageantry but simply told him to go and wash in Jordan seven times and his flesh would come again to him and he should be clean, he was wroth, and went away, in order to return home, without following the directions of the prophet ; but curiosity tempted him to follow the advice of his servants, in going to wash in Jordan, so he dipped himself seven times in Jordan according to the saying of the prophet, and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
P. Can you give me another instance of the good effects of curiosity ?
A. Yes, worthy president; I believe I can, for we read in the
20 A HISTORICAL SURVKY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
sacred scriptures of a person named Zacchaeus who was a rich man but a publican or tax gatherer, hearing that Christ was to pass through Jericho, and he being a man of little stature went out of curiosity to meet him, and got up into a Sycamore tree in order that he might see him pass by plainly.
P. And what was the result of his curiosity, brother ?
A. The result, worthy president, of his curiosity was simply this, Christ as he passed by saw him in the tree, and called to him to make haste and come down for to-day I must abide at thine house, and he made haste and came down and received him joyfully.
P. And what was the result of Christ's visit to Zacchaeus ?
A. Christ declared himself that that day salvation came to his house, which ought to teach both you and me to receive a brother joy- fully, for Christ said " forasmuch as he was also a son of Abraham."
P. Can you give me an instance of the good effects of unity ?
A. Yes, worthy president; we understand from Holy Writ, that between David and Jonathan there was a unity subsisted, to the end that it was the saving of David's life.
P. Will you have the goodness to illustrate that subject, brother?
A. I will endeavour so to do in part. We read in the scriptures of a great giant belonging to the Philistine army, who came forward as a champion when both armies were drawn up in battle array, and gave a challenge to Israel, saying, choose you a man, and if he be able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants, and if I prevail then shall you be our servants; he then cried with a loud voice and said, I defy the armies of Israel this day.
P. Will you have the goodness, brother, to resume the subject?
A. I will, worthy president ; the army of Israel being dismayed at the sight of so great a man, for he was eleven feet five inches in height, there was no man found that would encounter him, until David, a youth who was sent by Jesse, his father, to see how his brethren fared, accepted the challenge, and slew this formidable giant, which action gained David the esteem and friendship of Jonathan ; for when the inhabitants had composed a piece of poetry in Jerusalem, in praise of David, it created a jealously in the heart of Saul, so that he sought the life of David ; but Jonathan, by giving David timely notice, saved his friend's life, which ought to teach both you and I to give a brother in unity timely notice of any impending danger, if in our power.
P. Here endeth part first.
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 21
L E C T U R E .
PART II.
P. Can you inform me of the first thing in your Initiation or Making ?
A. Yes, worthy president ; I was first ordered to go up stairs to the door of the Lodge.
P. What were you there instructed to do, brother ?
A. I was there instructed to give four distinct raps at the door of the Lodge.
P. And did you hear anything in return to your four reports at the door?
A. Yes, worthy president ; I heard the four reports repeated from within.
P. How then did you proceed, brother ?
A. I was then admitted into the Lodge, and introduced to the worthy president.
P. How did you then proceed ?
A. The worthy president then kneeled down, and desired me to do the same, and to repeat a most solemn vow or obligation after him.
P. Can you repeat that solemn vow or obligation ?
A. Yes, worthy president ; the words were these : — " I, A. B., do most solemnly declare and promise, before God and this Assembly, that I will keep inviolable all the secrets or transactions that I do hear see or receive, relative to this Order, namely : — ' The Order of Friendly Boiler Makers,' especially the grip, words, signs, or countersigns of a Friendly Boiler Maker, except in be unto a Friendly Boiler Maker, whom I believe to be a true and faithful brother amongst us, and that I will be true and steadfast in all things lawful and not otherwise. I, A. B., having made the above vows and promises of my own free will and accord, may God assist me in these my most solemn vcws. The whole assembly to respond at the word 'vows ' Amen."
P. How did the worthy president then proceed 1
A. He then proceeded to deliver a sort of lecture, as an illustration to the vow I had just made.
P. Can you repeat that illustration or lecture which the worthy president delivered?
A. Yes, worthy president.
" Vows in all ages have been held sacred. A vow is a solemn appeal
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
to Almighty God, desiring his mercy and protection no otherwise than in the matter or thing vowed to be true or false, and when it is done in an open assembly, before an officer appointed for that purpose, it is called a solemn vow, because the person layeth his hand upon the Word of God, thereby intimating the person who shall vow shall pledge his expectations of God's blessing in this life, and of eternal salvation in the life here- after, for we read in the Sacred Book of God, ' If thou vow a vow unto the Lord thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it, for the Lord will require of thee, and that which is gone out of thy lips, thou shalt keep and perform according as thou hast vowed unto the Lord, and which thou hast promised with thy mouth. And Jeptha, a Judge of the Israelites, - rather than break his vow sacrificed his only daughter.' '
P. How did he then proceed?
A. He then addressed me in the following words : — " You will now receive the grip, words, signs, and countersigns of the Order of Friendly Boiler Makers."
P. Can you present your right-hand brother with the grip of a Friendly Boiler Maker ?
A. Yes, worthy president; the grip of a Friendly Boiler Maker is thus. — (Here the Grip is to be shewn)
P. The sign of a Friendly Boiler Maker on entering the Lodge?
A. The sign of a Friendly Boiler Maker is thus. — (Here the Sign is to be shewn)
P. How would you come to the knowledge whether a person you met was a friendly brother or not?
A. By simply making a sign, whereby I might know him, thus. — (Here the Sign is to be shewn.)
P. Providing you were in a public house, and you saw some person in the same room, whom you knew to work at the business, how would you act, to prove whether he was a friendly brother or not?
A. I would take up my glass, and act thus. — (Here the Sign of the Glass is to be shewn)
P. Now, providing you found a brother, that could answer all these mysteries, in distress, how would you act towards him, brother?
A. We are instructed in Holy Writ, to love one another, I should, therefore, think it my duty to relieve him so far as circumstances would permit.
P. Name the permission of circumstances in that case.
A. Not to give to the hurt or distressing of my family or con- nections.
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 23
P. How many officers are there in a Lodge of Friendly Boiler Makers ?
A. I believe there are eight.
P. I will thank you to name them.
A. The worthy President, vice-President, two Stewards, two Hosts, or Marshals, and two Inspectors.
P. Our brother, I believe, has forgotten one; will you have the goodness to name that one.
A. I will, worthy president: The secretary being a hired brother, cannot be said to be an officer, but a servant; that, I presume, was the reason why our brother omitted the name.
P. What are the duties of a president of an assembly ?
A. The worthy president being governor, chief, or head person of an assembly, it becomes his duty to call to order any refractory member, and if not obeyed in due time, to levy such fines or penalties as the rules will permit.
P. Can you name any other duty the worthy president has to perform ?
A. Yes, worthy president; it is likewise his duty to propose to the committee the business they have to decide at any time or place, and to report such decision to the body at large.
P. Can you name any other duty the worthy president has to perform 1
A. Yes, it is likewise his duty to be at his station in due time, to see every other officer in his proper place, and to see that each and every one discharges the duties of his office in a proper manner.
P. Can you name any other duty, brother, which he has to perform ?
A. Yes, worthy president, I can; I believe it to be the most important he has to perform, namely : at the opening of the Lodge, to see that each member be upstanding and uncovered, then to endeavour to impress upon their minds in whose awful presence they stand, by rehearsing in a solemn manner the prayer set forth to be used on that occasion.
P. Can you repeat that solemn prayer, brother?
A. Yes, worthy president; the words are these. — Here the Prayer to be rehearsed.}
P. Any other duty, brother?
A. Yes, it is likewise his duty to deliver the pass-word to the worthy vice for the time being, as there is need of a new word every night or
24 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
time of meeting, for the members going in and out of the Lodge, and to see that the worthy vice deliver it to the inspectors and door keepers, likewise to the two hosts.
P. Can you inform me of any other duty the worthy president has to perform?
A. Yes, it is his duty to watch the door at the entrance of any member, and to see that he gives the sign required, and if he be not satisfied as to the qualification of the person to order the inspector to examine him.
P. Any other duty, brother?
A. Yes, one more ; at the conclusion to close the Lodge with solemn prayer, as at the opening.
P. Have you any other duty for him to perform, brother? A. I do not recollect any at present, worthy president.
P. I do. The worthy president being placed at the head of the Lodge, it is his duty as the head, or father of a family, to act in that consistent manner, so that he may not become a stumbling block to the Lodge, viz. : to show by his praiseworthy conduct an example or pattern to both officers and members by remaining sober and temperate, vigilant, mild and cool in extremities, judging with impartiality, pro- moting peace, concord, and harmony amongst the body at large; this I consider as prominent a part of the duties of the worthy president as any. Now, brother, can you inform me what the duties of a steward are ?
A. The duties of a steward may be divided into two parts ; as there have been two stewards mentioned, the duty of one is to receive all moneys paid into the fund ; the other to check against the secretary. Then both conjointly, under the inspection of the president, to deliver the cash received into the treasurer's hands, and to see it regularly entered into the cash-book, and then to deliver it to the worthy president, to be carefully locked up by him, and the key returned to the treasurer.
P. Can you inform me what the duties of the inspectors are ?
A. The duties of the inspectors are, first to attend in due time, viz. : before the Lodge is opened, and when ordered by the worthy president to proceed to their duty, to rise from their seat, and to go round and examine every person in the room.
P. And providing they find some person in the room who does not belong to the order, how ought he to proceed ?
A. I consider it his duty to immediately inform the worthy president, who will deem it his duty to desire the said person to leave the room.
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 25
P. And providing he refuses to do so, how ought he then to act, brother ?
A. He ought, then, in that case, to order those appointed in such cases of emergency to compel him to leave the room.
P. Will you have the goodness, brother, to represent the duties of the two door keepers ?
A. I will, worthy president; the duties of the outside door-keeper are to demand the quarterly word or countersign from every member coming after the Lodge is open, before he permitteth him to give the report at the door ; but if he knoweth him, viz., the said member, and he hath not the word, he shall give a certain report at the door, and report such a member without word.
P. Who is the person he addresses himself to ?
A. To the inside door-keeper.
P. How then does the inside door-keeper act?
A. The inside door-keeper then makes the same report to the secretary, and if correct on the book according to article, he informs him he is right and worthy.
P. How does the door-keeper then proceed ?
A. He then opens the door, informs the outside door-keeper he, the said member is right; then, and not until then, he is permitted to enter.
P. Providing a brother gives to the outside door-keeper the quarterly word or countersign, makes the proper report at the door and enters, how is the inside door-keeper to act in respect to that brother?
A. He is first to close the door, then to demand the remainder of the word or countersign, as it is always divided into two parts, one for the outside, the other for the inside, and after receiving it, to permit him to pass, and not till then.
P. Providing a brother sends his money by a person not belonging to this order, how is the outside door-keeper to act in that case, brother?
A. He is to order the inside door-keeper to send one of the inspectors out of the Lodge, then to see the money paid into the inspector's hand, likewise to see that the person bringing such money hath a receipt from the secretary's hand for the money so brought and paid.
P. Can you inform me of the duties of the secretary, what they respectively are, brother ?
A. I believe I can, worthy president; the first duty the secretary has or ought to perform is, to be in the Lodge in due time, in order that he may give an answer as to the legality of the admittance of any brother without word ; to show whether he be on the suspension list or not, and
26 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
to commence booking the contributions as soon as possible, so that no time may be lost.
P. What is the next duty the secretary has to perform ?
A. The next duty is to enter in a regular and proper form all moneys paid, received, or delivered, belonging to the order, and to report at each meeting the value of the Lodge.
P. The next duty, brother ?
A. His next duty I conceive to be, that every half-year he ought to produce a half-yearly report of the income and expenditure for the last half-year, for the satisfaction of the Lodge in general.
P. Can you inform me of any other duty the secretary has to perform ?
A. I consider it his duty to fill all summonses and to deliver them to the stewards, in order that the members who are in arrears may have timely notice to attend to pay those arrears.
P. Can you give me the sum total of the duty of a secretary in one paragraph, brother?
A. I believe I can, worthy president; the sum total of the duties of a secretary is to write all letters ; take the minutes of General Meetings, such as Lodge Nights, Committee Meetings, making bye-laws, and answering correspondents, and not to conceal anything from the order in general, which would be to their advantage to know ; this, I conceive to be the secretary's duty.
P. The marshals' or hosts' duty.
A. Their duty is to call for the Lodge allowance of beer, and to distribute it with impartiality ; and if they call for more than is allowed by the Lodge, it is their duty to pay the overplus.
Here endeth part second.
Lecture 3 is on similar lines to Lecture 1, and would only be a repetition if printed.
The concluding paragraph of Lecture 2 will no doubt cause many to smile, especially the decision to make the marshals pay for the overplus — an effectual curb on their generosity and partiality. While smiling the mind takes a more serious bent, for the necessity of inspectors and the extremely strict method adopted for admittance to the meetings throws a lurid light on the methods of the past, that black past when the very liberty as well as the sustenance of their wives and little ones depended upon the secrecy of their membership of a Trade Union. Contemplation of their steadfastness should cause a bareing of the head in reverence to these hardy old veterans of past
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 27
CLOSING CEREMONY.
A Prayer to be said by the President at the closing of the Lodge, both on the Monthly Meeting and the Middle Meetings, as the other prayer is set forth for the opening of such meetings : the members to be upstanding. The President, or any one he may appoint, shall read it with solemnity.
ALMIGHTY dispenser of mercy, grant that as we meet and constitute here on earth a Lodge of Friendship, we may so meet in heaven, to constitute a Lodge of Happiness, through JESUS CHRIST our Lord.
Brother, I declare this Lodge to be legally closed.
NAMES OF THE GENERAL COUNCIL.
1. ABRAHAM HUGHES, Sharps; PRESIDENT.
2. WILLIAM HUGHES, Roden ; SECRETARY.
3. SAMUEL HEYWOOD, Roden.
4. THOMAS. SUTCLIFPE, Galloways & Co.
5. WILLIAM JONES, Do.
6. AMOS RHODES, Powell.
7. JAMES BARKER, Lord.
8. THOMAS TAYLOR, Lord.
9. WILLIAM DEAL, Ormrod.
10. JOSEPH CALVER, Fairburn.
11. JAMES MASSE Y, Do.
12. JAMES CRELIN, Peel & Co.
13. JOSEPH SWIFT, Do.
14. EDWARD HARTLEY, Knights.
One word more on this the first guide book of the Society, throbbing throughout its pages with friendship, love, and brotherhood, the writers of it being outside the pale of the then law, looked upon as criminals, and many of their fellow Trade Unionists transported without being proved guilty of any crime or act other than being Trade Unionists.
Criminals or not, all true men honour and give them thanks for their strength of purpose, without which present-day Trade Unionism could not have been evolved.
In its very infancy the objects of the Friendly Boiler Makers were stated to be mutual relief in cases of sickness, old age, and infirmities, and for the burial of the dead. Bye-laws or rules were made from time to time until it was resolved to revise, correct and consolidate them into a book of rules, the work being entrusted to a committee, who submitted their deliberations for confirmation at three general meetings at Manchester, the last being held on
28 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
March Kith, 1831). .John Roach, Gil. Barber, Thomas Sutcliffe (President), William 11 light* (Secretary), signed the following on behalf of that
Committee : —
DECLARATION.
And as we the present officers for the time being, in conjunction with our WORTHY BROTHERS who were appointed to revise and correct these laws ; together with three general meetings duly convened for the pur- pose. The last having taken place on March 16th, 1839, and are agreed to by the members present at this general meeting, convened by public notice to the members of this Society according to directions given in Act 10 George IV., chap. 56. As witness our hands this 6th day of April, 1839.
THOMAS SUTCLIFFE, President, } JOHN ROACH, Steward, | Of the above
GIL. BARBER, Steward, Society.
WILLIAM HUGHES, Secretary,
To which was attached the following certificate : —
I hereby certify that the following rules are in conformity to law, and with the provisions of the Act 10 Geo. IV., c. 56, entitled " An Act to consolidate and amend the Laws relating to Friendly Societies " as amended by 4 and 5 William IV., c. 40.
JOHN TIDD PKATT,
The Barrister-at-Law appointed to certify Rules of Savings Banks,
4, Elm Court,
Temple, April, 1839. London.
The Preamble to this first complete book of rules is as follows: —
" LET BROTHERLY LOVE CONTINUE."
I have often thought that the above four words contained the very best advice — the sum total of all that is great, good, and noble, the very essence of all religion. For what is that religion worth (if it may be so mis-called) which does not teach us to. love our fellow-creatures — to administer to their necessities — to visit and comfort them in sickness or affliction, whether of body or of mind, in all or any of those ills of life which flesh is heir to. The words contain an abridgement of the principles of our SAVIOUR'S " do unto others as ye would they should do unto you." Brothers of every grade, high or low, rich or poor, unto you are these words particularly addressed, — the foundation of our order is Jove, brotherly love, let it continue, — so shall unity flourish, and the attacks of prejudice and wickedness shall not prevail against it. You are, or ought to be, united by socially meeting together, and joining in
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 29
sweet conversation by a mutual interchange of feelings, wishes, and fears, in the feast of reason and flow of soul. You may smooth down the rugged path of life, and shun many of those whirlpools and rocks of discontent, where too many of our fellow-creatures made shipwreck of honour, happiness, and all which can make existence endurable, or life desirable. Let, then, your study be to improve your minds; enrich them with the sentiments of the wise, the great, and the good ; you will find this an invaluable source of enjoyment, and the deeper draughts you take increase that enjoyment and delight; it will prove a never failing fountain of treasure to yourselves, and diffuse an air of kind serenity around you, and make your wives, children, and friends love you the more; as Solomon said, "with all thy getting, get wisdom." You have united to administer to each other's necessities, and to relieve each other in sickness and poverty. What more noble, what more angelic, than when we see a brother laid upon a bed of sickness, unable to earn the common necessaries of life, his wife and children surrounding his bed in silent grief — his wife, the best partner of his joys and sorrows, mentally exclaiming, such a thing would do my husband good, and restore him to health and strength ; but alas ! I have no money — nothing before me but poverty, darkness, and death — no friendly hand stretched out to beptow one drop of comfort : — " My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" — what more angelic than to step in and say, Brother, here is relief! You then appear as an angel sent down from heaven on an errand of mercy. I have felt such sensations, which for worlds (now that I know them) I would not be without. I have seen the big tear of gratitude roll down the cheek in expressive silence ; the breast heave with gladness ; and the tongue unable to express the thanks of the heart. Brethren, much relief may be administered, and good done, by small means; there are thousands of little kind offices which may be rendered, that would ease the bed of sickness, and soften the pillow of affliction. Oh ! how detestable is the niggardly, narrow soul, who is ever hoarding up pelf- making it his God day and night — not one half-penny to spare to relieve distress — never one kind office done to a child of humanity in affliction ; his soul shut up to all the tender and amiable feeling of nature ; narrowed up in self -avarice ; sordid avarice alone reigning predominant — freezing up all that is worth keeping ; resorting to every meanness to increase his store, he lives in constant uneasiness and dread ; all around him are objects of suspicion ; a terror to himself, he dies unpitied and unlamented — no friendly hand to close his eyes in death, but all rejoicing that such a monster is removed from the face of the earth. " He that seeth his brother in need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion, how dwelleth the love of God in him ?" You are not only united in brotherly love to administer to the necessities of the sick and afflicted, but those who are
30 A HISTORICAL SUKVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
in poverty and distress for want of employment or other unforseen circumstances. Some there are whose practices and feelings have savoured too much of the lawless freebooter, the slave of his passions — too fond of the carousals of convivial parties, and by such an aberration of the powers of intellect reduced to the direst distress ; yet such an one should be the object of brotherly love; if in your power relieve his immediate necessities with reason and discretion; give him the bsst advice without harshness ; for when the heart is softened with kindness, admonition will often have the best effect; and who can tell but you may be the means of rescuing him from destruction, and restoring one to society who may prove a useful link in the great chain of the universe. And now, my dear friends, may we all act upon this principle, is the earnest prayer of
Yours respectfully,
A FRIENDLY BOILER MAKER.
Who the writer of the above was must for ever remain in obscurity, the only signature being the above, he either being too modest to attach his name or the law being in that condition as to be able to reach him even for words of that character. " Let Brotherly Love Continue " strikes a deep and sincere note, and the words of the writer upon them need no other words than that they contain an excellent lesson for all time, and commend themselves to every thoughtful and intelligent man.
With the first concrete book of rules it is necessary to deal more extensively than it will be possible to do with succeeding revisions, because it gives to us some idea of the aspirations of the early members of the Society.
The rule book itself is even more elaborate than many that were in use later on in the life of the Society, and the well-preserved copy now before me at least speaks well for the material of which it is made. Well bound, it measures 4£ inches by 3 inches, and consists of 51 pages, containing preamble, 46 rules, and forms for declaring on and off the funds, etc.
Entrance and proposition money are dealt with under one heading, the total charge for entering the Society being £1 Is. to all comers, 10/6 of which had to be paid on the night a member was proposed, the remaining 10/6 to be paid four weeks afterwards, which was the night of admission.
Members were admitted between the ages of 18 and 45 years, and had to pay contributions of 1/9 for every four weeks, 3d. of which was spent in liquors.
The principal branch officers were elected on very similar lines to those of to-day ; the only material difference was that the landlord of the club-house was treasurer for the time being.
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 31
Sick pay consisted of 10/- per week for six months, 5/- for the second six months, and 3/6 for continuation of such sickness. Contributions had to be deducted in full every four weeks, and, strange to say, that a return has again been made in the closing year of the century to the payment of contributions when on the funds.
Travelling benefit to some little extent was in operation, although the word " tramp" was more often used. This rule is a strange one. It provides for a member of twelve months' standing who has paid all demands and in benefit obtaining a certificate from his lodge or box (a term used very often instead of lodge) secretary acknowledging him as a member ; on production of this certificate to the secretary of the next box he is to be provided with one pint of beer, supper, and bed. If a member two years and over he was entitled to a penny per mile for each mile travelled by land or sailed by water, or by means of steam power, since he was last relieved, except in crossing to Ireland or from Ireland to England, when he was entitled to 5/-. Travellers were compelled to go to the nearest box, and could only call once in six months. In the quaint words of the rule, " Secretaries were allowed 4d. for liquor for each journey taking a tramp or tramps to the club house and not any more unless at their own expense."
Superannuation at the rate of 3/6 per week was to be paid to members who were 60 years of age and who had a membership of twenty years.
Funerals were £8 at the death of a member, £7 at the death of a member's wife, and then, as now, members' widows could pay I/- per quarter to continue their funeral claim, but the amount in that case would be only £4.
Out-of-work allowances were regulated by each member having to claim I/- extra per day ; if not paid, it became the duty of the member or members so refused to call at every yard or shop where members of the Society were working to acquaint them of the fact, and so prevent others going to the job they had left. All night and Sundays were to be paid at double rates.
The method of conducting meetings is described in the following : — "That in order to preserve decency and good order during club hours, any member who will not take his seat when ordered by the President to do so, or introducing political discourse, seditious sentiment, indecent songs, or shall curse or swear, or use any obscene language, bet wagers, promote gaming, or refuse to be silent when called upon by the President, shall be fined 3d. for the first offence, 6d. for the second, and for the third offence expelled the meeting."
32 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
Evidently there was a holy horror of immorality in all its varied phases ; at the same time the members of those days were fond of social gatherings, for it was decreed in their rules : — " That the members of this Society shall dine together once a year at the respective club-house where each club box is kept to commemorate the formation of this Society and to unite the members in that bond of union and brotherly love which should and ought to exist between the Boiler Makers of Great Britain and Ireland." The rule concludes with the special injunction : " That no part of this expense to come out of the funds."
Quarterly Committee meetings were to be held at Manchester, with power to alter rules, which later on became annual meetings, and gradually extended until we reached the five-year intervals of our own times.
Another rule dealing with the settlement of disputes between members and their officers is worthy of mention. Five arbitrators were appointed by the members who were not personally interested in the funds of the Society, and if a dispute arose the five names were put into a hat and the complainant drew therefrom, the first three names drawn out being the arbitrators, who had power given them to finally settle the point at issue. The losing side had to pay the arbitrators' expenses, such expenses not to exceed 10/-, and in addition also pay the expenses of such witnesses as were considered necessary.
Prior to the meeting of 1839 for revising and framing rules, a start had been made in South- West England by the opening of "Loyal Sons of the Globe " Lodge, Bristol, or Bristol branch, on Wednesday, July 27th, 1836, at the Old Globe, Christmas Street, by Bro. William Lloyd, Dublin.
By a strange coincidence fourteen members were at the opening of the Bristol branch, being exactly the same number as were at the opening of the first branch at Manchester.
The first secretary of Bristol was Bro. Thomas Bryant, the second being Bro. John Allen, who also acted as the delegate of the branch on many occasions, and ultimately became General Secretary.
The Bristol branch was, therefore, the first branch to be opened in South- West England, following within two years of the start made in the North-West. The next district in which a start was made was in London by the opening of " The Rose of Albion " Lodge, now called " London No. 1," the branch being opened in 1839, forming the beginning of another district, there being at the close of 1839 a nucleus of the Society in three separate districts of England.
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
33
1841 to 1850.
The rules of 1839 stood without any alteration up to the Annual Meeting held September 19th and 20th, 1842, at which gathering the first attempt was made to make provision to bring the lodges now forming in various parts of Great Britain into more direct touch with each other. A resolution was passed authorising the printing of a list stating the name of the town or village where every lodge was formed, together with the name of the club- house and the night of meeting.
Meanwhile a start had been made in the West Riding of Yorkshire by the opening of the Leeds branch on the 18th of March, 1840, and which had been followed in the same district by the opening of the Bradford Lodge on the 24th of June, 1842.
Ireland, the sea-girt sister isle, had likewise made a beginning by the opening of the " Good Samaritan " Lodge in Belfast on the 27th of February, 1841.
There were thus two more localities where a nucleus had been formed, one, the "Good Samaritan" Lodge, being the first Trade Union representative of the Irish Boiler Makers, and, in fact, the mother of the future members of Ould Oireland. Young in years as the Friendly Boiler Makers' Societies were, it is evident they had by the foregoing resolution already realised the necessity of cohesion, the benefit that would accrue by having one strong society and not several factions or small societies, who might in future years wage war amongst themselves. At the meeting of 1842 a few fresh principles were agreed to. It was decided to equalise the funds, and although the method of equalisation then adopted seems somewhat crude to us of the present day, yet it undoubtedly was a genuine attempt to solve the difficulty of lodges lapsing on account of a run of local misfortune.
The method agreed to was to obtain an annual return of the number of members, the amount of capital in each branch, and thus obtain the worth per member of the Society. Having done so, they then instructed those branches who had more than the average to remit money to those who were under the average, and, by such means, level all up to a financial equality. This annual
34 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
equalisation or distribution gave way a few years later to the system of remitting from one branch money to another branch who were in actual need —a rather loose method of conducting financial affairs, but which remained in existence until recent years, when it was superseded by the more business- like, more accurate, and safer method of remitting all money required by branches from the General Office, by which system alone a clear statement can be published of the Society's financial position. A new moral principle was also agreed to, by inserting a rule penalising members who lost their employment through drunkenness, using improper language to an employer, or other improper conduct.
The drink question was evidently then, as now, something to be grappled with in the interests of the members, and it was also necessary to curb the human passions by penalising improper language and conduct.
Complaints have often been made that some of our rules dealing with morals and conduct have been framed in the interests of the employers, and no doubt they were, as well as in the interests of the members. But those who complain talk as if they were of latter-day creation, and it will no doubt surprise many of them to know that sixty years ago the penalising of members for so conducting themselves as to cause injury to employers was first agreed to by men who had little indeed to thank the employers of those days for.
Experience of the earlier years prompted the delegates at the meeting to abolish a uniform system of payment for overtime, all night and Sunday work, the uniformity of the first rules having caused much unpleasantness amongst the members. In the place of a uniform system they empowered each lodge to make its own arrangements, giving them the power to make bye-laws, which in after years became the function of District Committees.
In consequence of the fluctuations and depressions in trade, it was also found absolutely necessary to give power to stop travelling allowances and reduce entrance fees, the power being invested in the Acting Branch, or in other words, Executive Branch, to propose at any time they deemed necessary a complete stoppage of travelling gifts, and also a reduction of entrance fees. The first half of the century witnessed commercial and industrial depressions of a severe character, and many infant Trade Unions were given their quietus on that account, our own suffering greatly on account of their contributions being insufficient to support the members in bad times, and the consequent stoppage of benefits or gifts driving many away. Badly-informed writers of the present day loudly and persistently shout that Trade Unionism is killing
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 35
the trade of the country, and they think that if they shout long enough they will be believed by the great mass of the unthinking people of the country. If they took the trouble to acquaint themselves with the commercial and industrial history of the country for the last century they would, if honest men, have to take for their sermon another text, for some of our worst depressions occurred when Trade Unionism was in its infancy, and certainly not powerful enough to wield any influence, good or bad.
The exact date of the immediate opening out of some early lodges in other parts of the British Isles has been lost sight of. A charter or dispensation was issued on September 18th, 1843. Several new lodges received their dispensations on that date in addition to those already in existence, and no doubt some of them had been opened some little time previous to the issuing of the charter, those in fresh districts being Liverpool, Hull, and Newcastle. There were now in existence lodges in the North, both East and West, South, both East and West, and in Ireland, the Society in nine years already beginning to become more than national in character.
John Roberts had just prior to this period become the General Secretary, William Hughes having acted as the secretary until after the annual meeting of 1842. The earliest period in which John Roberts' name can be traced is his signature as secretary on the dispensations granted on September 18th, 1843. His salary at the commencement of his duties was 12/- per week for evening work and payment when losing time on Society's business ; but later, in 1845, he received 36/- per week and 5/6 extra per day, and later still, in 1847, £2 2s. and 6/- per day when from home on missions and travelling expenses. With regard to the official life of John Roberts there is not much to say, but the following toast composed by him in 1845, for use at the annual gatherings, has been preserved : —
And may success, with hearty glee, long prosper our community ;
And may we keep, with fond delight, the lamp of friendship burning bright,
To banish grief, to yield relief, to solace age and youth —
Bound heart and hand, a philanthropic band, in friendship, love, and truth.
John Roberts retained his position until the end of 1848, vacating his official duties somewhat under a cloud, sailing away from Southampton in the stokehold of a P. and O. steamer, his later life being officially lost sight of.
The year 1845 marked an epoch in the history of the Society, for instead of a two days' meeting, as had been the previous custom, it was found necessary to give careful attention to many of the rules, which took the
3fi A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
meeting of delegates seven days to accomplish, 38 lodges being represented by 33 delegates, the General Secretary making 34. First came a change of name, the title now reading " The United Friendly Boiler Makers' Society," the unity now taking place being fully expressed in the word UNITED.
Apprentices were sought to be regulated by the insertion of a rule stating that "all Boiler Makers shall serve a legal apprenticeship for five years before arriving at the age of 21 years."
What a denial this is to the statement recently made charging us with hampering the trade and prosperity of the country by restricting apprentices. Nearly sixty years ago; and the same regulation was in existence, yet the trade has developed beyond the wildest dreams of the employers or employees of those days.
Contributions were now increased to 3/- for every four weeks, it being found necessary, if gifts (as benefits were then called) were to be paid in anything like regularity.
For the first time there also appears a penalty of suspension of gifts for six months upon any member who attempted, either publicly or privately, to break up the Society, a rule undoubtedly designed to protect themselves.
An arrears rule, imposing a suspension of membership for three months' arrears, and only providing for a reinstatement on production of a health certificate both for the member and his wife, including a fine of 2/6 and another three months' supension of benefits, was a drastic way of making members regular in their payments.
Bonus gifts for total disablement by accident were also instituted, provision being made for payment by a levy of I/- per member for each case.
A funeral fund was established by the payment by the lodges to the central or head lodge at Manchester of I/- per member per quarter.
Regulations were made for members leaving the United Kingdom by a rule suspending all gifts except funeral.
After payment of Sick, Bonus, and Funeral Gifts, and the necessary management expenses having been deducted, the remaining portion of the funds of any lodge was then devoted to what was called " The Protection Fund."
This fund was used for the purpose of paying Dispute Pay, Home Donation, Travelling, and Superannuation, and was governed by a lodge com-
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 37
mittee appointed for the purpose, unless there was more than one lodge within a radius of four miles, in which case a joint committee was established.
The amount of Dispute was not stated, although in the revision of 1848 later on it is set down — for married men 12/- per week and 6d. per week for each child under ten years of age, single men receiving 10/- per week.
Home Donation was paid at the rate of 5/- per week for seven weeks, and 2/6 per week for four weeks.
Travelling allowance was again introduced by the payment of halfpenny per mile travelled, and 1/3 for bed and supper for each night and for the Sunday.
Superannuation was still 3/6 per week, such being paid to members who had twenty years' membership, who had reached the age of sixty, and were unfit for work.
The admission of holders-up was now provided for on condition that they had worked continuously at the trade between the ages of twenty and twenty- five, but they were prohibited from riveting without having first obtained sanction, riveters being also prohibited from plating without sanction having also been obtained.
There was at this period a Scotch Society in existence, whose head- quarters were in Glasgow, and in the rules of 1845 provision was made for English members going to Scotland paying into the Scotch lodges, a similar privilege being given to Scotch members visiting England. Provision was also made for each attending the meetings of the other, although debarred from a voice or vote in each other's meetings, and also debarred from receiving relief from any but their own Society, each Society undertaking to remit to each other the money paid by those who were members of the other Society.
The Loyal "Crewe" Lodge, which was the first lodge of railway workers, was quickly followed in 1846 by the Swindon branch, consisting also of railway men. In New Swindon Burial Ground can be seen a monument erected to the memory of one of the old veterans of that branch, James Amos, upon which, at his expressed wish is an engraved metal plate representing the old emblem of the Society, perhaps the only place where such an acknowledgment of the Society is in existence. J. Amos entered the Bristol branch in 1836.
In addition to •amending rules, it was also customary at the annual
38 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
meetings to deal with all special cases of members and branches that were of interest to the Society, and also to hear appeals.
One of the resolutions empowered the Corresponding or General Secretary to go to Newcastle-upon-Tyne and the surrounding districts to try and induce the North-East Coast men to join the Society, and in order to aid him in his organising mission the entrance fee was reduced to 2/6. At this time the only lodges on the North-East Coast of England were Newcastle No. 1 and Hull No. 1.
Evidently a dispute had been in existence at Smethwick, for another of the resolutions declared that the shop at Smethwick should be thrown open, and that club men should be allowed to work there providing they obtained the wages paid in the locality.
Among the lodges represented, but long since passed away, were lodges in Vulcan, Bradeley, Holy Hall, and Shelton.
In May, 1847, the meeting lasted eleven days, there being again 32 delegates present. The alterations of rules were not extensive, the notable ones being a provision for an Executive Council of five members (the first mention of an E.G.) and the striking out of a definitely fixed salary for the General Secretary and the insertion of the words : " For which he shall receive such salary as the majority of the members may deem sufficient." The Delegate Meeting, however, deemed the then salary insufficient, for one of their first resolutions was to raise the salary to £2 2s. per week, with 6/- extra pay per day when away from home, and second class travelling expenses.
Another resolution empowered the Secretary to open branches in Conway, Cork, and South Wales, and also to proceed to Scotland to interview the members of the Scotch Society with a view to amalgamation.
It was also decided to obtain a list of members who had left their lodgings in debt, for publication throughout the Society, a piece of legislation for which more modern men have had the credit and received the praise or blame according to the opinion of the critic.
It was decided to hold the next Annual Meeting at Liverpool, which city became for a time in after years the official centre of the Society.
During the year 1847 John Roach, one of the pioneers and a very hard worker for the Society, went to the bourne from whence no traveller returns. He was recognised as a stirring speaker and an energetic man, being greatly respected by his fellows. The following copy of some verses written to keep his memory green will convey the regard in which he was held: —
A HISTOEICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
39
£ncvrl> to t!)f
I
BOILER-MAKER LATE OF MANCHESTER,
A SON OF LABOUR— A TRUE DEMOCRAT -A FIRM FRIEND— A DE
TERMINED ADVOCATE— AN UNPAID PATRIOT
A PURE PHILANTHROPIST— AND
AN HONEST MAN!
The task is mournful, yet 'tis pleasing too, To speak in praise of dear departed worth
But when that praise is pure — deserving
Our inmost heartfelt sentiments come forth :• — Then speak, we as wt- find — and feeling just
ihall we forget thy kind but anxious eye,
When thoa wert bent upon a generous deed ? 1 seemed as if thy onward soul would fly, To help the pooresi mortal in his need , I. ike Charity, impatient to be there, Where poverty had made the most despair.
Shall we forget with what undaunted brow,
Thou dar'd resist the foes of labour's rights ? hall we neglect those virtues to avow Which shone in thee, and are men's chief delights
>.n ttonect nin ! one whom we knew lull well,
"Who lov'J his country with a patriot'! zeal, Whoce ardent actions did bis btrtngth e.\etl, \r. braving danger for ou~ labour's weal;
Whom nought could cunquer, save resistless death Huh yielded unto God hi! latest breath..
And in the echo all that's just replies.
Of noble birth thuu boacted not the seeds,— Thine was a lift we dearly love to prove, — Blending true friendship with the nobles And working out the principles nf lovei Ubing thv evtry energy for good— - Putting to shame high-born ignoble'blood.
JOHN ROACH < the echo of thine honest name,
Inspires the humble muse to try the stream; Where it may waft thee down the tide of fame— And though it fail, yet still the pleasing theme, Which bring: thee back to memory once mori Gives inv to bless thee from the true heart's core
These humble lines, though vulgur mid uncouth. Are dedicated unto thy worth, dear Roac'.i :
The >tr»ni;er when he doth thy grnve approach, But thnu shalt slei:p in peace, lliou honest m
Our once beloved friend ! and yet not ours alon But friend to every man whom he could aid ;
Whose breast responded to misfortune's moan,
Dili good lirujsk'd, unpray'd for, and unpaid
Whose ver.v life was one eternal round
Of shielding weakness wheresot-'r 'twas found
BENJAMIN STOTT
40 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
These verses were sold to the then members, and were printed in gilt upon a glossy dark blue ground. As well as a good Trade Unionist he was also an enthusiastic Chartist, naming his son Feargus O'Connor Roach. Gabriel Leigh, another pioneer, looked after the welfare of the younger Roach for some few years after the death of the greatly- lamented father. Gabriel Leigh became landlord of the beerhouse where Manchester No. 2 was first held, the sign being the " March of Intellect." Why it was so called, unless it be in irony, is to us incomprehensible, for on the signboard was depicted a sweep mounted upon a donkey, and who held a pole in front of the donkey, and at the end of the pole was attached a bunch of carrots.
In May, 1848, a dispute took place in Dukinfield, for in an old note book, the property of a then member of the Executive Council, appears the following copy of a letter in relation thereto : —
Manchester, May 18th, 1848.
SIR, — The Executive have taken the case of the men of Dukinfield into serious consideration, and we think that all the men should give a legal week's notice as we consider that the Masters have broken their word with the deputation, and we now agree that all of you shall give a legal week's notice to-morrow morning.
Signed by order of the E. Council,
WM. MELLING, Chairman.
JOHN ROBERTS, General Secretary.
The above resolution, sent to W. Warner, the lodge secretary, was accompanied by a letter urging the Dukinfield men to wage war to the knife and spare no expense to win. The ordinary Dispute pay of 12/- to married and 10/- to single men was to be paid to all who remained in the locality, but in order to induce men to seek employment elsewhere a special grant of 10/- and a clear card in addition to their tramping allowances was to be given to those who left the town. Instructions were given to keep all men straight on the books, that is, exemption of contributions whilst the strike lasted. Whether the strike was successful or not history does not state.
Evidently very early attempts were made to do away with the liquor drinking in the branches, for in this same old book it is mentioned that at the Executive Council Meeting on October 20th, 1848, a resolution was proposed by J. Pennie (who shortly afterwards became General Secretary) and carried, "That the threepence for drink on lodge nights be done away with, and that it be put into a fund by itself and lay there, before being put to any purpose, for six months, and then put to any purpose that the majority of the
A ?IISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 41
members may think fit at that time." The Executive Council carried this resolution unanimously, and evidently sought to set a good example themselves by stopping the spending of money on drink at the meetings of the Executive Council. It may be interesting to mention that from July, 1847, to July, 1848, the account for ales and spirits supplied to the Executive Council at their meetings and chargeable to the funds was £13 Os. 7d., or an average of £3 os. Ifd. per quarter. The next period, rather more than a quarter, viz. from July 1st, 1848, to October 20th of the same year, the charge was £2 12s. 4d., after which date it seems to have dropped altogether, no further mention being made of it.
Another interesting tit-bit from the old note book is the following item of E.G. expenditure in the second quarter of the year 1848 — 2 Ibs. of candles, Is. 6d. What a vast change from then to the present ! In 1848 the General Secretary and his Executive meeting in a little dark room in Fielden Street, off Oldham Road, Manchester, in which a flickering rushlight feebly tried to illuminate the darkness. Forty-two years afterwards the palatial building named Liffcon House was being declared opened amidst general rejoicing — a building upon which over £9,500 had been expended.
The meeting held in June, 1848, lasted for twelve days, and was held at the house of a Mr. Robinson, Preston Arms, Market Street, Liverpool. The delegates were considerably reduced, there being in all twenty-one delegates present, John Allen, who in after years became the General Secretary, being one of the delegates.
Payment of benefits was still a difficulty, for it was again decided to stop tramping or travelling allowance for twelve months from August, 1848, to August, 1849, tramps only to be allowed the usual gifts for bed and supper.
Bonus gifts were also reduced, the levy being 6d. per member as against I/- previously paid, the monetary difficulties that had again arisen causing the curtailment of benefits in order to help on a financial recovery.
The Protective Fund began to be used for what was afterwards described as trade protection members, for at this 1848 meeting it was provided that all who were not eligible to enter the Sick and Funeral Fund through ill health or over age, could become Protective Fund members by paying 1/3 for every four weeks ; the only benefits they would be entitled to receive would be Dispute Pay in cases of dispute, and Bonus if meeting with an accident at the trade, special cards being printed for the use of these members.
42 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
Piece work hud now begun to seriously exercise the minds of the members, for the following rule was adopted: "That the Annual Committee consider that piece work or hiring has, in all instances, a tendency to be injurious to our trade, and that it is the unanimous opinion of the meeting that each member belonging to the Order should use his united efforts to suppress and, if possible, to abolish it entirely, and that the Annual Committee advise all lodges to use their efforts to do away with it, and that any member who takes piece work or hire without he is compelled to do so by circumstances over which he has no control shall be fined, for the first offence ten shillings, for the second offence £1, and for the third offence to be expelled from the Order."
In spite of this, piece work has gone on increasing and increasing until we are now recognised as a piece work trade, and to our shipyard members it has become like second nature.
By the various resolutions passed at this meeting it is plainly evident that there had been considerable looseness in dealing with the funds in many of the lodges. London No. 1 was called to task for spending the General Fund to purchase a banner, and were ordered to refund the cost out of their private purses. London No. 3 had transgressed by using the Society's money to purchase a silver snuff-box for their treasurer. Several other lodges had granted sums of money for similar purposes : another batch had used more than they were allowed for their anniversary dinners, and others for excursions, all of whom were ordered to refund.
Looseness in other matters also prevailed, for the following resolution was unanimously carried and issued to the lodges : — " Whereas several of the lodges have neglected to forward their monthly or quarterly reports according to the 45th General Law, together with not settling their accounts with the E.G. as they became due, thereby depriving the members generally of knowing the correct state or value of the Order: We, the delegates assembled for and in behalf of the United Order of Friendly Boiler Makers, do most earnestly promise and pledge ourselves to see and endeavour, by all means in our power, to assist the E.G. in carrying out those laws to the fullest extent, in whatever lodge either of us may hereafter be, and we trust that there is not a member who values his Society and its interests but will come forward with heart and voice to help, by a strict observance of all moral laws, to attain that great end for which our Society was founded, which never can be done excepting by a determination to act in union together in carrying out our laws."
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 43
At this meeting Annual Delegate Meetings were abolished, the Executive being empowered to take a vote of the Order as to the holding of Delegate Meetings in future.
On January 5th, 1849, the "Loyal Caledonia" branch was opened in Greenock, the first Scotch branch having direct connection with the Society. Evidently the mission of the Secretary bore fruit, and the starting of a branch in Greenock ended the friendly arrangement that previously existed between the Scotch and English Societies, for the rule providing for that arrangement was soon afterwards deleted from the book, and no further mention is made of the Scotch body until the amalgamation which took place a few years later.
There was, however, another Society started in London, despite the fact that there was a London lodge already in existence, for a Society calling itself the "Amicable and Provident Society of Journeymen Boiler Makers of Great Britain" was established on October 1st, 1849.
Its preamble and declaration were as follows : —
PREAMBLE. IMPROVED BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
Without disparagement to any of the numerous societies formed by various and distinct classes of men, uniting themselves together for the purpose of mutual assistance in case of slackness of work, the founders of the Amicable and Provident Society of Boiler Makers have taken into consideration a feature which has hitherto been lost sight of, or is not provided for by societies of the trade previously existing, the neglect of which is too often attended with a train of evils of the most serious magnitude ; evils, among which pre-eminently stand forth want, woe, and destitution ; and these evils generally arise from want of management of the resources possessed by each individual (to a greater or less amount) while in work.
There are but few among the working classes that are provident enough to realize, out of their hard earnings, a sufficiency to meet the demands of nature for even a few weeks when out of work; and how much more serious is the consideration, where a family is dependent on such an individual. It is but too often in such cases that the domestic hearth, which has been cherished as the greatest blessing and comfort in this life, becomes a source of sad anxiety and care.
To provide for the common wants of nature — to stay the cry of a beloved offspring for bread — the household goods, in which his gentler partner and himself used to delight, one thing after another is sacrificed
44 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
for a tithe of their value, and at length, when all is gone — credit no more — then comes the heart-rending separation of a once happy family, to seek food and shelter in a union workhouse.
To prevent these evils, or at least to obviate them in some degree, is one of the principal objects proposed to be attained by the improved society.
These views can be carried into effect by uniting together, and, while in employment subscribing a small sum per week, which, under whole- some laws and economical management, will be capable of affording at at least a sufficiency (to those who occasionally have the misfortune of being out of work) to keep the gaunt wolf from their door, and prevent, in a great measure, the painful sensation of hunger. Few, that will take the trouble of thinking, but will allow the feasibility of this proposition; and to add to its security, and carry out the principle of good will and brotherly love to each other, it will be incumbent on the members of this society, especially those in employ, to use their best endeavours to recommend and gain, if practicable, situations for those who may be out, and at all times to aid and assist each other with their best counsel and advice. Acting thus, many of the evils alluded to will be avoided, and when they may occasionally occur, their ill effects, though not entirely prevented, will be greatly alleviated.
DECLARATION.
This society was established for the purpose of allowing a weekly stipend to free members thereof, when out of employ, and of making an allowance in old age, and at the death of its members; all of which objects shall be carried into effect, and regulated by provisions hereafter expressed, and explained by subsequent rules and regulations.
Although not necessary to dwell at any length upon this Society or its rules, yet it is advisable to mention those rules in which a fresh principle was established, especially as some of them were ultimately adopted by the United Society after the two joined hands.
The majority of the benefits were almost similar to those already described, vaiying sometimes in detail, but in principle the same.
Home Donation books were provided for signature, payment only being made when the signature had been properly entered. Their rules also distinctly stated that a member refusing work for private motives should be suspended from all benefits as long as he remained out of work.
With Superannuation there was a difference, 3/- per week being the amount paid by them, which was paid irrespective of age to anyone unable
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 45
to earn their living at the trade, providing that they had 18 or more years' membership, and that they were not earning 15/- per week at any other occupation.
The latter principle, after a lapse of over half-a-century, has been introduced into the rules by a refusal to pay Superannuation to members who have been following another occupation for five years, and by which they are earning 25/- per week.
Honorary members were admitted, the condition being that they were to be Boiler Makers who were not working at the trade as journeymen.
Their rules also provided for the formation of District Committees, and also gave these committees the power to make bye-laws to regulate the business of the district, a principle foreshadowed in the Society's rules, but not defined. Other methods of carrying on their work were practically on all fours with the United Society's rules,; in fact, so similar were they in many details that the charge of plagiarism could have been easily sustained.
John Pennie, who had been a member of the Executive Council for some time, and Avho had acted as General Secretary pro tern, after the sudden departure of Bro. John Roberts, was early in 1849 appointed as General Secretary. In 1850 the office removed to Pollyhurst Terrace, Rochdale Road, Manchester, where lived John Pennie for the remainder of the brief time that he occupied the position.
At the time of the building of the bridge across the Menai Straits John Pennie opened a branch of the Society at Menai, and when the bridge was completed George Stephenson the well-known engineer, put in the last rivet and was made an honorary member, paying a donation of three guineas for that privilege. Evidently the great engineer was sympathetically disposed towards the Society or he would never have allowed his name to be linked with it in any degree, and he was without doubt the first of those employers who have marked their appreciation of the Society from then until the present. In 1853, John Pennie went to America, from which country he never returned, departing this life in Chicago in the prime of his manhood.
In June, 1850, an alteration was made in the Bonus rule by abolishing the Fluctuating payment of a levy of 6d. per member and establishing a fixed sum of £60 for total disablement through accident, half of which was to be paid by the General Fund, and the other half to be raised by levy. Provision was also made for the complete registration of every member of the Society, but although made, not carried out, the principal reason being that Trade
46 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
Unions were to a very great extent illegal associations, and the registration was considered by some to be a dangerous proceeding. A curious omission occurs in the rules of 1850, for while great pains are taken to detail the General Secretary's duties, authorising the issue of various reports, under pains and penalties for any neglect, yet no provision whatever was made for payment, even the power of the Society to pay whatever may be deemed sufficient being left out. Of course this may have been an error in printing, as the duties set forth even provided for him being sent all over the British Isles. The salary of two guineas granted in 1847 was shown in the accounts to be still the basis of payment.
Clearances were now being brought into general use and were used for travelling purposes also. They consisted of a double sheet of plain foolscap; on the front was a reprint of the emblem then in use, inside was a list of branches with the Secretaries' names and addresses, and also columns in which could be entered the money received opposite the branch from which the money was given.
In order to preserve the clearance tin boxes were in use, measuring 4f inches deep by 3f inches Avide, and an inside clearance space of ^ inch. Clearances were folded up and put into this receptacle with a copy of the rules and a contribution card, and thus equipped the traveller or tramp could preserve in good condition his valued property. Some idea of the strength of these well-made boxes can be gathered when it is mentioned that the old relic I have in my possession weighs nearly five ounces, although the addition of a rule book, clearance and contribution card then in use cannot turn the scale at six ounces.
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 47
1851 TO 1860.
For some time prior to the close of 1850 the principle of amalgamation had begun to grow, and attempts were now being made to amalgamate all the Trade Unions connected with the engineering trade. Early in the year 1850 a meeting of delegates of the Boiler Makers, Engineers, Millwrights, Moulders, Pattern Makers, and Smiths was sought to be arranged. The Society's E.G. and the Moulders' E.G. decided not to take any part, but the others met and ultimately decided on an amalgamation under the heading of the "Amalgamated Society of Engineers, etc." Some of our members were desirous of amalgamating, the Bury and Swindon branches strongly favouring that policy, so much so that a suspicion existed in the minds of the Executive that they had actually made application and had obtained consent for their admission into the amalgamation. Richard Callan wrote Mr. Win. Allan, the secretary of the Amalgamated Society, and received the following reply, which at least put all doubts at rest regarding arrangements for their actual admission : —
AMALGAMATED SOCIETY
OF
ENGINEERS, MACHINISTS, MILLWRIGHTS, SMITHS, AND PATTERN MAKERS.
General Office, 25, Little Alie Street, Whitechapel,
London, 12th September, 1851.
DEAR SIR, — In reply to your favour dated the llth inst., relating to the Boiler Makers of Bury and Swindon being about to join our Society, I beg to say that there is no truth whatever in the report that you have heard. At the same time I may as well mention that the subject has been before the Executive Council, and they have decided that it is a question that can only be settled at our next Delegate Meeting. Trusting this will be satisfactory.
I am, truly yours, Mr. Richd. Callan. W. ALLAN.
However, nothing came of the negotiations, the Bury and Swindon lodges eventually deciding to remain loyal to the Society despite their strong opinions in favour of one great amalgamation.
48 A 1 1. 1 STORK -AI, SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
The closr of 18.")] saw the Society .still growing slowly, the first definite record that can be traced of the actual position, numerically and financially, being at the close of that year, at which time there were only 1,781 members, 45 branches, and the small capital of £908 8s. 7|d., which was very little more than 10/- per member.
In its sixteen years of life the Society had witnessed many ups and downs, first gaining ground, then receding, the set-back only giving rise to a greater determination to push on. Many acts of self-sacrifice were made by several of the pioneers on behalf of the principles of unity in which they believed.
An old member, who knew something of these early times, writing thirty years afterwards, used the following words in praise of the Society and its early workers: —
It is a noble institution and should commend the respect of every well-wisher of his trade and kind. Its work is to alleviate human misery, assist the weary and woe-stricken, to protect the weak against the strong and powerful, to give rest to the tired and aged, to raise and strengthen the afflicted sick brother, to provide food and relief to the famishing widow and orphan, to defend trade rights and privileges from rapacious employers, to diminish sorrow and increase joy, to scatter blessings on every hand — and well has it performed these Christian functions. Since I joined when a youth over £350,000 have been expended for these objects. Who can estimate the amount of good done? Wages have been raised, pleasures and comforts at home increased, good feelings engendered and harmony to prevail —
Scattering blessings on every hand, Spreading happiness and plenty o'er a smiling land.
I love the Society, we are inseparable, it is part of my nature and has grown with me from boyhood. I look upon our Order with the same affection that a loving mother bestows upon her boy when he has grown into a fine, healthy, stalwart man, and whoever attempts to injure it injures me, who insults and reviles it I take as personal affronts. With emotion I think of those who have laboured to build up this beautiful edifice, who have done yeoman service in our cause; old veterans, some of whom now rest from their labours in the silent grave, who have been subject to contumely and suffering on our behalf — men who are bright jewels in our own crown, a constellation of purest ray in our firmament, a galaxy of brilliant ornaments to our Order.
Good old member ! You have tersely and ably put the objects of the Society.
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 49
Christian functions they are indeed, almost forgotten as they are, as the very essence of the Christianity of Christ; words written with a feeling of strong love for your Society. We reverence you for those clarion notes, and trust they may again find an echo in the hearts of many; reluctantly we climb down from the elevation of your inspiring words to the more prosaic matter of this work.
The Delegate Meeting in June, 1852, marks another fresh step in the Society's onward march, and which without doubt had influence for its future good and prosperity. There were present at this gathering twenty-seven delegates, Gabriel Leigh being the chairman, and among the delegates George Brogden, of Hull, a future General Secretary. The preface to the rules was altered to express the growing convictions of the leaders, and remained without material alteration from then down to the General Council Meeting in June, 1900. The wording has been from time to time altered, but the spirit underlying it remained. That it was so long-lived is the very best testimonial that can be given to its framers. The system of separate funds was supplanted by one general fund, with power by the Executive Council to propose the raising of contributions and to levy the members if necessary.
District Committees were now properly constituted and given power to make bye-laws for the well-being of the district.
Surgeons were appointed to each branch for the benefit of the members.
Trade members were definitely established and a few years later honorary members, as they came to be afterwards known, were instituted. Early in the proceedings an application came from the London Society requesting to be admitted members of the Society, and also asking that they might be allowed to be represented by delegates at the Delegate Meeting. The latter request was agreed to, and a provisional resolution adopted agreeing to their admission if they would consent to the handing over of their funds in full and comply with any resolutions that might be passed at that meeting in the interest of the Society.
The Scotch Society sent delegates praying to be heard in advocacy of their request for admission, which was also agreed to, and towards the close of the meeting the following resolutions were adopted : —
That the London Unity be permitted to amalgamate on the first of August, 1852, and after that period they shall be subject to the rules established for the government of the United Society of Boiler Makers and Iron Shipbuilders.
50 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
That the Scotch Societies be amalgamated from the present date, that is, June, 1852, and all members of the Scotch lodges be entitled to full benefit from the 1st February, 1853, providing that they have been twelve months in the Society at that date.
Some of the members of the London Unity and the Scotch Society were following the now developing trade of iron ship building, an<l their inclusion, and the fact that in other parts of Great Britain members \\riv employed in this then new industry, caused the change of name, the Soci< t\ henceforward being known under the title of "The United Society of Boiler Makers and Iron Ship Builders."
June, 1852, therefore, marks the welding together of the Boiler Makers and Iron Ship Builders for their common good, the great attempts then being made by the Amalgamated Engineers to embrace all Unions in the iron trades no doubt influencing both the Scotch and London Boiler Makers and Iron Ship Builders to join hands with the older Society and thus prevent their absorption and consequent loss of identity.
The amalgamation of the three bodies into a united society was not accomplished without some objection on the part of some, and the following letter from James Rodgers to the General Office throws light upon the tactics of some malcontents in Scotland, led by an individual who evidently did not like to be effaced, but who received his quietus from Bro. John Allen, who had been sent to Scotland on an organising mission by the Executive Council : —
Glasgow,
18th November, 1852.
WORTHY BROTHER, — I received your kind letter with pleasure, and would have answered it sooner but I have been very busy this past week on account of our Secretary leaving town, and I was appointed to take his place, so having some little things to arrange it prevented me from writing. I cordially agree with the sentiments contained in your letter, and particularly regarding the conduct of some of our foremen when they get a little power. I have experienced it myself. Men that used to go hand in hand and take an interest in every movement, now stand aloof and are just like mere machines in the hands of the employer- submit to anything for the name of a foremanship ; but I hope the day is not far distant when we will have it in our power to let both master and foreman know that there are certain rights belonging to us which we must have, and will have ; and these rights have been long kept back from us, and what has kept them so is the want of a properly organised system of unity, based upon a large and comprehensive scale ; and I hope the seed of unity
A HISTORICAL SUUVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 51
that has now been sown in Scotland will not fall on strong ground, but will spring up and bear fruit an hundredfold. Worthy brother, the opposition that I spoke about in my last letter was of an individual that took an active part in our late Society, one who actually thought that we could not do without him. He happened to be in Cork at the time of your mission to Glasgow, and was not back here till after Cameron's arrival from Manchester, and when he saw how far we had progressed in this movement, and were still likely to go further without his aid, he endeavoured then all in his power to sow dissension amongst us, and even went so far as to make alterations in the old rules of the late Society for the purpose of getting the majority of the members to hold still by the old body ; and it did keep back our members at the first, but they are beginning to see through him now, and, thanks to Brother J. Allen, he completely put a stop to his leadership in Glasgow for the present. It seems they had known each other in Cork, so he had to retire from the meeting with fair shame before it broke up. He that would fain be a public character ought to take particularly good care of his private character. Accept my warmest thanks, along with Brother Wilson's, for your kindness in endeavouring to get us the two emblems, and be kind enough to mention what they will cost, and I will forward it to you by order. James Wilson was secretary when I entered, John Cameron president; date of entrance, 1st August; the name of the Lodge, Loyal " Thistle " Lodge, Glasgow. I would be very happy to have a letter occasionally from you. There is another subject that I would like to get your opinion on, but I will be able to explain it more fully in my next. Hoping you and family are all well.
I remain, yours in unity and love,
JAMES RODGERS. 20, Grace Street,
Finaneston,
Glasgow.
P.S. — As regards trade here, there never was such a prospect of work on the Clyde. After the New Year there will be a great demand for hands. J- R.
John Pennic was shortly after the close of the Delegate Meeting superseded by George Brogden, who took up the duties of General Secretary at the beginning of August, 1852. George Brogden only held office a few years, dying after a short illness on March 12th, 1857. In a monthly sheet issued about the middle of March of that year appears the following:—
We are exceedingly sorry to inform you of the serious illness of our Corresponding Secretary. We may add that he is dangerously ill, with-
52 A HlSTOHlCAL SUUVEY OF THE BoiLEK MAKERS* SOCIETY.
out any hopes of recovery. He has been confined to his bed since February 28th, suffering severely, consequently it has altogether incapaci- tated him from doing the slightest duty.
Before this report was published Bro. Brogden departed this life in the prime of his manhood, for at the bottom of the sheet appears the following obituary notice in a deep black border: —
Since writing the above we are sorry to have to announce the death of our late respected Corresponding Secretary, Mr. George Brogden, who departed this life on Thursday afternoon, the 12th instant. A more indefatigable and zealous officer we could not have lost ; his sole desire was to better the condition of our Society and its members, and he was blessed with a large capacity for doing so.
May he rest in peace.
His body was carried to its last resting place on Sunday, March 15th, 1857, he having practically died in harness, the only Chief Secretary of the Society who worked up to a few days of his death.
At the close of 1852, five months after George Brogden had taken up his duties, the Society had 2,000 members, 52 branches, and a balance of £1,217 15s. OJd.
The benefits then paid for a contribution of 9d. per week were certainly too great, which contention the following summary of the benefits will readily prove : —
Sick. — 26 weeks at 10/- per week.
26 „ „ 5/-
And afterwards 3/6 per week as long as sickness continues.
Funeral. — At member's death ... ... £10 Os. Od.
„ first wife's death ... 7 Os. Od.
„ second wife's death ... 7 Os. Od.
Bonus. — For total disablement through accident ... 60 Os. Od. „ incapacity through apoplexy, epilepsy,
paralysis, and blindness ... 30 Os. Od. Superannuation. — Members over 60 years of age, who
had twenty years' membership 3/6 per week.
Home Donation. — For 10 weeks each year ... ... 8/- „
,, i" ,, ,, ,, ... ... o/- „
The attempt to pay all these benefits on such an inadequate contribution kept the Society in a chronic state of poverty, and had a big influence numerically, for the continual docking of the benefits when in dire need
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 53
caused a feeling of unrest, rendering the Society unstable, and therefore unreliable in its influence for good.
Trade had begun to revive during the latter half {of 1852, and continued fairly prosperous for some little while, but before the next Delegate Meeting, which took place in February, 1856, another decline had set in.
At this Delegate Meeting thirty-nine delegates were present, Francis Anderson, the Chairman, and George Brogden, Secretary, making forty-one in all ; and no doubt few then present realised that ere another year had flown the General Secretary would have ceased his earthly labours.
The meeting resolved to remove the General Office from Manchester to 84, Finch Street, Liverpool, the removal taking place in the beginning of July of that year in accordance with the resolution adopted; afterwards the members to vote every two years upon the place where the General Office
was to be situated.
The General Secretary now had to remain in office two years, and then be again subjected to the approval of the members.
Expenses of Lodge Committees were roundly condemned, and the system of weekly Lodge Committee Meetings abolished.
Piece work was evidently still disliked, for one resolution stated : " That prizes of £10 and £5 would be1 given for the two best essays describing the evils of piece work as it then existed, with a suggested remedy for abolishing or remedying the same." These essays had to be sent to the Executive Council by December 31st, 1856, and to then be issued to the members for them to decide by vote which was best. They were written, printed and sent out to the members, but evidently were not of very much benefit, and essay writing for prizes quickly died a natural death.
Just prior to this the employers had adopted the policy of compelling foremen to sever their connection with the Society or leave their employment, each foreman being compelled under pain of dismissal to sign what was known as " The Masters' Declaration." In order to in some measure counteract the effect of this declaration, the Delegate Meeting decided to re-admit, irrespective of age or other disabilities, old members who had thus been compelled to leave and who had lost their employment as foremen, but who had during their foremanship acted in a fair-minded manner to the Society men.
The Foremen's Society in connection with the federation of present- day employers is not a new idea, but one borrowed from the past, and as
54 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
history has repeated itself in this revival of old times so may we expect history to again repeat itself in its gradual decay.
Ca-canny, as the go-easy policy is called, was to some extent in existence, but more as a defensive measure against the methods of the then employers. Though not defensible to-day with our accredited price lists, it was to some extent defensible then, for prices were arbitrarily fixed by employers; and if good wages were then earned just as arbitrarily reduced without negotiation with the men, such actions influencing the men to go easy. Fair dealing would have prevented the restriction of output and have made it the interest of workers to obtain the best possible results. A depression of trade had now again settled upon the industry, depleting the Society of its funds, and early in 1857 many members were roaming the streets workless and dependent upon the little assistance the Society was able to give. It had for years been customary for members who desired to have a yearly Report to order one through their Lodge Secretary, but as the printing of the Annuals was a financial loss to the Society, the Reports of 1857, 1858, 1859, and 1860 wen- abandoned on account of the low state of the exchequer.
Early in 1858 Home Donation was reduced, in fact the Executive Council of that time were greatly concerned over the financial stability of the Society, and special appeals were issued to prevent imposition, the Executive Council also calling upon all members who were employed to be regular in their payments, or Home Donation benefits would have to cease.
A further address by the Executive Council to the members later on in the same year gives a more gloomy outlook, as the following extract^ will show :
Our Trade Report is now before you, differing little from those preceding it, that we can only comment upon it to remind you that employers are taking every advantage of us in our present weak and, we may say, dejected state.
It is hurtful to see our brothers, as they are at present, walking the towns and villages seeking employment, and without assistance from the funds they have paid to support, but which through the long depression of trade we have been rendered unable to assist according to rule, hence the stopping of Home Donation, which is distressing to all of a generous feeling.
This monthly sheet, issued in October, 1858, further on expresses the hope that all will act unitedly together to place the Society on a firm basis,
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
and help to regain that, once proud position held by them amongst the other trades of the land, the whole Report vividly portraying the severe depression through which they were passing, and the evident fears of the Society's failure. John Allen, who had only been Secretary for some eighteen months, had no very enviable task in advising the E.G. to take the course of stopping benefits to prevent the utter collapse of the Society, but the cessation of benefits was imperative, for if the Society had been called upon to pay its outstanding debts to the full, it could not have done so to the extent of £180, being practically bankrupt. It would perhaps be appropriate at this juncture to give a short sketch of his early life.
JOHN ALLEN was born at Lower Glanmere, Cork, Ireland, on September 14th, 1804, and at the time of taking up the position of General Secretary was in his fifty-third year. His parents migrated to Bristol, in the West of England, shortly after his birth, in which city John received what education circumstances and the times would permit. At what would now be con- sidered a very early age he journeyed to America, where he received the first lessons in boiler making; returning to England a few years later, he was employed at the Steam Navigation Company, Bristol, and other places, and was for many years Secretary of the Bristol branch, and delegated from time to time on organising and other work, and, like many other old pioneers, suffered for his defence of Trade Unionism. He was elected General Secretary early in 1857, which position he held for nearly fourteen years. Those who had the pleasure of his acquaintance credit him with being a deep thinker, his favourite authors being Jeremy Bentham and the two Mills; his mottoes being:—
JOHN ALLEN.
Preserve, instruct, and moderate thyself, creatures in order that they may live for thee.
Live for thy fellow
56 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
The Monthly Report of October,]! 888, has the following:—
IN MEMORIAM.
During the past month a very notable member of ours has gone to the great majority, viz. Bro. John Allen, the late General Secretary, at the age of 83 years. He entered the Bristol branch on the 26th of July, 1836, at the age of 32. He has thus been a member of the Society for the long period of 52 years. He held the office of General Secretary for nearly 14 years, and retired on a pension of £1 per week, which the Society voted him in March, 1871. He became a member when the Society was in its infancy, and was not a "fair weather " Trade Unionist, but one from the strongest conviction that only by unity of action on the part of working men could they ever get a fair remuneration for their labour. We should be glad if the same principles were so deeply rooted in the hearts of every member of ours.
In the year 1858 Bro. John Allen and his Executive Council had another disagreeable duty to perform in advocating the curtailment of the Bonus benefit for accidents, and the abolition of the Bonus benefit for certain forms of sickness. However unpleasant the task it had to be undertaken, the result being that instead of £60 for accident bonus and £30 for sick, sick bonus was abolished entirely, and accident bonus graduated from £10 for members of twelve months' standing, increasing by £10 for each additional year until the maximum of £60 was reached and six years' membership attained.
Some idea may be formed of the enormous drain upon the funds when it is stated that from September, 1857, to September, 1858, over £6,000, a sum equal to nearly £2 per member, was paid away in out-of-work benefits, notwithstanding that they had been curtailed. The stoppage of the benefits undoubtedly had a bad influence, and without doubt retarded progress; still, it was the only way to prevent a complete failure, and did in great measure help them to again go forward, for at the close of 1858 there were 69 branches, 3,453 members, and a balance of £1,778 19s. 8^d. — less than 10/- per member but a distinct improvement on the close of the previous quarter.
During the year 1858 the members by vote decided to return to Manchester, the General Office being located at 84, Travis Street, Bank Top. Evidently the decision of the General Council in 1856, to remove to Liverpool, had not met with general approval, for at the very first opportunity given the members to express their opinion they returned to the place of birth. The year 1859 saw a sudden change of trade, and hope again reigned supreme', and before the close of the first half-year the return of out-of-works did not
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 57
number twenty members. With good trade came forgetfulness of past troubles, and again the chance to put the Society on a firm financial basis was lost. Past horrors were forgotten in the general prosperity, and the history of the Society will again and again prove the fleeting memories of some of its members. Many lessons had yet to be given, and long years elapse, before there came the true desire to make the Society so financially sound as to be the chief aid to bringing about its numerical completeness. " Unstable; as water, thou shalt not excel!" and the instability caused by having to repeatedly curtail or relinquish benefits prevented an excellent organisation. Benefits must be reliable, whether good, bad, or indifferent trade prevails, but the fundamental principle of a sound organism had yet to find its way into the hearts and brains of the members. With this return to prosperity matters proceeded on a fairly even keel, and the end of the year 1860 found things proceeding smoothly; maybe the words "happy go lucky" would more clearly define the position to us, with the experience of another forty years to look back upon.
58 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THK BOILEH MAKERS' SOCIETY.
JANUARY, 1801, TO DECEMBER, 1870.
The change for the better continued on through 1861, and at the close of that year found the Society with a balance of £7,253, they having in the meantime renewed the benefits and paid all outstanding debts, certainly a more pleasant position, for scarcely three and a half years had elapsed since the practical bankruptcy of 1858.
At the Delegate Meeting of 1862 thirty-eight delegates were present, including the Chairman (Charles Wilde) and the General Secretary (John Allen).
Among those thus gathered together were many who are still with us to-day — many who afterwards played a conspicuous part in the future work of the Society as district delegates, and in other ways— Charles Gouldson, John O'Neill, of Hull ; William Swan, the first district delegate ; Richard Rothwell, and Thomas Vickers, of Sunderland, who was afterwards Branch Secretary for many years, were prominent at this Revision Meeting.
The evils of disorganisation and the benefit of a well-organised trade was a theme that claimed attention and caused lengthy discussions, the outcome being the appointment of a lecturer to speak upon the aims and benefits of the Society in any centre where such services were of a pressing necessity. John Pendlebury, of Manchester, was first appointed, but resigned the appointment before the finish of the Delegate Meeting, and in consequence the Executive Council were given powers, enabling them in conjunction with the district requiring such assistance, to appoint anyone whom they deemed fit to undertake the duty. The question of amalgamation with the Engineers was still a vexed question, and a resolution dealing with the matter was passed in the following terms: —
That the question of amalgamating our Society with the Amalgamated Engineers be not entertained by this meeting, 'and that we discourage all attempts to do so.
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 59
This decision, although ending the serious discussion of amalgamation, did not prevent the amalgamators, as they were generally called, doing all they could for some years afterwards to capture and absorb the Society. In consequence a bitter feeling sprang up, and in the published correspondence between the two Societies, grave charges were made and not disproved, that the Amalgamated Engine Smiths were assisting Carpenters and others by doing the work of Angle Smiths in London, Leeds, and other places when the members of the Society were out on dispute. The war that went on over these actions effectively prevented all hopes of amalgamation, but as time rolled on the bitter feeling engendered was considerably modified.
The question of a Widow and Orphan Fund was brought forward, discussed, and dismissed as being impracticable. The experience of past financial troubles warranted the delegates coming to that decision ; to attempt to add to the liabilities at a time when the members were agitating for decreased contributions would have been a grave mistake. The great need of the times was to bring home to the minds of the members the absolute necessity of putting the Society upon a sound financial basis. Years afterwards such a benefit was rightly introduced, the abolition of pints giving the opportunity of more real benefits than that which accrued from drinking each night the value of a goodly portion of the contributions.
An increase of salary was given to John Allen, but not confirmed by the members, which resulted in him (the General Secretary) handing in his resignation in the following words : —
WORTHY OFFICERS AND BROTHERS,
As space in this Report will not admit of my saying a deal on the question of my salary, I will refrain from any comments on the various opinions and remarks made and expressed in many letters bearing the votes. If any comments from me at present could serve me in the advance of my salary, or stay the humiliation of handing back the portion of wages I received according to the new rules, I would consider myself the meanest of men to offer them; but, before I take my final leave of the office, I hope to be allowed a space in the Report in which I may make a few remarks upon what has passed. For the present, I will merely return my thanks to those who have voted in my favour, and hope they may never be proved to have acted wrong on the occasion.
Now, worthy officers and brothers, as you have reduced the salary named in the rules without reducing the labour ; or, rather, advanced the labour without the salary, I hereby give notice that on Friday, the 7th day of November, 1862, I leave this office, and cease to be any longer
60 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
your servant. And further, that upon the same principles which our members and Society profess to uphold, I shall not during the month I hold office perform more work than the old rules (under which I am paid) impose upon me. This is upon the principle that if your employers came and ordered you to do a certain amount of work, more than ever done before, you would demand more wages for it, and if not given you would not do the extra labour demanded.
Now I contend that this principle has ever been advocated by our Society, and that hundreds of our members have, and will again, be supported from our funds upon that principle. Hence I object to the extra labour which you demand me to perform. For the present I say no more on my own account, but as my time here is short it will be requisite to call the attention of those who are disposed to take the office to the fact of my leaving, so that you and the one elected may benefit in the change. I conclude by saying that, as I am only a weekly servant and paid by the week, I should be justified in giving up in a week, but as the whole principle of a Trade Society is lost sight of in my case I give you a month's notice to set matters right.
Yours in unity and trade,
JOHN ALLEN, Corresponding Secretary, pro tern.
The members refused to accept the resignation, consequently John Allen retained his position at the salary agreed upon at the General Council Meeting.
About this time the Society was in continual trouble through the persistent attempts of the Shipwrights or Carpenters to obtain control of the iron work in various shipyards, causing our members to come out in dispute in many places, the most notable being at Mr. Wigram's, of London, and at the Chatham Dockyard, these two disputes costing the Society nearly £6,000. Both at Wigram's and at Chatham Dockyard qualified Iron Ship Builders were asked to work with and instruct the Shipwrights and handy men. The Carpenters (as Shipwrights are now more generally called) went on with the work, assisted by a few deserters from the ranks of the Society and by Engine Smiths, resulting in both disputes dying a natural death. A novel method of picketing was attempted by bringing members from distant centres to undertake this duty, but the Government were able to use the country's money and patiently wait until the men employed had practically served an apprenticeship, and to this day Carpenters mark off a portion of the work in H.M. Dockyards, skilled labourers doing other portions of the work. Mr. Wigram's lot was not so happy, the work of these imperfectly-taught men proving the reverse of a blessing and injurious to his firm.
A HISTORICAL SURVEY or THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 61
Good trade was now helping the Society to prosper, and steady progress was being made, as a glance at the following figures will show : —
December, 1862 Funds in hand £9,442 Members, 4,830
1863 „ „ 12,495 „ 5,885
1864 „ „ 16,920 „ 7,558
1865 „ „ 19,124 8,939
the amount in hand at the close of 1865 being equal to £2 2s. 9d. per member.
Early in 1865 a circular was issued from members on the Tyne and Wear asking for a reduction of 6d. per fortnight by abolishing the Contingent Fund. The Executive Council issued a reply circular opposing the reduction of contributions in what may be termed a crushing indictment of those who so readily forgot the evil times of 1858, and the foresight of the Executive's opposition was all too quickly realised, for scarce three years afterwards the balance had sunk below £1,000, and the Society was again in the throes of financial death, a fact that John Allen had unwillingly to give expression to when giving his evidence before The Government Commission of Inquiry upon the Organisation and Rules of Trade Unions and other Associations.
If the Executive Council showed excellent foresight in opposing lower contributions, yet the same foresight cannot be granted them in their foolish opposition to the Tyne and Wear advocacy of the admission of Caulkers, and many members will read with amazement the following extract from their reply on that part of the circular : —
Now the evil of admitting men who can only caulk or cut holes in iron must be very plain to anyone who has visited the inland towns or shipbuilding districts. The holder-up is a man who can caulk or hold-up in either boilershop or shipyard in nine cases out of ten, and thus, in a depression of trade, stands two chances to one of getting employment, and relieving the funds from travelling money which would be received by him who could not hold-up or do anything but caulk or cut holes.
In the inland towns, as well as many seaports, in boilershops the riveters and holders-up do the caulking; and is it to the advantage of our Society or trade that we should introduce a class of men generally because they have done so in some places 1 We think not. We think it would be as injurious in time to the places where it does not at present exist as it is now where it does exist. We think also that the Caulkers as a class, having a claim upon the funds of our Society, would be most detrimental to us in a slackness of trade, and that in place of taking sixpence off per month we should then require sixpence more when not
62
able to pay it. In fact the circular speaks of their injury to the men of that district, and to remedy the evil purposes that we should take them as members. In our view of the case we cannot see any other than evil, and certainly must leave it to the general opinion of the members.
The circular states that Bro. Swan and their members must have been placed in a very painful position by refusing the admission of Caulkers after urging upon men working at the trade to join our Society, and that such refusal is inconsistent.
We cannot see the inconsistency of it, but rather the consistency of adhering to rule, and that which we think is to the benefit of the trade as a whole, and a general body of men throughout the three kingdoms. Why should it be inconsistent to refuse what has been considered injurious to us?
It is because this class of men have offered themselves as a class working at the trade 1 If so, then we might admit many of those " handy helpers," who could in many instances do us as much injury as Caulkers, and either of which would pay the 3s. 6d. per month now paid by us.
The members of Stockton, Hartlepool, and Middlesbro' also took up the matter by issuing the following circular in reply to the one from the General Office, and which throws an intetesting light on a few of the events of that period : —
WORTHY OFFICERS AND BROTHERS,
We, the Members of the Tees District, which includes Stockton, Hartlepool, and Middlesbro' Lodges, beg leave to claim our prerogative so NOBLY CONCEDED BY THE EXECUTIVE, and lay before you our opinion upon the important question of admitting Caulkers into our Society as a separate and distinct branch; and also to disapprove of some of the statements made by the Executive in their circular : —
Istly. — In answer to their charges that lodges making Caulkers as Holders-up were violating rules, now we would ask how are these lodges violating the rules when it was by the express orders of the Executive in writing ? and also verbally by our C. Secretary at various missions, — that they were to be made as such, and, moreover, that if they could only rivet a little they were to be entered as Riveters ; in fact we were not to stick so strictly to rules in these troublesome times.
2ndly. — Their assertion that in many seaports the Riveters and Holders-up do their own caulking may be true, but so far as our experi- ence goes quite the contrary is the case, and instead of us introducing these men we beg to state that these men are introduced by the employers ; and we may say, with truth, that in all our seaports and also
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 63
in some of our inland towns caulking is and always has been a separate branch, and apprentices are bound to it and do nothing else, and the Executive would also lead us to infer that the Caulkers as a class were paid at less wages than even Holders-up. Now any one at all conversant with the Caulkers in both shipyards and boilershops knows that they are paid equally with the Riveters and in many cases are paid higher, and to show the importance of these men we will quote the case of Wigram's, of London. The first ship that the Carpenters turned out of that yard was complete all but the caulking, and anyone about London at that time knows that 10s. and then 15s. per day was offered to the Caulkers to caulk the vessel, but, to the honour of these men be it said, not one of them would do it, and at this time there were plenty of these Holders-up who would willingly have done it if they knew how. Then again in the instance of Pile & Co., of Sunderland, where our Wooden Enemies are trying to build iron ships, but if it were not for the assistance of two Caulkers their ships would never float. The first ship our Wooden Enemies launched sprung about one hundred and fifty small leaks in one side of her shell as soon as she got into the water, and in consequence of that side being caulked by these " Great Beings," called New Iron Shipwrights, the vessel was four-and-twenty hours in the water after she was launched before getting into a graven dock, and during that time a pair of pumps had to be kept in motion, owing to these aforesaid leaks. Now let us see what had to be done to her afterwards. A great deal of her butt straps had to be taken off and a great quantity of cement taken out which had been put in as a substitute for iron by these " Great Beings." Then these two competent men who had caulked the other side had to be sent for to do these New Shipwrights' work over again. Now, says one of them to his mate (Johnson), now is our time to get more money for our labour. The consequence was they went to the masters and obtained whatever amount of money they wanted to make an efficient job of it. Now let us go to Messrs. Smith, at North Shields, and we will see there that caulking is a stumbling block to these " wooden men." Where a good Caulker can do so many yards in a day of chipping and caulking single-handed our wooden adversaries cannot do as many feet double-handed, and this brings us to their assertion that nine out of every ten of Holders-Up can caulk. This is our opinion about the matter: One thing in their reply shows either their entire ignorance on this subject or their blind prejudice to these men, as we can assure you that in all our seaports nine out of every ten Holders-Up cannot caulk at all, and we can, with safety and truth, say that ninety- nine out of every hundred cannot caulk; in fact these men though not Society men are worthy of imitation. They will not in the majority of shops let anyone touch their tools, and more especially Holders-Up, and
64 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
it would have been more to the credit of the Executive to have shown to the members at large in what way the Caulkers as a class are injurious to us, as they say: "Why should it be inconsistent to refuse what is injurious to us?" Is it because this class of men have offered themselves as class-working men at the trade? If so then we might admit many of those handy helpers, who could in many instances do us much injury as Caulkers.
Now we would ask any right minded and thinking person how can we reconcile this conflicting statement when we know that caulking is a branch of our trade, and if the employers separate it and form it into a distinct branch both for speed and economy — and as we all know this is an age for improvement and advancement — why should we as a Society refuse to keep pace with the age ? By refusing to recognise caulking as belonging to our trade — and the distinction, as we all know, is very great between a skilled artizan and a handy helper — we rather think the Executive have committed some slight error in comparing these two classes of men, and making them equal when we know that these helpers are dependent on the beck and call of Platers, and Caulkers as a body are independent of all others ; therefore we, in conjunction with the circular issued by the Tyne District, beg to lay our votes before you for admitting Caulkers into our Society as a distinct and important branch of our trade. In inland towns where Boiler Makers generally have to plate, rivet, and caulk their own work it is not so much looked to ; but in seaport towns where iron ship building is so extensively carried on, Caulkers form a very marked and distinct branch. On the Clyde, for the last 30 years, in all the principal engineering and boiler making establishments, caulking has always formed a distinct branch. When our worthy C. Secretary was in Cork in 1851 and 1852, Caulkers were then recognised as a special branch, and paid their money to the Amalgamation Strike Fund, the same as Riveters — W. Kelso, for example, in Mair's shipbuilding yard in London in 1852. Caulkers were then a distinct class and took separate contracts for caulking the vessels built in that establishment. Also in the firm of Messrs. Laird & Sons, Liverpool, they were the same; in fact in all the iron ship building yards of any note caulking forms a distinct and separate branch, and a most important one too, not only as caulking but also as jobbing in many other cases, such as cutting out scupper holes, cutting, fitting and riveting port holes, windows, and dead lights, &c., &c. Seeing, then, they are so requisite to our trade, why do we not admit them into our Society ? Simply because some weak-minded Boiler Makers in some inland town will not recognise them as belonging to our trade ; but there is no class of men belonging to us of more importance than what they are, and in the case of a strike taking place anywhere none could do us more injury
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 65
than they, because some could go as Platers, and a great many as Riveters, and good Riveters too; and as a conclusion we would beg leave to lay before you a few suggestions— that they should be admitted into our Society as a separate branch, that the word Caulker be printed on the cards for their use, and that they shall be subject to the same regula- tions and rules in every respect as the rest of the members, and we would after the fashion of the Executive beg you to give this your serious attention, but we will not presume so much as they — that our humble address will cause you to alter your votes — but we do hope and trust that you will see the importance of this question, and if possible show us how to deal with judgment and wisdom.
We remain, Yours in unity and trade,
THE DISTRICT COMMITTEE.
Ultimately the Caulkers were admitted members — the actual date being referred to in a later page — surviving the attempts that had been made since the Delegate Meeting of 1862 to crush them, and at the present day all will admit that the Caulkers as a class or section have proved themselves worthy members of the Society and a credit to those who persistently advocated their admission.
William Swan had been appointed the general lecturer or delegate of the Society since the beginning of 1863, J. Edwards, of Liverpool, later on acting in the Mersey district for a short term in a similar capacity. Very little mention is made of J. Edwards from the time he was appointed up to the beginning of 1868, when both Swan and Edwards had to vacate their positions on account of the then poverty of the Society. W. Swan certainly came in for notice, for his presence can be traced in several districts. In the Tyne and Wear district we find him on an organising mission strenuously advocating the admission of the Caulkers. Later on (before the appointment of J. Edwards), at Liverpool and also at Cardiff settling disputes caused by Carpenters attempting to do iron work. He is next found in the Tees district on account of the dispute that existed over that early attempt to obtain a 54 hours' week, a dispute in which some of those concerned got sentenced by the Stockton magistrates to one month's imprisonment with hard labour for leaving their employment, although they had given the employers seven days' notice of their intentions, exactly the same length of notice as that usually given to the workmen by the employers who prosecuted. Later still
66 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
W. Swan is found in Glasgow, and ends his career by attempting to form up a Scotch Society distinct and apart from the Society.
Before closing with the year 1865, it will be interesting to draw a comparison between the return of tonnage of iron vessels launched in 1865 (up to that time the most prosperous year of the century) with a return of the tonnage on the same rivers during the year 1901, 36 years later, when
hi<rh water mark was reached.
1865. 1901.
Clyde and Scotland 120,000 tons 554,406 tons.
Thames 117,000 „ *55,402 „
Mersey 80,000 „ *24,737 „
TyneandBlyth 51,000 „ 319,209 „
Wear 25,000 „ 270,556 „
Tees, Hartlepool and
Middlesbro' 15,000 „ 305,980 „
An enormous increase, for while the tonnage given for 1865 will be almost the total for the British Isles, yet we have in 1901, in addition to the above figures, to add the large output at Belfast, and the tonnage of Barrow, Hull, and also the minor ports ; in fact, an aggregate of 1,820,368 tons, against less than 400,000 in 1865.
How are the mighty fallen, for a glance at the figures will show how the Thames and the Mersey, who were then well forward in the shipbuilding race, had, in the year 1901, fallen into insignificance as shipbuilding centres, their shipyards giving way, as time rolled on, to dry docks and other necessities of ship repairing. The Mersey is, however, again beginning to pay greater attention to shipbuilding.
In the spring of 1866, the formation of the Clyde Shipbuilders and Engineers' Association was brought into being, the early outcome of this formation being the lock-out of May, 1866. Twenty thousand men were locked out upon the Clyde, a lock-out which came as a surprise to Trade Unionists generally. There had been a demand made to shorten the working hours, and the employers then decided to issue certain conditions of labour, attached to which was a notice that, if they were not accepted by the men, a three months' lock-out would be the result. One of these conditions read as follows : — "That the workmen in our employ sign a declaration binding themselves to renounce all Unions of Workmen, and that they will neither assist morally nor pecuniarily, directly or indirectly, any workmen who may be locked out, or who may be on strike in opposition to the interests of the employers."
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 67
Rather a tall order, and, as stated deliberately by the employers' Secretary at the Government Commission, designed to break down the growing power of the Trade Unions.
The Executive Council were unfortunately not in very close touch with the Clyde members, and had very great difficulty in getting correct information. Under the impression that the employers' notices were unprovoked, they agreed to pay all members, in or out of benefit, their Home Donation. Finding- out they had been somewhat misled, they later on decided to make the out- of-benefit members return the money received and, later still, ordered all benefit members to travel (at a time when trade was declining) before they could receive benefit. The lock-out threw the Clyde Trade Unionists into a state of chaos ; the members of the Society, like the rest, suffered greatly. A drawn battle was the result, for while the employers refused to let the locked-out men in without a signed declaration, still they knowingly allowed other Trade Unionists, who came from a distance, to enter their works. William Swan was retained in Scotland to try and prevent the utter collapse of the Clyde District, which was undoubtedly tottering from its very base, the unenviable position being brought about by the two-fold cause of the lock-out and the difference that existed between the Clyde members and the then Executive Council, who, to say the least, had certainly been in want of a consistent policy. Considering all the circumstances, chief among them being the disorganised state of the Clyde, it would have been better to have frankly acknowledged their inability to proceed further, closed the dispute, and to have devoted their energies to organising the Scottish craftsmen. Maybe the difficulties were great, but looking back upon the contents of the many circulars issued by each side, and the attitude adopted by that Executive Council, there certainly seems some ground for the charge made by the Clyde members, That the powers that be did not care whether Scotland severed its connection with the Society.
Some time after this lock-out more trouble arose in Scotland. The decision of the Society had been in favour of continuing to pay 4/- per month, but the Clyde members refused to pay more than 3/6 per month, and also refused to allow the Executive Council to interfere with William Swan, who was taking the side of the Clyde members. Certainly wages were very low, for one of the last circulars issued on the question by the Clyde men stated that the reason of their refusal to pay more than 3/6 per month was that day wages ranged from 17/- to 24/- per week. In consequence of their refusal to pay all benefits were stopped, money was refused them, arid the branches instructed not to give travelling or other relief to members coming
68
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
from the Clyde. They still persisted in their attitude, the wordy war went on, but the Society upheld the governing body, and ultimately an attempt was made, as before referred to, to form up another Scottish Society, under the leadership of William Swan, who had just previously been, in conjunction with Edwards, suspended from office on account of the inability of the Society to pay the expense.
The following is a copy of the circular issued in advocacy of the new Society : —
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
OF
OPERATIVE BOILER MAKERS AND IRON SHIP BUILDERS.
(REGISTERED BY ACT OF PARLIAMENT.)
TEMPORARY OFFICES:— 18, CAVENDISH STREET, GLASGOW.
Chairman Treasurer General Secretary
MR. JOHN WILSON. ,, ALLAN JACK. WILLIAM SWAN.
SCALE OF ENTRANCES.
20 to 25 Years of Age 25 26
26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44
27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45
Scale of Contributions
£070 076 080 086 090 096 0 10 0 0 10 6 0 11 0 0 11 6 0 12 0 0 12 6 0 13 0 0 13 6 0 14 0 0 14 6 0 15 6 0 16 6 0 17 6
0 18 6
1 0 0
Per Week. £0 0 7i
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 09
SCALE OF BENEFITS. Per Week.
When Out of Employment — Home Donation £080
When Sick, and Services of a Surgeon ... ... ... 0 10 0
If Disabled from following Trade through Blindness, Loss of
Limb, Apoplexy or Paralysis, Is. per Member, up to ... 100 0 0
Superannuation Weekly Allowance ... ... ... ... 050
At Death of Member's Child, from 1 day to 5 Years of Age... 100
Do. Do. 5 Years to 10 Do. ... 150
Do. Do. 10 „ 15 Do. ... 1 10 0
If Still-Born 0 10 0
Single Young Men at Death of Parent ... 200
At Death of Member's Wife ... .•;,_ 500
At Death of Member 800
Home Donation will not be immediately granted. It is intended to come into operation in Six Months after the Rules have been certified by the Registrar.
Members of the Trade belonging to other Trade Societies can be transferred to this Association, their time to count the same ; and if Arrears are cleared off in Eight Weeks, to be entitled to full Benefits ; or in Two Weeks from whatever time they are cleared off.
All Proposition Forms can be had, with any information required, from Mr. William Swan, General Secretary, No. 18, Cavendish Street, Glasgow.
By order of the Central Board of Directors.
JOHN WILSON, Chairman.
That this new Society never progressed is not to be wondered at, and the unwisdom of those who were led by Swan is strongly depicted in the above circular or prospectus.
One stands amazed at their action. They had condemned the General Secretary and his Executive Council for bad generalship, yet the would-be generals actually promised to pay the enormous benefits mentioned in the circular on a paltry subscription of 7^d. per week, a contribution scarcely equal to many Friendly Societies whose only benefits were a Sick and Funeral allowance.
This attempt to start another Society made the disorganisation of Scotland worse, and added to the chaos and confusion, helping to put back the Trade Union clock to the detriment of the Clyde members themselves. Some few years were allowed to elapse before a serious attempt was again made to rally together the Boiler Makers and Iron Ship Builders of Scotland, and in order to prove the deplorably low condition of the Society in Scotland it need only be mentioned that in 1868 it had dwindled down to 15G members
70 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
in nine branches, the largest branch, Glasgow No. 1, having only 41 members, and the smallest, Paisley, only two. Ten branches of the Society had more members in each one of them than there were in the whole of the branches north of the Tweed. Although the rules of Swan's Society are stated to have had the approval of the employers, who were anxious to cause dissension, still they did not make headway, it quickly dying a natural death ; and such was the Trade Union condition of Scotland that there was for every one of the trade who were members of the Society at least twenty more who were not members. Whatever good work W. Swan did for the Society falls into insignificance when arrayed against the incalculable harm done by the stupendous folly of his action in Scotland.
The closing months of 1868 found trade still at a very low ebb, and the Society and its members had suffered considerably in consequence. The unwise counsels of the advocates of less contributions were being felt, and a sharp lesson was being taught them, as the following quotation from the Monthly Report of October, 1868, clearly proves : —
In the issue of this Report we are sorry that there is nothing which can give a feeling of pleasure to those who read it. Trade is bad, and so long as it remains so there can be nothing to cheer or lead us to do anything further than hope that things may soon alter for the best. The long and painful stagnation which has reigned throughout our trade for nearly three years, and the consequent suffering it has caused, should be a warning to all. It has caused us to suffer much in our homes and families, and should warn us to be aware of the future, whenever it is the will of Providence to place trade in our hands wherewith to save a shilling, so that we may provide as far as possible against such heavy trials as we have had and are still passing through.
Our homes, our families, and our Society, have gone through trials little thought of when trade and money flourished. All went well then with those who were misguided, so far as thought for the moment con- cerned them. No thought for the future, no ! hence, the publican fared best and the families worst; and though money was earned in abundance, the families and the futurity were the last to be considered of in a majority of cases. Indeed, to such an extent was the interest of the publican considered, or so great was the desire for a " spree," that both the families and Society were neglected, and when the depression came it found many in abject want at home and out of benefit of the Society. Such being the case to the sorrow of many who have had time to reflect, we cannot but remind them of it, and ask the question : " Will it not be a warning for the future, when trade revives?"
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 71
We cannot but deplore its sad and depressed state, and the state to which many are reduced through it. We cannot mend it, or fain would we (with all whose comfort depends on labour) join in a course which would restore plenty to those who are suffering. But, it not being in our power to bring a speedy revival, we make bold to implore all who stand in need of the advice, to take warning by the past and present suffering, and when the opportunity offers itself to benefit by the sad experience.
Our funds have suffered by the long depression, in relieving the sick and the traveller ; and had we the funds in hand which we find we were deficient of at the beginning of the depression, much more would they have suffered ; but, by giving relief to those who required it.
We found that during the long depression of trade the " Twenty Thousand Pounds " which we had at its commencement, was much too small a sum to meet the wants of those who needed it, and were entitled according to rule. We venture to say that had we " Forty Thousand " in hand at the beginning of the depression, in place of the " Twenty Thousand " we then held, we should be very little better off in funds than we are at present if we paid to all the full benefit according to rule.
We name this for many reasons, but especially for the reason that when our funds were supposed to have been rising many rose the cry of " reduce the contributions/' when at the very time many were earning double, or nearly treble, their day's wages, and spending the greater part in " drink " and loss of time. Then, let this be a caution, that though " Fifty Thousand Pounds " be in our funds it will be none the more reasonable that we should not pay augment, and be prepared to meet the trials of this great depression not yet ended ; and that by paying and still rising our funds, we should be in a position to ward off much of the suffering that may prevail in any similar depression in future.
The Royal Commission which had been appointed in February, 1867, to enquire into the methods of Trade Unions and other like associations, pub- lished their conclusions in March, 1869, the two principal recommendations in the Majority Report being the " Registration of Trade Unions " and the " Separation of Trade and Benefit Funds." The conditions of registration were that no Society could be registered whose objects were : —
1. To prevent the employment or limit the number of apprentices in
any trade.
2. To prevent the introduction or to limit the use of machinery in
any trade or manufacture.
3. To prevent any workmen from taking a sub-contract, or working
72 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
by the piece, or working in common with men not members of the Union.
4. To authorise interference in the way of support from the funds of the Union, by the Council or governing body of the Union, with the workmen of any other Union out on strike, or when otherwise engaged in any dispute with their employer, in any case in which such other Union is an unconnected Union.
The Minority Report was signed by the Earl of Lichfield, Mr. Thomas Hughes, and Mr. Frederic Harrison, who strongly objected to these conditions of registration.
An agitation sprung into existence among Trade Unionists in favour of the views expressed in the Minority Report, and embodied in a Bill brought forward by Messrs. Hughes and Mundella, an agitation which had all the more force because the recently enfranchised workmen could by their votes make their influence felt throughout the industrial constituencies. What part the Society took in the agitation is best described in the following extract from the Monthly Report of April, 1869 :—
Trades Unions have been on their trial, and the verdict of some of
their judges has been returned — to crush them in Parliament by acts of
repression and oppression.
Shall it be so? is now a question with every Boiler Maker and Iron Ship Builder living within the radius of civilised society.
Shall those Commissioners who reported, and who wish to oppress Trade Unionists, be allowed to go forward in their career of class legislation, to the injury of labour and the ruin of every Trade Unionist who stands determined to protect his home, his family, and himself by an honest remuneration for his labours.
Shall it be so ? is the question of the day, not only of the Boiler Makers and Iron Ship Builders, but of every man, woman and child whose dependence is upon labour.
To other trades, or people of an occupation differing from you, and not members of our Society, we cannot address ourselves ; but to you we address ourselves with all the ardour of our hearts, praying you to exert yourselves on this trying occasion. Upon your exertions depends your future freedom or slavery — upon your exertions or your apathy in taking up the question of petitioning your representatives in Parliament, with other trades, to pass the Bill presented by Mr. Thomas Hughes and Mr. Munella depends your future happiness or degradation and misery.
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 73
Petition, petition, must be your cry : your action and unceasing exertions, to get the Bill of Mr Thomas Hughes and Mr. Mundella passed. Neglect this, and the doom of your children and your future freedom and happiness is sealed, to give place to your enemies, that they may still augment the one hundred and fifty million* a year which they are at present dividing among themselves from the labour of the working classes in the three kingdoms. It is admitted in the House of Lords that the accumulation of capital from the labour and industry of the people amounts to that almost fabulous sum of a hundred and fifty millions a year : thus showing that while thousands of those labourers who produce it — Boiler Makers and Iron Ship Builders among them- are in a state of destitution and starvation, this enormous sum is pocketed by the capitalists, who seek to oppress you by laws of oppression against labour.
Shall it continue without a struggle to make yourselves free by signing the Bill spoken of by Messrs. Hughes and Mundella '^ Let us hope not, but that all will at once to the work, and in your respective towns send your petitions to your representatives in Parliament, requesting them to support the Bill of Messrs. Hughes and Mundella.
Should there be one amongst you who shows apathy, show him by example that he who would be a slave or would enslave others cannot consign the multitude to that condition without marking himself as the tool of the oppressor, and enemy of his fellow-man and freedom.
Be alive to your own interests. Your freedom or slavery now depends upon your own action. Take that action without delay, and prove to others who act that you or your Society are not behind the intelligent of the day who seek redemption from the law of vassalage, with which Lord Overstone and his class would like to blind you.
Take immediate action in petitioning, or the majority of the Trades Union Commission, with Lord Overstone and others, will take you back to the combination laws, which made the workman a subject slave to his
employer.
The case is in your hands,
Be not slaves, but break the bands ;
He who would a free man be
Must strike the blow that will make him free.
You must strike the blow that will echo in Lords and Commons, that we, as the producers of the ,£150,000,000 per year, will not be satisfied with less than Messrs. Hughes and Mundella's Bill. We will not have the repressive Bill of the employers who sat on the Trades Union Com- mission : neither will we have such as Lord Overstone recommends, and
74 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
such as he would like to make law. We must have laws that will give us power to deal with our employers, and whicji will give to us and our families more of the £150,000,000 a year than we have ever received. It lies with us to make the effort, and if we fail in obtaining all we want our opponents, who expect our votes at another election, will have " slave " too deeply impressed upon their brow to longer deceive the Trade Unionists of the county. Then to the work that is before you. It is a serious work, upon which so much depends that he who neglects it is no more worthy of the confidence of his fellow-workmen than a fox among poultry is worthy of the trust of their owner.
We close the subject by a last request for speedy action in signing the petition.
The then Government, acting under extreme pressure, ultimately con- sented to the second reading of the Bill, and a temporary measure giving protection to Trade Union funds was passed, they (the Government) promising to bring in a Bill of their own, which Mr. Bruce, the then Home Secretary, introduced in 1871.
Trade, which had reached its lowest point in 1868, began to show a decided improvement in 1869, and by the middle of 1870 prosperity was again enjoyed. John Allen, who was in his sixty-sixth year, had now begun to feel the result of his arduous labours by his health beginning to fail, and reflecting that the Society was again on the upward trend, decided to resign, sending in his resignation in September, 1870. The resignation was accepted, and a retiring allowance later on granted, he keeping his position until early in 1871 in order that the Annual Report of his last year of office should be completed. In his final words to the members expressing the hope that his successor would, with the assistance of the lodge officers, yet realise that happiness to the members and that prosperity to the Society which he, with many others, had long desired to see and struggled hard to attain.
Some criticisms were from time to time made upon John Allen and the carrying out of his stewardship, but we in later years can look back and, remembering the troublous times and the difficulties there were to contend with, pass over any little errors of judgment he may have committed. Trade Unionists were treated differently in his day and their position more precarious than the position of Trade Unionists shortly afterwards, when the passing of the Trade Union Acts, and later on the repeal of the Conspiracy Act, made it much easier to organise workmen.
John Allen evidently did his best, struggling against adversities of no mean order. Thrice was the Society on the verge of bankruptcy, through
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 75
circumstances he was powerless to control; three times thrice was his voice raised and his pen used to impress the members with the necessity of husbanding their resources and also swell the finances of the Society, but the lesson had yet to be learned by the forcible example again and again of depleted funds and the inability of the Society to meet its obligations. Whatever critics may say, John Allen is indeed worthy of a warm corner in the hearts of the members of the Society and of all true men.
On the eve of concluding his official career, J. Allen and his Executive issued a series of suggested improvements in the working of the Society for the members' consideration, among them being the all-important question of the registration of the members, but very little interest was displayed, it being left to his successor, R. Knight, assisted by his Executive Council, and at the expressed wish of the General Council held later on in June, 1871, to bring many of these much-needed reforms into existence.
J. Allen's retiring address to the members was as follows : —
February, 1871. WORTHY BROTHERS,
As this will be the last report I shall write for the Executive and our Society I trust that after my fourteen years of office you will receive the following remarks as emanating from a grateful heart for past favours, and from one who still holds your and the Society's interests dearer than all other worldly considerations.
When I took office we had about 60 branches and 4,000 members ; at present we have 96 branches and about 7,000 members ; and, for a portion of my time in office, I may inform you that we had above 100 branches and 9,000 members, which fell off to our present number through a long depression of trade and consequent privations which many suffered.
During my fourteen years of office, our trade, our Society, and its members have seen many changes, alternating from prosperity to adversity ; and, as at present, have risen from the most sad condition and suffering to a comparative state of happiness in trade and domestic com- forts, with increasing funds and members. Such changes have I seen ; and, with the desire to better our general condition and relieve the suffering, I have ever felt a duty and pleasure to act honestly and free from partiality to either Lodge or person, whatever the consequences to myself.
In plain and simple words, I can declare that only one object has ever been my guide during the years I have been in office — that of honestly serving and promoting the interests of all my fellow -members ;
76 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
and though retiring not rich in pocket, rich in conscience that I have done my best to serve, though I may have erred in some cases of judg- ment.
When we remember that all men are liable to err it cannot be supposed that I am an exception. You will therefore, I hope, allow that when I erred it was more for want of judgment than a desire to act unjustly — that is, when I was responsible in place of those under whom I acted. That I have, in many cases, borne the anger of members and lodges through acting under orders, is too well known to be denied ; still, as I am now retiring from office, I forego all further comment upon the subject.
As a conclusion, and without any exception of lodges or members, I return thanks to ALL MEMBERS ; and, with deep gratitude for what has been done for me, I pray that I may live to see every member of our Society happy in his home and shop, and our Society with funds sufficient to protect you when the hand is stretched forth to injure.
I am, yours truly,
J. ALLEN, Retiring C. Secretary.
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 77
JANUARY, 1871, TO DECEMBER, 1880.
During the year 1870 a Special Committee was elected by the branches composing the Mersey District, for the purpose of bringing about some much-needed reforms in the Society; Richard Rothwell being appointed chairman of the Committee.
It was recognised by all the branches that, although the Society had then been in existence 36 years, it was far in the background as an organisation, and that its financial position was even worse.
Several times during its existence it had been bankrupt, and unable to pay Sick and Funeral benefits to its members.
The Committee found that if the then state of things continued much longer the Society's existence would soon be terminated, coming to the con- clusion, "If it could not be mended, it would have to be ended."
The place called the Society's office was illustrative of the then Society. It consisted of a back room about ten feet square on the first floor of a small house in Camden Street, Liverpool ; a table, eight chairs, and a few pigeon holes for letters, unpainted, composed the furniture — total value about £2.
The result of the Committee's labours was made known to the Society by circular. The circular also contained many suggested reforms which, if possible to bring about, would, they thought, produce a new and vigorous life for the Society.
At this stage John Allen resigned his position, he having held it for nearly 14 years, and was then advanced in life. This change encouraged the Committee in their work, as they looked forward with hope to the appointment of a much younger man who, with vigour and energy, would give the Society a new start.
The Society was being called upon to appoint a successor. Several candidates were nominated, amongst the number was R. Knight, whose claims were ably advocated by the Devonport branch, where he was then a member, and who, when parting with him, presented him with some very valuable books.
78 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
The following mv both the nomination and the application:— TO THE OFFICERS AND MEMBERS.
WORTHY OFFICERS AND BROTHERS,
The office of Corresponding Secretary becoming vacant by the resignation of Brother Allen, we, the Members of the Devonport Lodge, knowing that the peace and prosperity of any Society depends to a very great extent on the exertions of its principal officers ; and knowing, also, that a man to fill the office of Corresponding Secretary in a Society like ours should be possessed of abilities capable of dealing with all matters appertaining to a Trade Society in such a way as will tend to consolidate its various sections, and raise our Society to such a state of eminence that we shall command respect from all, have pleasure in bringing before you one whom we believe, after many years' experience, possesses all that is requisite as to ability and character.
Brother Robert Knight, the candidate we now bring under your notice, is an Angle Iron Smith, and entered our Society on the 27th day of December, 1857, having thus been thirteen years a member, and dxiring the many years he has been connected with us he has never been out of compliance. He is now thirty-seven years of age.
During Brother Knight's membership he has been very active amongst us and various other Societies, and to show you the high estimation in which he is held by those who know him, and in order that you may judge of his ability, we would mention very briefly a few of his engagements; believing that you can better form your conclusions from simple facts than from recommendations, it matters not how highly coloured.
You will all remember a few years since, when the great change took place with reference to iron ship building, especially in the Government yards, when the question arose, " Who are the most competent to do it, the Iron Ship Builders, or the Shipwrights ?" Large sums of money were expended at Wigram's, in London, and Chatham Dockyard, and vast efforts put forth in support of our interests as a body. In connection with that question Brother Knight advocated our cause in the West of England, through the weekly papers, in opposition to the claims of the Shipwrights' department, in such a masterly way that we were delighted to think we had such a powerful advocate. The Plymouth and Devon- port papers inserted letters on the subject week by week, and although the trained talent of the Dockyard was exerted to its utmost Brother
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 79
Knight indisputably upheld our claims against our opponents' theories, and finally silenced the opposition.
He was appointed one of the two delegates to attend in London, at the House of Commons and the Admiralty, on behalf of the factory men at Keyham, to advocate their claims for superannuation ; he was there a week, and gave the greatest satisfaction to all concerned.
As a public speaker we have had frequent proofs of his proficiency, and have listened with delight to his dispassionate and clear mode of reasoning. The United Stonemasons have held public meetings here on two occasions, ostensibly for the purposs of presenting disabled nembers with £100 gratuity — but also to demonstrate to the public the vast utility of Trade Societies. Brother Knight casually attended the first of these meetings, and his lucid arguments rendered such assistance to the cause that on the second occasion he was specially invited by them, and a vote of thanks was passed in his favour, with unanimous approval.
We have also had the pleasure of hearing him on the Education question. A public meeting was held at the Town Hall, Devonport, and an invitation was sent by them to the different Trade Societies in the town to send delegates from their different branches to take part in the same, and, Brother Knight's abilities as a public speaker being well known, he was appointed to move the first resolution. The Mayor presided, and on the platform were assembled the elite of Devonport, with a large number of ministers, and for more than half an hour Brother Knight spoke on the working of the Education Act, and the ultimate results to the families of the working classes, with such effect that it drew forth the applause of those present.
Also, a few months since, a meeting was called by the whole of the men working in the factory at Keyham, to take into consideration the best means to adopt to get an increase of pay, at which meeting Brother Knight was calledto the chair. He was also elected sint (fie as Chairman of the " Wages Movement Committee."
He has also passed through the principal offices in connection with the Ancient Order of Foresters, for which he has received a testimonial from that Society.
In addition, he has filled the office of Chairman and Secretary of a Co-operative Society, and has been for years a member of a Christian Church and a Sabbath School Teacher.
80 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
In conclusion, he has filled all the principal offices of our Lodge, as President, Secretary, and Trustee. We therefore, worthy Brothers, leave the matter in your hands, feeling assured that, if elected, you will have combined in him a scholar, a public speaker, a writer, a thorough Society man, and a man of exemplary character.
We beg to remain, yours in unity and trade,
THE COMMITTEE.
WORTHY OFFICERS AND BROTHERS,
I have been solicited by the members of the Devonport Lodge to become a candidate for the office of Corresponding Secretary ; and seeing the warm-heartedness with which they have pleaded for me, what- ever may be the ultimate result, I shall ever feel indebted to them, and hope my future conduct will cement the good feeling already existing between us.
Knowing somewhat of the onerous duties devolving upon one filling such an office, especially at this period, when questions are arising that must be grappled with — questions of supreme and paramount importance, and vitally affecting our dearest interests — I feel that we shall require all the energies at our command. For myself, I am sure that the strongest motives which have actuated me from first to last have been prompted by an earnest desire to assist in raising our Society, by improved organisation, to a higher sphere of operation than it has hitherto occupied. For the accomplishment of this we need all the moral force at our command — persuasiveness being the great motive power by which all bodies are capable of being moved.
Should you consider me worthy of your votes, my whole time and undivided energies will be devoted to the well-being of the Society ; and, should Providence order otherwise, I hope to pursue the same straight line I have hitherto humbly followed.
I beg to remain,
Yours fraternally,
ROBERT KNIGHT.
The choice of the members fell upon R. Knight, he being elected by a good majority. A few more details of his life before his election to the office of General Secretary will also be interesting.
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81
ROBERT KNIGHT was born on the 5th of September, 1833, in the picturesque village of Lifton, in Devonshire, where his father carried on the
ROBERT KNIGHT.
business of Engineer and General Smith. He received the rudiments of his education from his mother, who was determined that the talents of her son
82 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
should not. be lost for want of educational training; later on ho was trans- ferred to the can-- of the village schoolmaster, under whose tuition he remained till he reached the age of twelve-and-a-half-years, when he left the school desk for his father's shop. After working for several years under his father's roof he, like many other young men, made up his mind to "see the world." He visited and worked in various parts of the United Kingdom, being subjected to his full share of the trials and vicissitudes of fortune which usually beset the young mechanic when travelling from home in search of employment, but everywhere gaining the good opinions of those with whom he was brought into contact.
Amongst other important works upon which he has been engaged he assisted, as an Angle Iron Smith, to construct that then triumph of mechanical art the Royal Albert Bridge, designed by the celebrated engineer I. K. Brunnell, which conveys the Cornwall railway across the River Tamar. After the completion of this he entered the Royal Dockyard at Keyham, Devonport, where he remained for fourteen years, leaving only, in fact, to enter upon the duties of General Secretary. While in the Government employ he was one of the two delegates appointed to attend before a Select Committee of the House of Commons, to advocate the claims of his fellow-employees for superannuation.
He was subsequently elected Chairman of the " Wages Movement Com- mittee" in connection with the Devonport Dockyard. Before assuming the office of General Secretary his active business energy and powers of organisation found scope for employment in a variety of ways ; as first chairman and then secretary of a Co-operative Society, and in various capacities in connection with the Ancient Order of Foresters, from which body he received, upon his retirement from office, a testimonial expressive of their respect and esteem. He was ever ready to lend his voice to advance the cause of Labour, and took a warm and active interest in all measures calculated to promote the moral, social, and educational improvement of his fellow-citizens.
The improvement in trade began during 1870 became more marked as the year 1871 proceeded, and the General Council, who met in June, had the advantage of legislating with the prospect of continued good trade, increasing numbers, and increasing wealth in the immediate future years.
Just prior to the General Council Meeting the Executive had decided to be represented on the Labour Representation League in the person of the
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 83
General Secretary, having sonic time previously decided to be represented at the Trades Union Congress. In those early days of Labour representation our Society paid its portion and entered into the work, but the efforts were not lasting in character, for thirty years later we were still without any settled connection with Labour representation organisations, our connection with the Labour Representation Committee being of very recent date, which body it is to be hoped has now taken a permanent and definite stand in the political life of the workers of the country.
The revision of 1871 deserves some notice if only to contrast the difference between the rules of earlier dates.
Sick benefits were put upon a basis from which we have not since made any very material change.
Travelling benefits were somewhat high, inasmuch as all full members in benefit of twelve months' standing could draw 1/6 per day for fourteen weeks, although limited to four days at a time and a draw once in three months in the same branch.
Home Donation could only be drawn by members of twenty years' standing at the rate of I/- per day for thirteen weeks, although if disposed to travel they could obtain Travelling benefits.
Superannuation was fixed upon the basis of 4/-, 5/-, and 6/-, then later to 7/-, a basis that remained up to 1895, when it was increased by about 50 per cent.
Bonus benefits, which had fluctuated largely, now became payable on a graduated scale, members of two years being entitled to £10, rising with each year's membership at £5 per year until twelve years were reached, with a total of £60. There were not any Sick Bonuses, the Bonus being only paid to those who had lost through accident a limb or their sight.
During the sitting of the General Council the then Home Secretary, Mr. Bruce, introduced the Trade Union Bill, which provided that no Trade Union could be considered illegal simply because it was considered to be acting in restraint of trade. Trade Unions were, according to its provisions, entitled to be registered ; such registration was supposed to give absolute protection to Trade Union funds, but which in recent times we have, to our sorrow, found to be fallacious, the Taff Vale decision having to a great extent upset that security. The employers fiercely resisted the Bill, contending that the Govern- ment had given all that Trade Unionists desired.
#4 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
On the other hand the Trade Unionists charged the Government with taking away with one hand what they had given with the other, by inserting a clause which would give ample facilities to stretch the criminal laws to include acts done by the Trade Unions which would not be held to be criminal acts when done by other associations. The result of the agitation was the dividing of the Bill into two — one called the Trade Union Bill, the other the Criminal Law Amendment Bill, the old-time enemies of the people, the House of Lords, making the provisions of the latter much more drastic than was intended even by the Government.
The decision to divide the original Bill greatly helped on Trade Unionism ; first, by putting them upon a much safer basis ; secondly, because the agitation to repeal the Criminal Law Amendment Bill caused many to be gathered within the fold that would not otherwise have entered. The Society, like all others, benefited greatly by the Trade Union outburst that lasted from 1871 to 1875, a wave of Trade Union enthusiasm going over the country that is certainly without parallel in Trade Union history, for it was not even equalled by the later outburst of 1889 to 1894, another Trade Union wave which brought into being the large organisation of so-called unskilled workers, and who earned the name of the New Unionists.
There was some similarity in the two waves of Trade Union energy, for in the writings of those days a good deal was said about obtaining control of the instruments of production, owning of workshops, etc., and even in the Society's Reports can be found advocacy of starting workshops owned and controlled by the Society.
The agitation for a nine hours' day was also renewed, commencing with a strike of the Engineers in Sunderland, which caused a combination of Unionists and non-Unionists, under the leadership of John Burnett, who afterwards became General Secretary of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers, and is at the present moment connected with the Labour Department of the Board of Trade. During the early stages the Executives and general officers of the Trade Unions concerned showed a want of sympathy with the move- ment and a considerable amount of apathy, and the gaining of a nine hours' day may be said to be in every sense of the word a victory of the rank and file against the apathy of many of their leaders. The nine hours' day was practically won in the beginning of October, although some two or three years elapsed before it gradually became general.
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 85
The Iron Ship Builders on the Clyde went one better, for they fought for and obtained a fifty-one hours' working week, which some years later was lost and has never been regained. Charles Rushton and Peter Jones, having been sent to Scotland some few months earlier to organise, may be said to have helped to pave the way to the much greater shortening of hours that was then conceded in that part of the Empire.
One other new departure of great moment was made during 1871, viz., the establishing of a Reserve Fund, a procedure that has been beneficial to our interests. Altogether, 1871 is memorable in the history of Trade Unionism, giving as it did a great impetus to the cause, making it far easier than it hitherto had been to organise men; and is also memorable in our history, as it gave to us the man, R. Knight, who was able in after years to profit by his experience, and change old-time methods to more profitable and surer methods that have done much to help us on to a firmer foundation.
The beginning of 1872 saw a condition of prosperity that had never been known in the past history of the trade, of which full advantage was being taken.
An early advantage was taken of the new Act, our Society being registered on January 2nd, 1872, being third on the Registrar's list, only two others making a prior claim.
The members of the Hull district held what was described as the celebration of an auspicious event ; auspicious because at the gathering (which was held to commemorate an advance of wages conceded without a dispute, through the instrumentality of C. Rushton) was Mr. E. J. Reed, C.B., late Chief Constructor to the Admiralty, and then Managing Director of Earle's Company; a considerable number of managers and foremen of the various establishments; and also besides a large gathering of the men, the chief officials of the Society in the persons of R. Knight and the then District Delegate, C. Rushton. R. Rothwell was specially invited, and another old member, John O'Neill, who also, like Bro. Rothwell, afterwards became a district delegate, officiated as chairman. It was a pleasant and profitable reunion, which created a lasting impression for good, made possible by the good taste of Mr. E. J. Reed, C.B., who in those times of strenuous agitation did not hesitate to express his belief in Trade Unionism as a factor for good.
The following lines were written especially for the occasion and were recited at the meeting, receiving applause :—
86
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
CAPITAL AND LABOUR,
LINES SPOKEN AT A
PUBLIC DINNER OF THE B. M. AND I. S. B. S., PROTESTANT HALL, HULL.
SEPTEMBER 28TH, 1872.
Finn and fast in closest bond,
Stand we one and all ; In compactest Union strong,
Who apart would fall ; Onward is our noble aim, To upraise the workman's fame,
Diligence and skill, And by thrifty store laid by, Stave we off the needy's cry,
In the day of ill.
Blind mistake and harsh mistrust,
'Gainst us raise a few ; But we'll prove their slanderous dust
Utterly untrue ;
For when food and fuel were high, And our dames for their supply
Asked a trifle more, Then, by whom we all respect, Our just want was duly met,
And the case was o'er.
Hon'rably would we then pray
For their great success ; Who so far as masters may
Workmen seek to bless. May they find, like story old, Geese that lay the eggs of gold,
And may commerce bring Greater wealth than Rothchild's boast, Or than that of Persian host,
Or than Lydia's king.
Capital and Labour seem
By our Maker joined ; Are they not like giant twins
In the world of mind ? What can Labour do alone? Grind its nose against the stone,
Turn a gristless mill ! What can Capital indeed By itself 1 but hoard its seed,
Eat a golden pill.
Midas once, or so 'tis told,
Strangest gift had got ! All he touched straight turned to gold,
But pray envy not; For his food was metalled o'er, As he touched, it turned to ore,
Till his hunger grew ; And until resumed again By the God, his golden pain
Sure no comfort knew.
And if we may go so far,
Such is gold e'en now, For not linked to Labour's car,
'Tis a painted shew. Weave it ! 'twill not serve a lout, Weeps nor wind nor weather out,
Food, can never be ! But when spent on Labour's loom, O what fabrics riseth soon !
Thus, 'tis Labour's fee !
But 'tis true that Capital
All the risk must run, Like a ship exposed to all
Winds beneath the sun ; Feels the first trade's ebb and flow, Most keen competition know.
So 'tis just and meet, Labour should co-operate, And to help with all their might
Masters to compete.
In this age of enterprise
We must never lag, When within our port there flies
Every nation's flag; Nor permit to meet his eye, Who so keenly could descry,
German, Frank, or Russ ; What has been exposed too far, Trades disputes and social jar,
In the midst of us.
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 87
Foreigners must never say Discord leaving far behind,
Britons are such flats, March we hand in hand.
Men and masters fight away, Capital with all its gold,
Like Kilkenny cats ! Genius, skill, with arts untold, While like lawyers they look on, Labour's horny hand.
Sure to win, when trade is gone
From our shore to theirs ; Up the hill of progress bright When, like JEsop's monkey wise, March we on in tether,
They have made the cheese their prize, Making difficulties light,
And enjoy both shares. Pulling all together,
So shall we in concord joined
O ! then as in power and arts Shew to wondering mankind
Britain is renowned; Capital and Labour
So in unity of parts Are our oars to pull the boat,
Let us too abound. Are our wings to soar aloft, Fling our banner to the wind, In our high endeavour ?
Respectfully dedicated to those concerned. — E. B.
What was described as the "corner" system, had birth about this time in one of the Hartlepool shipyards, Charles Rushton, being sent to enquire into it; had it been nipped in the bud the troubles of after years would have been avoided, but the Platers were not of one mind, and the system was allowed to grow and grow until severe measures had later on to be taken to eradicate it.
Peter Jones, who had been often delegated on missions, was in October elected as the first North-East Coast of England delegate, and, like Charles Rushton, his services were quickly in demand in other parts of the country, Scotland, Ireland, and London benefiting by his services. In Sunderland the Carpenters were again upon the war-path, beginning hostilities by sending notice to the employers that they should expect in future all repair work, whether wood or iron, and even went out on strike sooner than be confined to their legitimate calling. In describing the matter in our Monthly the following apt illustration was given : —
A certain Quaker was passenger on board of a ship attacked by pirates, who when asked to fight refused, fighting being against his religion. However, when the pirates began to board the vessel, one succeeded in laying hold of the bulwarks near where the Quaker was stowed away, who seized an axe and chopped off the pirate's arm, remarking, " Friend, keep thy own ship, thou art not wanted here." So to ship carpenters we give similar advice, " Friend, keep thy own ship, mind your own trade."
The Iron Trades Employers' Association began to get alarmed at the efforts of the Trade Unionists to obtain the revision, and in some cases the repeal, of those offensive Acts of Parliament which pressed so heavily upon
gg A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
them, ami in May, 1873, issued a circular calling a private conference of employers with a view to secure the assistance of members of Parliament to protect their interests, which they euphemistically described as the "enterprise of the country"; but their meeting did not meet with so great a measure of success as they expected, for the agitation to repeal the obnoxious law still went on, despite the attempts made to maintain it.
An addition to the district delegates was made in the person of Aaron Wadkinson, who was elected to organise the London District, but whose term of office proved to be but short, bad trade a few years later causing the suspension of him and other officials.
The admission of Caulkers was still agitating the minds of those in authority as well as many others, and although the rules had for two years provided for their admission yet it was deemed necessary to ask a series of questions in order to obtain the general feeling of the country regarding them. Having obtained that feeling, the General Council, at the revision in 1874, added a special clause to the rules, making it optional with lodges whether they made Caulkers or not, and determining that they should remain in the Society as such. This addition met with the approval of the members, and later on the optional clause was deleted, it then becoming imperative to make Caulkers in exactly the same way as the other sections, thus settling a question that had been a debateable matter for some few years.
Before the close of 1873 would-be financiers again circularised the Society advocating increased benefits, circulars in which reference was made to the benefits paid by other Trade Unions, and it became necessary for R. Knight and his Executive Council to publish copious extracts from old Reports in order to prove to the writers how unable the Society had been to stand the strain of their benefits in depressed times. Like many previous writers, those responsible for the circulars, although acting in good faith, made the mistake of comparing individual benefits instead of taking them in the mass and ascertaining the cost per member over a given number of years before drawing a comparison between their own Society and others.
The new Emblem, for the design of which a prize had been given, was at the beginning of 1874 ready for publication at the price of 3/6 a single copy, the first editions being in black and white, and which a few years later gave way to successive coloured editions from the same design.
The different designs that have been in use are as follows : —
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
89
' ( 3> o T' l
\>
f-
^
/
iti t-^tn (L*rrfi) that
&e<rtg<e- &pjfcu
1)0
A HISTORICAL SUHVKY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
Cbio 10 to Cfittft) that
^vf^
JWA- /
9 \ • r ML .
^
«T^ V X WP) 'S^feXS^'
•
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
92 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
In anv future edition all that will be necessary is the modernising of the Shipbuilding and Boiler Shop illustrations so as to bring our Emblem up to date, the present design being now thirty years old.
The revision of rules in 1874 brought about some alterations, the principal alteration being that Bonus benefits of £100 were in future to be given to all full members in benefit who had lost a limb or lost their sight, the amount required to be raised by levy. This was a new departure from the graduated scale of Bonus benefits which had previously been paid from the General Fund. New rules were added providing for a Reserve Fund, Benevolent Fund, and the admission of apprentices.
In the beginning of July the Society lost by death the able services of Charles Rushton, his death being referred to in the Report in the following words : —
We most deeply regret to have to record the death of Bro. C. Rushton, the District Delegate of Liverpool and Birkenhead. He died on Sunday, July 5th, from inflammation of the lungs and bronchitis, after nine days' illness, at the early age of 39 years. The Society has lost a most faithful and zealous servant — one whose place it will bs most difficult to fill ; and this act of Divine Providence in taking him from us appears a mystery, as there was so much work left undone which he was eminently qualified to do. His life was a model of Christian philanthropy, always seeking to do good, and the sight of evil or suffering which he could check or soothe would have pierced him constantly if he had left it alone.
May we follow his example and walk in his steps.
Matthew Smith was elected in his stead, and has retained the position right up to the present time, viz., the date of the publication of this work, having held the position for thirty years. The following brief account of his life will be of interest : —
MATTHEW SMITH was born in the year 1840 at York, and commenced to work at the trade in the early part of 1854 as a Rivet-heater at Grassland's Union Foundry, Bradford, his family, after many changes, ultimately settling in Manchester, Matthew then being apprenticed at the boilerworks of Messrs. Sharp, Stewart, & Co. He joined the Society at the age of twenty years, and was quickly in harness, for two years later we find him secretary of Birkenhead No. 1, a branch of nearly 400 members. Later on he was elected on the Executive Council, serving several terms, twice being elected chairman, and began to take part in important diplomatic work, being often
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
93
deputed to confer with employers in different parts of the country, and was likewise sent on various missions to specially audit branch accounts. In July,
MATTHEW SMITH.
1874, he was elected to help to revise the rules, officiating as chairman of that important body. In the following September he was elected to the office of
94 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
district (It-legate, a position he has ever since held, having been re-elected fourteen times. Whilst acting as district delegate much work of an important character has fallen to his lot, he having in the first twelve years visited 150 branches in Great Britain and Ireland.
On four occasions Matt., as he is popularly known, has been the recipient of testimonials. When taking up his position as district delegate his old shopmates presented him with a gold chain and medallion. After nine years' service as district delegate he was presented with a testimonial of £100, seven years later with one valued £70, and later still, in the year 1900, with another valued at £70 to commemorate his successful carrying out of his duties for twenty-five years.
He has often represented the Society at Trade Union Congresses, and been found doing sterling work in many directions.
All who know him personally testify to his genial character, and many will regret the time coming when age compels him to take a well-earned rest — a rest all well-wishers hope will be in comparative comfort as a reward for his long and faithful services.
Matt. Smith has the distinction of having served the Society as one of its paid officials for a longer period than any other man, having exceeded Robert Knight's length of service by some months, and it may be long years before his record will be broken by any other official, if that ever takes place.
The Clyde Shipbuilders and Engineers' Employers' Association were again upon the war-path, and a circular was issued to other employers in which they plainly stated that every effort must be made to regain the position lost in 1871 by securing either an increase in the hours of labour or a decrease in wages, or both, the questions put to those employers being : —
1. Are you in favour of an increase in the hours of labour, or a
reduction of pay, or do you think it possible to secure both ?
2. Wrhat increase in the hours of labour or reduction of pay would
you be willing to propose ?
3. Are you willing to give effect to your views by co-operation with
the other employers in what action may be resolved upon ?
How far they were successful will be seen in later pages, bad trade, which was now beginning, giving them the opportunity they desired, they also being greatly helped by the then unorganised condition of the Clyde yards and shops. Attempts were made to resist the action of the Clyde Employers'
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. !»."•
Association by the appointment of a district delegate to organise the Civile workers, John Cameron, of Sunderland, being elected to that position early in 1875.
An attempt was made to federate the various trades, and during the Congress week in January a meeting was held having this object in view, the circular calling the meeting being signed by J. Kane, Ironworkers ; J. 1). Prior, Carpenters and Joiners; and Robert Knight. The stated object of the meeting was to form a federation of those societies which were organised on sound financial principles for the purpose of creating a fund available in any important trade struggle in which the course pursued merited the sympathy of those trades combined for mutual protection, and a committee was formed to draw up rules on that basis.
This quickly gave place to another method, for in March of the same year the following circular was issued : —
To THE MEMBERS OF THE ENGINEERING TRADES.
For some time the recurring incidents of commercial life have given apparent evidence of a strong desire on the part of the employers in several branches of industry to depart from " the nine hours per day system," to a more lengthened period of time for the day's work. These ominous signs have been gradually developing until there are good grounds for believing that if immediate steps are not at once adopted to oppose such attempts the Employers' Federation will endeavour to carry out their desires upon a national scale.
These feelings being entertained by the principal officers of the following Societies : Amalgamated Engineers, Iron Founders, Boiler Makers and Iron Ship Builders, and Steam Engine Makers, resulted in a conference of delegates from each being held at the office of the first named Society, on Tuesday, 16th February, to devise a policy whereby they could act as one in resisting any encroachment on the hours of labour so far as the engineering trade is concerned.
After a long and careful deliberation on the question the following resolutions were adopted : —
1 That a Reserve Fund be raised from the four Societies in con- nection with the Iron Trades, viz., Amalgamated Engineers, Steam Engine Makers, Iron Founders, Boiler Makers and Iron Ship Builders, amounting to £6,000, to be set apart for the purpose of resisting any encroachments on the '' nine hours system " ; such a fund to be raised by a levy on the members of 2s. each, to be made payable in four instal- ments of 6d. per member. — Carried unanimously.
96 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
2. That in event of the former resolution being agreed to this Conference suggests that the amount be deposited in the names of four trustees, one from each Society, and also in the names of the Societies; the trusteeship to be joint, and to be appointed by their various Councils. — Carried unanimously.
A second conference was held on Monday, 22nd February, when it was reported that the Council of each Society had approved of the scheme. It was then resolved to lay the matter before the four Societies for approval or otherwise.
This is now done, and the Executive of each earnestly hopes that its members will unanimously adopt the scheme, thereby making common cause for the preservation of a mutual interest.
In these times it would be fatuity, almost approaching the character of social crime, to stand in stolid isolation whilst danger is hovering around, and look with listless indifference upon this sacred cause. Give then your support to those officers whose solicitude remains unabated day by day for your general welfare, and who with unflinching fidelity to the trust reposed in them, should the day of trial come, will be found equal to the occasion.
For once in our history put diversity of opinion aside, and you will not only avert the threatened catastrophe, but unfold what can be done by unity of purpose and timely intervention, and from this source of power may spring a more brilliant day for the Engineering Trades in the future than what it has had in the past.
Signed — Charles Wood, William Robson, John Wilson, Secretary pro tern., Amalgamated Society of Engineers ; Daniel Guile, General Secretary Iron Founders; James Swift, General Secretary Steam Engine Makers ; Robert Knight, Secretary Boilermakers and Iron Ship Builders.
The contents of the circular were recommended through the columns of our Report in the following words : —
We feel that the before-mentioned address is sufficient of itself to recommend the first resolution contained therein to your unanimous approval, without any further remarks from us, and we shall be deceived if there is a dissenting voice. Should any member object to the payment of sixpence per quarter for four quarters to establish a reserve fund for the purpose named he ought to be compelled to work ten hours per day for nine hours' wage ; but we have not any doubt upon this point. These four Societies have not less than seventy-five thousand members, and an accumulated capital of three hundred and sixty thousand pounds, — a mighty army with good supplies.
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 97
The return of votes on the question of federation was 8,869 for and 1,408 against. The Executive Council expressed great pleasure that the Society had recognised that all trades had a common danger to meet. Despite this approval federation hung fire, for twelve months elapsed before anything further was heard of it. In the meantime incidents had transpired which led our Executive Council and others to conclude that it would be unwise to confine the Federation to the question of hours only, they considering it should embrace every question that might arise affecting Trade Unionists.
A code of rules was submitted to the members to be voted upon, with a strong recommendation that the Society federate under them. This met with a considerable amount of opposition, and the following extract from the Monthly Report for May, 1876, gives the conclusion of this effort to federate : —
The votes received on the federation question was as follows, viz. : — For, 5,876; against, 4,371, leaving a majority in favour of it of 1,505.
We therefore deputed our C. Secretary to attend the Conference of Delegates to be held in Birmingham on the 22nd day of May, with the instructions : " That we as a Society should not join a Federation unless there was a number of large Societies willing to unite.
When our C. Secretary arrived there he found many representatives, but most of them from small Societies, numbering from 2,000 to 4,000 members. The General Secretary of the Amalgamated Carpenters was there, but his Society had voted against it. Mr. D. Guile of the Iron Founders was also present, and he was placed in a similar position to our C. Secretary; when after some considerable discussion the following resolution was unanimously carried : —
" That, seeing the spirit of apathy existing amongst the various Trade Unions on the subject of General Federation for trade purposes, this meeting of delegates is of opinion that the policy pursued by many trades on this question is a very short-sighted one ; but we hope they will see before it is too late the advantages to be derived from such a federation, as we believe the question a very important one to all Trade Unionists, and therefore pledge ourselves to do all we can to forward it."
The matter is therefore at an end for the present.
Thus ended for some time the attempts made to federate kindred trades. Another attempt was, however, made by the Trades Congress in 1879, which was put to the members without any expression of opinion by the Executive Council, and was carried by a small majority ; but as only 1,075 members expressed an opinion another vote was taken and resulted in the scheme being defeated.
98 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
Early in 1875 James Webb was elected to carry on the organisation of the Staffordshire district, the Society having determined to try and improve this (from a Trade Union standpoint) black spot of the Midlands ; he undertaking a task that proved to be beyond accomplishment, for when, a few years later, bad trade caused the suspension of the delegates, Staffordshire stood exactly where it stood at the time of the appointment — a low-paid centre of unorganised men.
In May the Society suffered another great loss, Peter Jones departing this life at the early age of thirty-seven years, the storm and stress of official life proving too much for his constitution. An extract from the obituary notice in the Report of that time sets forth the esteem in which he was held : —
Bro. P. Jones, the District Delegate of the Tyne and Wear, died on Thursday evening, May 13th, in a railway carriage, whilst his friends were taking him to Birkenhead for a change of air, at the early age of 37 years. His body was laid in its last resting place on the 17th, by those who loved him.
We have lost two most faithful servants within a few months. It appears that the labour and anxiety of official life is too great for men of rather weakly constitutions. The loss of Bro. Jones will be keenly felt by the members. He was unceasing in his endeavours to strengthen the Society, to consolidate and increase its power, to extend its usefulness, and in every way to direct it so as to make each advance permanent, and every new point gained a resting place whereon to gather strength for further progress. He was wise in counsel, cautious in action, determined and resolute when the struggle came ; his motives w^ere never questioned, his advice never distrusted. The welfare of the Society was never lost sight of, nor the true interest of employers overlooked. He has gone to receive reward, but has left behind to us an inheritance of good.
Richard Dumberline was elected to the vacant position.
The agitation for the repeal of the Criminal Law Amendment Act of 1871 still went energetically forward, despite the fact that the Gladstone Cabinet refused to listen to the appeals of the Trade Unionists' leaders, and in order to show the utter want of sympathy that was prevalent amongst the Government's supporters it is only necessary to quote the fact that the London Liberal Association appointed as their secretary Mr. Sidney Smith, who had been primarily responsible for many lock-outs, and was the bitter opponent of Trade Unions for over twenty years. Independent Liberals introduced labour reforms, but failed to carry them because of the opposition of the Cabinet.
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 1M»
The opponents of the Government took the opportunity and fearlessly proclaimed their support of Trade Union desires, but upon being returned to power appointed a Commission, which failed to do much good. Finding that it would not pay to play with the matter they had to tackle the question in earnest, and the upshot was that the obnoxious laws were repealed by the passing of the Labour Laws, 1875, followed by the Trade Union Act, 187(j, which practically conceded all what Trade Unionists had up to then been striving for.
John Cameron, who had recently been elected for the Clyde district, sent in his resignation, the worry, irritation, and duties of the office beii.'g too much for him, he not being in robust health. However, the Clyde members prevailed on him to remain until his term of two years had expired, which ended early in the following year, 1877. John Cameron returned to the workshop and ultimately became technical delegate for the Tyne Employers' Association, a position he held for many years.
The Society having sanctioned a delegate for the Tees district, John O'Neill, of Hull, was elected in August to fulfil that position ; but, like John Cameron, he only served one term of office, resigning the position in 1878 on account of having several sons for whom he could not obtain shops in which they could learn their trade. Fortunately a situation was offered and accepted which gave the opportunities desired, and John O'Neill severed his connection as a paid official of the Society, although we find him later taking for years a lively interest in the Society's work.
One of the unpleasant chapters of the Society's history took place at this period. Richard Dumber-line, who followed Peter Jones as District Delegate for the North-East Coast of England, had not worked smoothly with the General Office, and strong words were used, which ended in the members voting by a large majority in favour of R. Dumberline's removal. Circumstances connected with the resolution of removal caused an intervention on the part of others, and arbitration, with Mr. Lloyd Jones, of London, as umpire, was agreed to upon the understanding that whoever the verdict was given against should retire. The verdict was given in favour of the Executive Council, and Richard Dumberline retired, thus ending an unpleasant chapter, the full details of which are neither good nor beneficial.
R. Rothwell was in March, 1877, chosen to fulfil the post vacated by John Cameron, and as two other old officers, who are still doing duty, were
100 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
elected in th« same year, viz., John Rowat and .James O'Neill, it will be as well to at this period give a brief account of them.
RICHARD ROTHWELL.
RICHARD ROTHWELL was born in the year 1834, the year the Society was instituted. He commenced to work at the trade at the age of eleven years,
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 101
becoming a member at Heywood in August, 1854, at the age of twenty, fulfilling all important branch offices. He served on the General Council of I8(i:>. several times on the District Committee and Executive Council, and during his term of office was chairman of both bodies. He \v;is exceedingly popular with all classes of workmen, for as well as advocating the rights of our members, he advocated with both voice and pen the rights of seamen, miners, and others, being often requested to speak at large meetings on their behalf.
Elected to the office of Clyde District Delegate in 1877, he did excellent work in that centre, and after ten years of strenuous labour asked and obtained the consent of the Society to allow him to fulfil the position of District Delegate for the Tees, made vacant by the death of Charles Gouldson, a position Dick Roth well held until the close of the year 1900.
The cause of his retirement was an unfortunate accident to his knee, laming him for life, which, taken in consideration with his twenty-six years of official life, influenced the members in almost unanimously agreeing to pay a 3d. levy per member, realising nearly £600. In addition to this the Tees members and friends raised another £65, but on account of Rothwell's condition the presentation was a private one. Dick, as he was familiarly termed, now rests in retirement on the outskirts of Stockton, an inactive life on account of his affliction, the inactivity being far from easy to bear because of the contrast between the unceasing activity of his long official life and the quietude of the present. All who had the pleasure of his personal acquaintance will vividly remember his jovial disposition and his unflinching efforts on behalf of the Society. May his remaining years be free from care.
JOHN Row AT was born in Glasgow in the year 1840, entering the Society in 1864 at Glasgow No. 1. After serving in many branch offices he was elected Secretary of Glasgow No. 2, a position he held for nearly ten years.
Serving on the District Committee, he was appointed chairman, was sent on missions by the Executive, and held the position of Special Auditor for the whole of Scotland.
The General Council of 1877 were unanimously in favour of a second delegate for Scotland. The Society approved and elected John to the position. It is to his credit that he had the courage to take up the duty in the midst of a great Scottish lock-out, at a time when the Scottish Employers' Association were doing their best to smash the Scotch Trade Unionists, a position he had
102
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
to vacate two years later when the almost bankrupt condition of the Society influenced the members in discharging some of their officials.
JOHN ROWAT.
John was thus cast upon the streets at a time when he had incurred the displeasure of the Scottish employers, preventing him obtaining employment
A HISTORICAL SURVEY or THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 103
in that locality, and in the midst of a depression that made it impossible to obtain employment across the Border; but when, with returning good trade, the Society decided to engage an assistant secretary, John was their choice, and in his twenty-four years in that position has proved the wisdom of that decision. No one member knew better than Robert Knight, his friend and co-worker for nearly twenty years, the services he has rendered to the Society by his strict and earnest attention to his duties, and when retiring Robert was able to say that in those long years of partnership not one angry moment had occurred.
Of late years his health has not been all that could be desired, but it is pleasing to know that he is still able to carry out his labours on the Society's behalf.
Like other veterans, he has known what it is to be appreciated in the past by being the recipient of testimonials.
JAMES O'NEILL was born in Manchester in December, 1838, and commenced to work at the trade in June, 1852, beginning his apprenticeship in September, 1855.
He joined the Society at Birkenhead in 1862, was for six years secretary of the Birkenhead No. 2 branch, afterwards a member of the Executive, chairman of the General Council in 1877, and was, before being elected a district delegate, deputed on many important missions in connection with the Society's work.
He was elected the District Delegate for the Tyne and Wear at the close of 1877, and has been in that position for nearly twenty-seven years, and, like Matthew Smith, may be said to have been all over the three kingdoms in the interests of the Society.
He was sent on a special mission to France in 1884, his report of that mission being of great value to the Society.
The Employers' Association, recognising his worth, offered him a ten years' engagement at £5 per week, later on making a more substantial offer, both of which he declined. He was nominated for General Secretary on the retirement of R. Knight, but withdrew his nomination on account of the salary being reduced, he considering it a departure from Trade Union principles.
He has often received in a substantial manner the appreciation of his fellow members, chief among the testimonials being one in 1882, by the Platers
104 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
of.Sunderland, of a gold wutch and chain and a purse of gold; and another in 1891, consisting of a presentation emblem by the Executive Council. From
JAMES O'NEILL
the Wear members 100 guineas, silver-mounted walking-stick, a gold appendage, a dressing-case, for Mrs. O'Neill a silver tea and coffee service, for Miss
105
O'Neill ;i secretaire, and to commemorate the occasion an illuminated address as follows : —
TO JAMES O'NEILL, WEAR DISTRICT DELEGATE.
We, the members of the above Society, wish to express our thanks to you for the services rendered to our Society during the past twenty-nine years, and more especially for acting as our recognised district leader for the space of 14 years.
You came amongst us a stranger, but your ability, straightforward- ness, and honesty in all your dealings, not only with the members but with our employers, soon endeared you to all. And we need not remind you of the fact that it is not only in your district you are held in the highest respect and esteem, but throughout the Order.
We have also to thank you for bringing us safely through the many troubles and trials in which we have been placed from time to time, and also for the many disputes averted by your integrity and kindly counsel — not peace at any price, but peace with honour. May you long be spared to champion the cause you so ably and honourably represent is the wish of yours in unity and friendship.
James O'Neill is a Justice of the Peace, has been requested to stand for Parliament, but refused, and although getting on in years is still energetic, respected by all who know him as a sterling character — one of those men who bring credit to labour and add lustre to the Society which owns him as member. All should rejoice that another grand old man is still with us, and wish him health and comfort in his declining years.
The General Council of 1877 introduced the £50 Bonus for accidents other than loss of limb and sight, and included the following complaints arising from general causes : — Blindness, imperfect vision, apoplexy, epilepsy, and paralysis. Besides dealing with the rules, they took into consideration the growing evil of the " corner " system, but the time to eradicate it had not yet arrived. A solemn warning was issued in their name, but without much good being effected. The question of piece work also demanded serious attention. A system of individual bargaining was growing, selfish men gaining an advantage over their more self-respecting brethren to such a degree that the Executive Council adopted and published the following resolution : —
That when any member or members have given in a price for work, no other member of the Society shall offer to do the said work for a lower sum than the first estimate given, unless by the sanction of his Lodge, or a Committee of the same. Any member violating this resolution
106
shall, on proof being given thereof before either a Lodge Committee, District Committee, or Executive Council, be fined any sum not exceeding five pounds for the first offence, and for the second be expelled the Society.
Thr spirit of this resolution was afterwards incorporated in our rules and did much to bring about recognised price lists in many of the shipbuilding districts.
Another lock-out took place on the Clyde during the year. The previous lock-out in 1807 lasted six months, crushed the spirits of the men, and destroyed organisation for years. The lock-out of 1877 began over an application in February for 10 per cent, advance, which the employers peremptorily refused. The Carpenters followed by an application for 15 per cent., and not being content with a refusal struck work, and the lock-out commenced. A meeting was arranged between the Carpenters and the employers, a basis of arbitration agreed to but rejected by the larger body of employers, who posted a notice stating that work could be resumed on the old terms ; but our members, who had withdrawn their request for an advance before the lock-out, renewed the request immediately they were locked out, and refused to go back to work on the old terms. Gradually the other trades returned, a method of arbitration being agreed to by the Carpenters, and the Society was left to fight the battle alone.
Several attempts were made to obtain arbitration on the wage question, but the employers refused, insisting that the rules and constitution of the Society should be the first matter for consideration. Later in the year renewed efforts were made to smash up the Scotch branches, for on October 17th the employers decided to lock-out all over the Clyde, refusing to have anything to do with the General Secretary or the Executive Council.
Later still the employers met a large body of the men, at which meeting the Clyde members were urged to sever their connection with the Society and form up a Scottish Society. To their credit they stood loyal, and the employers, finding they could not sap the loyalty of the men, agreed to the following terms of arrangement : —
1. That the wages question should be in abeyance for the present and
be taken into consideration six months hence.
2. That on returning to work none of the workmen should be victimised
or oppressed.
3. That all piece work should be contracted for by those who had to
perform it.
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 107
Thus the dispute ended after another six months' fight without any material advantage, although the gallant stand to resist the attempts to crush them had its moral advantages. Special resolutions were passed by outside bodies of Trade Unionists congratulating the men on the splendid fight m.-idi- against a determined effort to smash the Scottish branches — compliments well deserved.
A few employers refused to carry out the arrangement, and as trade — which had been declining since 1874 — was still depressed some more of the employers were not inclined to faithfully carry out their bargain.
In June of the following year the Scotch employers were reminded of their undertaking, and at a meeting held to discuss the matter they intimated that either a reduction of wages or an increase in the working week must take place, following that up by a fortnight's notice to extend the working hours from 51 to 54 per week.
At a later meeting the men presented a good case against the increase of hours, which the employers' deputation promised to lay before the larger body ; but instead of a reply being forthcoming a private circular was issued to all employers requesting that common action be taken to enforce increased hours. Evidently the unanimity desired was not obtained, for the hours question was dropped and the attack changed by the posting of a general reduction of 7^ per cent., to take place in seven days. Our members voted in favour of the Scotch members resisting those employers who insisted on this reduction, and other trades accepting, the Society was again left to fight single-handed. This strike ended in February, 1879, after lasting some months, by an acceptance of the employers' terms, and so low had the Society sunk with trade being still depressed that they were unable to do anything to prevent the increase of hours from 51 to 54, which gradually took place over the whole of the Scottish districts before the year closed.
During 1878 John O'Neill resigned his position of Tees District Delegate, the position being filled by George Black, who had to vacate his position the following year on account of the extreme financial poverty of the Society.
Before the year closed the Iron Trades Employers' Association made an attempt to regain a ten hours' working day, the concluding words of their circular being as follows: —
It has been resolved by a large majority of the Iron Trades
Employers' Association, supported by a general agreement among other
employers, to give notice in their workshops that the hours of labour
shall be increased to the number prevailing before the adoption of the
108 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
nine hours limit. This statement of their case is respectfully submitted to the London employers to collect their views, and, if possible, to pro- pitiate their co-operation.
This attempt to increase working hours to ten per day at a time when it \\.-is impossible to find employment for many thousands at nine per day never came off, for the men of all trades were determined to suffer any amount of misery sooner than yield up the blessing of the shorter working week. Their deter- mination caused the employers to halt. Had they not done so Great Hritain would have been involved in one of the bitterest industrial conflicts in her history.
The year 1879 is one of the worst years of the Society's history, it open- ing with the necessity of increasing the contributions to 1/6 per week in order to keep it from a financial collapse. Notices of reductions in various districts were the order of the day, London being plunged into the well-remembered strike of that year. The then condition of things was described in the January Monthly in the following words : —
The year opens with Labour completely at the mercy of Capital, and with Capital gloating over its power to inflict the most cruel pangs upon Labour, and exercising that power with a venom that will work an inevitable terrible retribution. The worm will turn when trod upon, the rat will fight when cornered, and who will believe that Labour will not some day turn and, throwing aside their demands for justice, seek only revenge.
Despite the increase of contributions the financial condition grew worse. and two propositions were put to the Society — one asking that the contributions should be increased to 2/- per week, the alternative one being that the contributions and benefits should be reduced.
In advocacy of the increase of contributions it was stated that the Amalgamated Society of Engineers were paying 2/- per week, Steam Engine Makers 2/- per week, and the Ironfounders 3/- per week ; but despite this the vote went against increased contributions, the members preferring a reduction of benefits.
The offices of District Delegate for Staffordshire and London had already been dispensed with on account of the poverty of the Society, and in order to curtail expenses two more district delegates were dispensed with, one for Scotland and one for the North-East Coast of England; R. Rothwell having to act for Scotland and James O'Neill for the North-East Coast of England — a decision arrived at by the votes of the Society.
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 109
Sick, Home Donation, and Travelling benefits were reduced, and in addition to the reduction a member had to be out of emplovmenl five davs to obtain two days' Home Donation or Travelling.
Lodge expenses and the Council's Benevolent Fund were reduced 50 per cent., thus cutting off Benevolent Fund supplies. Vice- Presidents of branches were abolished.
District Committee payments were reduced one-third, and instructions given that they were not to meet oftener than once in six weeks.
Dispute pay was reduced and methods adopted in other minor matters to lessen expenditure.
The Reserve Fund Bonds had to be disposed of until only £3,500 remained, the financial condition at the end of the year being a capital of less than ll/- per member — a striking contrast to the position of a few years before, when the average worth per member was £3 11s.
Once again, after forty-five years of life, the Society was on the verge of bankruptcy, the decrease of benefits staving off that unenviable position.
During 1879 it was decided to remove the offices to Newcastle, the date of removal being held over until the spring of 1880.
Efforts were made to raise a fund to assist members to emigrate to America, but so great a difference of opinion existed that the question was left over for discussion at the General Council, who were to meet in the following vear, and ultimately was dropped altogether.
Early in 1880 a work on " Boiler Making, Ship Building, &c." was published by the General Secretary, Robert Knight, which has now reached its seventh edition, and has found its way to our Colonies and America.
Trade now began to improve; men took heart, looking hopefully to the future. The financial condition began rapidly to improve, the first quarter ending with an increased balance of £2,308 — not a large one, but indicative of improving conditions. Headquarters were removed to Newcastle, the members of the Mersey district presenting the General Secretary with an illuminated address and a gold watch and chain, a complimentary gathering being held at Sunderland to welcome him to the North-East districts.
Advances now began to be the order of the day, but two firms in the Tees and Hartlepool district refused the advance and entered into an engagement with the Ship Carpenters' Society to supply them with men, that association willingly playing the part desired of them. One firm quickly dispensed with
110 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
tlu-in, the other ultimately following suit, being glad to get buck qualified men and dispense with those who for a time had served their convenience.
Increasing trade again produced bad memories, for the miseries of the past must have been forgotten as a clamour arose to reduce contributions to I/- per week. A vote was taken, ending in a refusal to pay for another twelve months the 1/3 per week. A second vote was taken on the question of paying 1/1 per week, and it was only the statement of the Executive Council that the benefits would have to be reduced that caused the proposition that 1/1 per week be paid for twelve months to be carried.
Grave complaints of loss of time were made, showing how quickly the careless ones had forgotten their past suffering.
The General Council met, the principal alteration being the decision to pay Home Donation to all full members in benefit without the necessity of travelling; but the question was still unsolved, for it remained for a later General Council to put it on a more satisfactory basis, the benefits given being far too large for the amount of contributions paid. Recognising this fact the General Office again made an attempt to get the members to pay increased contributions — an attempt that was defeated, with what dire results was experienced later on.
It was also decided by the General Council that an Assistant Secretary was needed. The members approving, John Rowat was elected, a brief resume of whose life has already appeared.
The period from the beginning of 1871 to the close of 1880 proved a momentous one in the history of the Society. It witnessed the election of R. Knight to the position of General Secretary — a circumstance advantageous to the building up of the Society. Also the election to official life of four old veteran officers — M. Smith, J. O'Neill, and John Rowat being still in harness; the other, R. Roth well, through his accident, now taking a compulsory but well-earned rest.
During that same period many entered the Society who have played, and are now playing, a prominent part in the Society's work as branch and district officials, district delegates and Executive Council men, the present General Secretary also belonging to the latter portion of that period.
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. Ill
JANUARY, 1881, TO DECEMBER, 1890.
The year 1881 opened under favourable auspices, the prevailing opinion being that the years of adversity had come to an end. A strong, healthy trade was undoubtedly springing up, and with feelings of pleasure all were looking forward to the future.
With the beginning of 1881 the Employers' Liability Act, passed in 1880, came into operation. For many years Trade Unionists had been pressing upon the Legislature the necessity of such a measure, and now, after years of persistent agitation and great cost, this measure of scant justice was an accomplished fact.
Efforts were quickly made on the part of the employers to contract out of the Act, and to such an extent was this persisted in that it became necessary for the Parliamentary Committee of the Trades Congress to issue a special warning to the trades, our own Executive joining in urging our members not to act foolishly and by contracting out undo the good that had been effected.
In order to be in a position to meet the expense of resisting refusals to pay compensation for injuries, the " Employers' Liability Expenses Fund," as it was then named, was established — a fund that was kept up until the various levies were merged into one general contribution some twenty years later.
About the middle of the year the Society wisely agreed to admit the Ironworkers of Dumbarton and Sunderland, called Ironshipwrights, into the ranks of the Society — one more step to complete organisation thus being made.
The " corner " system, which had for some time been a bone of contention, now became acute, and the Sunderland Platers, loyally assisted by the Sunderland Ironshipwrights, determined to bring this pernicious system to a conclusion. Under the "corner" system helpers were paid so much per plate or "corner," arid so intolerant had they become that instead of the Platers having control of the helpers, or even their own work, the labourers had become -complete masters of the situation. They would work when they liked, do just as they liked, hurry a plate away improperly finished, and if a Plater ventured to protest they would boycot him by a refusal to work, ultimately driving him from the locality. Efforts were made to settle the dispute by the Platers and the
11 -2 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
Society's officials requesting the helpers to meet in conference, but these over- tures only brought discourteous replies, and the determination was then made to tight on. Later another offer was made, the Platers offering to work at day rates, or at piece rates and pay the helpers time and half, and if neither of these offers were satisfactory to submit the question of payment to an arbitrator: but nothing short of "corner" work would satisfy, and the drastic step was then taken of importing others, the dispute, after being stubbornly contested, wearing itself out. The breaking up of the "corner" system in Sunderland caused the Executive Council to resolve that any Plater working under the "corner" system or its equivalent would be fined £5, and if then persisting in it would be expelled, giving the death-blow to a system that had been costly to the Society and bringing about a change that would, from a monetary standpoint, have been of benefit to the helpers had they been wise enough to accept the change.
The finances of the Society began to rapidly improve, and suggestions were made to drop the Id. extra per week that had for some time been in operation. This suggestion brought an interesting letter from Southampton, in which the members showed the true spirit of Trade Unionism and certainly some foresight when they advocated the retention of the Id. until such time as the funds equalled £2 per member. Despite this the votes went against the continuance of the Id., although the balance in hand was less than 35/- per member.
Another step towards organisation was the admission of the Holders-up, who were not entitled to become full members of the Society under the rules. This section of men had become numerous, and finding they could not become members of the Society had begun to arrange for a separate organisation. The Executive Council, guided by the General Secretary (R. Knight), quickly saw in this a menace of the organisation and warmly advocated their admission under special conditions, their admission being agreed to early in the following year by a large majority, a circular being written later on in the form of a personal appeal to the Holders-up pointing out the benefit the Society would be to them.
During the year it was decided that a delegate should be appointed for the Tees District, Charles Goldson being the chosen one, but his stay with the Society was not of long duration for death claimed him quite early in life.
CHARLES GOLDSON entered the Society in 1868 at Boston, Lincolnshire, and was at the time of his election as district delegate thirty-three years of
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 113
age. In his thirteen years of membership he had worked assidumislv on behalf of the Society, always ready to do any work that was required of him, filling branch and district offices with credit, and winning good opinions from those whom he was from time to time deputed to meet on matters of interest to the members. Within two years of his election he lost his wife and help- mate, he himself departing this life in December, 1886, from an attack of typhoid fever. Having left four little children doubly orphaned, the members generously agreed to a levy of 3d. per member towards their assistance.
Early in 1882 efforts were made to improve the discipline of the members. In some districts vexatious trivial disputes were caused by the sudden holding of meetings in the works or outside in the street, and so irritating had they become that it was deemed necessary to publicly declare shop or street meetings as illegal, unconstitutional, and contrary to rule, and in order to emphasise that position the Society was informed that the decisions of such meetings were not binding upon any of the members.
The strike at Galloway's, Manchester, commenced during this year, bringing about a rupture between the firm and our members, which to this day has not been healed, although Mr. Galloway, the member for one of the Manchester divisions, has recently declared in the House of Commons that he has no objection to Trade Unionism. Overtures have repeatedly been made from the Society, but the long feud has not yet ended — a circumstance which goes to show that strikes do engender a feeling of bitterness which time, the common healer, sometimes fails to successfully assuage.
Again came the request for more district delegates, this time London being one of the applicants, Scotland requesting a second delegate to deal with the steadily growing numbers in that district and to assist in gathering all others into the fold of Trade Unionism. The Society approved, and Thomas F. Allen, son of John Allen, late General Secretary, was elected for the London District.
TOM ALLEN was born in the City of London on September llth, 1831, and became a member of the Society in the year 1850. He early took an interest in the Society's affairs and was deputed on many occasions to do work on behalf of the Society. After a time of privation in the South of England he found his way to the Tyne, serving upon the Executive Council, and was appointed to assist Bro. James O'Neill in the struggle in Sunderland over the "corner" system. Returning to London in 1882, he was soon afterwards, elected to the position of district delegate — a position held up to his retirement, over eighteen years afterwards, at the ripe old age of seventy years. Amongst other work done for the Society all then members will remember the great
114 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
legal fight of Allen versus Flood and the success attained after four years .it' prolonged anxiety — an anxiety shared by others — during which the case was being fought from the lowest to the highest Court of Appeal, viz. the House of Lords. As a retiring testimonial a 2d. levy was agreed to by the members.
JOHN McLAREN was the elect for Scotland. He entered the Society in 1870, and prior to his election had found work for his hands to do in the branch and on the District Committee. He had been a member of the 1877 and 1880 General Councils and the chosen representative of the men on many occasions. He resigned his position in 1889, was again elected some years later, but only served a term of two years when he was superseded by John Hill, and at the present moment serves the Society in a more humble capacity.
A further effort was made to organise by the admission of the Sunderland Ship Smiths, an effort which aroused considerable opposition, F. A. Fox, of Sunderland, who afterwards became District Delegate for South Wales, being one of the chief opponents of their admission. Later on in life, after mature consideration, he acknowledged his error of judgment ; but the mischief was done, and this attempt to bring about more complete organisation by absorbing those who were a menace to the Society's completeness met Avith failure, the votes of the members being against their admission.
The Emblem of the Society was this year issued in colours, the price for a single copy being 4/6, and the black and white prints gradually became things of the past.
The year closed with work plentiful, the Society having made a big advance both in numerical and financial strength.
In April of the following year attempts were made to increase the benefits, an attempt which happily failed. The financial position of the Society was far from being a sound one, and any increase of benefits, without a corresponding increase of contributions, would have brought the Society again to bankruptcy in the next depression, which turned out to be the most severe in the history of the shipbuilding trade. Those who advocated the increase had not profited by the lessons of the past. The recent depression, which gave them a taste of their previous folly, when 7/- per month had to be paid in order to meet the expenditure of reduced benefits, should have convinced them of the necessity of husbanding their resources. Happily the good sense of the majority prevailed and future financial ruin was avoided.
The influence of the Society was gradually spreading, and a number of head draughtsmen applied for admission. The Executive Council suggested
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that head draughtsmen should be admitted as honorary members, but the suggestion was not approved of and an opportunity of future good relationships was thus lost.
By the middle of the year signs were not wanting that a storm was brewing on the Clyde, a severe attack upon the members being made in the Clyde Press. This Press attack was ably defended by R. Knight, 11. Rothwell, and J. Willie, a Govan Plater. The attack upon the Society and its officials was without doubt inspired, for it followed a circular issued to the employers generally by which means the matter was collected which formed the basis of attack. The feeling engendered found its reflex before the year was out ; trade began to decline, and immediately there came a clamour ft.r reductions. The Tyne and Wear employers wanted at one bite a reduction equal to all the advances that had taken place in the preceding four years.
The Tees employers demanded 20 per cent, reduction. The West of Scotland employers demanded 10 per cent., which was to be followed in five weeks by a further 10 per cent, applicable to all Scotland.
A Trade Union, whose name need not be mentioned, advocated the reduction being enforced in order to, as they said, allow the employers to give them an advance — a bit of childish reasoning and Trade Unionism of an extremely low order.
A dispute took place in Dundee, Port Glasgow, and Greenock because of the refusal of the employers to give time for consideration. Ultimately a reduction of 10 per cent, was agreed to early in 1884. This, however, failed to satisfy, for in twelve months the reductions equalled all the advances that had been obtained in four years. When the workmen were slowly obtaining advances of wages the Press, platform, and even the pulpit loudly declaimed against what was termed the greed of men. These same critics had not the good taste to be silent when the employers made such wholesale demands, but found excuses by saying they were the inexorable exigencies of trade — the kind of shallow sophistry that Capital invariably bolsters up Capital with.
Early in 1884 James O'Neill declined to stand re-election for the Tyne and Wear District, Alexander Keith being elected in his stead.
ALEXANDER KEITH entered the Society at Hull in 1871 at the age of twenty- four years, and fulfilled many minor services for the Society prior to being appointed to serve on the Executive Council. While acting as chairman to that body he was sent upon many missions of trust, and was acting as delegate pro tern, at the time of his election. Alexander Keith served as delegate for nearly eight years, the Society losing his services by death in
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the year 1891. His orphan children were provided for by the members agreeing to a levy of 3d. per member for their support.
The year 1884 was the Jubilee year of the Society, and for months efforts had been made to hold a fitting celebration in Newcastle of that auspicious event. It was proposed that the Newcastle demonstration should be of a national character, but bad trade, which had begun at the close of 1883, rapidly grew worse, and so bad did it become that the Jubilee national demonstration at Newcastle was abandoned at the last moment. Preparations for district demonstrations had been proceeding in other centres, and despite bad trade the London, Manchester, and Mersey Districts celebrated the Jubilee in a most praiseworthy manner.
The year 1884 was, however, the most disastrous one for the Society in the annals of Iron Ship Building. A collapse so sudden, so widespread, and so injurious had not been witnessed before. Its blighting effects were felt all over Great Britain and Ireland. Yards and workshops were closed, the ring of riveting hammers was almost unheard, and thousands of workless workmen were walking the banks of the great rivers seeking the work that would not come. Those superficial thinkers who had recently clamoured for increased benefits saw in this one year the accumulated capital reduced by nearly one-half, the out-of-work pay alone increasing from £3,171 in 1883 to £57,205 in 1884, an average of nearly £2 per member. This was followed by two more bad years, at the end of which the funds were in a sadly depleted condition.
During the year 1885 the rules were again revised, at which revision alterations were made that had a beneficial effect upon the financial position of the Society. Prior to that revision Home Donation benefits of equal value were paid to all full members of twelve months' membership providing they were in benefit, and experience had proved that there were many who drew all the benefit possible and then left the Society to rejoin later on, a method by which they paid but little into the funds but could draw considerable sums out. To prevent this the then General Council instituted a system of graduated Home Donation benefits which not only gave to a member of some years' standing a financial status superior to that of a younger member but also gave encouragement to more consistent membership on the part of the careless, who had become so unreliable in their membership. The lessons repeatedly given during previous depressions had at last borne fruit, and it may truly be said that the revision of 1885 marked a turning point in the history of the Society. Although the depression lasted until the close of the year 1886, still the fact remains that from the time the 1885 rules came into operation the Society,
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from a financial standpoint, has never really looked back. True, there have since been periods of depression, during which the Society's funds have been materially reduced, but since the middle of 1886, when the balance in hand only reached a trifle over 15/- per member, the Society has never been on the verge of bankruptcy, neither has the necessity arose to increase the contributions during a depression to save its stability. In conjunction with financial reform a change in policy and ad ministration was being slowly accomplished. Large sums of money had for years been spent on disputes — disputes that in most cases were justified on account of the action of many employers. But the change of policy was necessary ; the hour had come for determined action. The man of the hour was found in the person of Robert Knight, who, looking back upon his fifteen years of continual strife, determined, despite the fact that the employers had insisted upon large and unreasonable reductions, to preach forbearance, educate the members in a belief in conciliation, and prove to the employers that conciliation and reason was best to all concerned. The struggle was a big one. To a large extent success was attained ; and not one who stops to think can deny that this change of policy, coupled with the financial reforms of the 1885 revision, has largely benefited the members and put the Society in a secure financial position, which can ojily be shaken by the present-day adverse decisions — decisions not dreamt of in the days in which these beneficial changes occurred.
During this depression so concerned were the powers that be regarding it that they appointed a Royal Commission to enquire into its causes, but like all other Commissions it failed to find a remedy. This waste of time and money could be passed over without comment were it not for the fact that the Commission had to admit that the unfavourable condition of trade and industry could not in justice be attributed to the action of Trade Unions and similar combinations, which, the Commissioners said, had in recent years been conducted with propriety and judgment.
The year 1886 closed with piece work prices and time rates lower than they had been for twenty years, and may be said to be the lowest point reached during the last forty years of the Society's work.
In the beginning of 1887 Richard Rothwell, whose duties upon the Clyde had become too arduous for his increasing years, replaced Charles Goldson in the Tees District, James Conley, now one of the Society's Labour candidates for Parliamentary honours, being elected to the Clyde.
JAMES CONLEY was born on the 29th May, 1850, in Tow Law, Durham, becoming an indentured apprentice in February, 1867, and entered the Society
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at South Shields in February, 1872. Six months after his initiation he was elected secretary of the branch, later on being appointed district auditor for the Tyne arid Wear District, being the first district auditor appointed by the Society, a position he held with credit for six years. He was secretary of the committee that was instrumental in locating the General Office in Newcastle, and was presented with a purse of gold, gold medallion, and secretaire for the energetic services he rendered. In 1881 he was nominated for Assistant General Secretary but was unsuccessful. Later on he found a seat on the Executive Council, was chairman of that body, and ultimately became again branch secretary, this time for the then newly-opened branch of Shields No. 2 — a position he held until elected Clyde District Delegate in 1887. His work on behalf of the Society in Scotland has been well done, Scotland gradually but surely taking its place among the well-organised districts. One striking proof of his success was a presentation in 1900 of a purse of gold £100 in value, gold albert chain and appendage, travelling bag, and gold-mounted umbrella, which has since shielded him from many a copious shower. Unsuccessful in his efforts for the position of General Secretary, he was successful in obtaining first place as the Society's prospective representative in Parliament, and it is devoutly to be hoped that soon after these lines are in print the magic letters M.P. will be attached to his name. At the moment he is a member of the Partick Town Council and a Justice of the Peace both for Partick and the county, being now known as Bailie Conley, J.P.
During 1887 trade gradually improved, the long depression giving way to a more satisfactory condition of affairs. If it advanced slow it was sure, and the end of the year saw a decrease in the number of unemployed and an increase in the financial condition of the Society. Had the old method of Home Donation been in existence the saving that year of some £3,000 would not have been effected.
The beginning of 1888 witnessed a marked improvement, and quite early in the year a strong, healthy trade was springing up. Wages began to rise all over the country — in some districts not without a stubborn contest — and by the middle of the year there was a great reduction in the unemployed. Hope and joy supplanted the hopeless, workless condition of thousands, and the clang of hammers was everywhere heard with pleasure.
Attention was now drawn towards the question of building permanent offices for the Society, it being stated that for fifty-four years the Society had been without a home, having had a wandering existence, years of change, vicissitude and uncertainty that should be ended. It was agreed to have a
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permanent centre, and in the voting that took place as to where that centre should be Newcastle-on-Tync was an easy first.
During the year the contributions, which had been I (i per week during the depression, were reduced to 1/3 per week to all members in benefit, out-of-benefit members having to pay the extra 3d. per week — a beginning of a system to reduce arrears that has been found to be very effective. The arrears in those days stood at nearly 8/- per member. Evidently the members were more loose in carrying out their obligations than they are to-day, when the arrears per member do not in any way reach one-half of that amount ; and although the penalty of extra contributions has some bearing yet there is still a great amount of credit due to the excellent manner in which the majority of the branch secretaries look after this matter, and do sterling work for the Society in many other directions which can never be adequately paid for, and which the appreciation of their fellow members should always be wholeheartedly given as some slight recompense for their valuable labours on their behalf.
South Wales was the next district to apply for a district delegate, Frank Allen Fox being elected early in 1889.
FRANK A. Fox was born in 1854, joining the Society at Sunderland No. 2 in 1874, he being in 1879 elected as secretary of the branch; later on, in 1882, serving on the Executive Council. Proceeding to South Wales he was instrumental in forming the South Wales District, was elected Secretary of that District Committee, and for two years prior to his election as delegate acted in that capacity whenever the needs of the district required his assistance. During the whole of the time he occupied the position of district secretary he was found doing good work, and his official life as district delegate increased his popularity. Well known throughout the country, he was, on the retirement of R Knight, an easy first in the vote taken for the election of General Secretary, his majority being only a few hundred short of being absolute. Just prior to the second vote he retired from the contest, preferring to take up the position of Technical Delegate for the Bristol Channel Ship Repairers' Employers' Association, a position he still holds. And whatever difference of opinion may exist regarding that action credit must at least be given for the good work done when acting as an official of the Society.
John McLaren having resigned his position of delegate on the Clyde, John Scott was elected in his stead. Born in Glasgow in May, 1843, JOHN SCOTT journeyed to the Tyne when a lad of thirteen years and found employ- ment at Palmers, of Jarrow, in 1856, where he remained employed until elected
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to the officr of District Delegate. He joined the Society at Jarrow in and quickly commenced taking an interest in the Society's business, filling every office from guardian upwards. He sat on the General Councils of 1874 and 1885 and was twice a member of the Executive Board. He fulfilled the position of district delegate for nine years, never having been out of harness prior to his retirement in I8!)8. He is at present working at the trade, and still takes an interest in the work of the Society.
Wages gradually advanced during the year, trade still being in a very prosperous condition. The lost time question agitated the minds of all well- meaning members, and excellent advice was tendered from the General Office. Very little of it bore fruit, for the seed fell on stony soil and did not mature to any real extent, to the regret of those who foresaw great possibilities of future good if all could have been induced to make hay while the sun shone in order to realise a glorious harvesting. A more striking proof of the complete recovery of trade cannot be given than comparing the average percentage of unemployed for the year 1889 with the preceding years. In 1889, 2£ per cent. ; 1888, 7f per cent. ;' 1887, 21£ per cent. ; 1886, 28 per cent. ; 1885, 26f per cent.; and 1884, 23f per cent.
Towards the close of the year a large number of shipbuilding and engineering employers formed themselves into a national federation to, as they said, enable them to deal more effectually with trade questions.
Early in the new year of 1890 another attempt was made to form up a federation of unions engaged in the same trade, the object of the federation being not of an aggressive character but to defend and protect the rights already acquired. Conferences were held, and ultimately the federation of the Engineering and Shipbuilding trades of the United Kingdom became an accomplished fact, under the presidency of R. Knight.
Early in 1890, by a good majority of the members, it was agreed to pay a levy of 10/- per member in order to increase the funds of the Society while trade was good — a wise precaution for the next depression, that ruling industrial conditions make inevitable from time to time.
The General Council Meeting took place during the year, at which were made some needed alterations of detail, the main principles governing the benefits and administration of the Society being left intact.
The General Offices, being completed, were on September 22nd officially declared opened amid scenes of great rejoicing, the following being the photo of the building just prior to its opening and a brief Press account of the proceedings : —
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121
122 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
BOILER MAKERS' AND IRON SHIP BUILDERS' SOCIETY.
OPENING OF PERMANENT PREMISES.
MONSTER DEMONSTRATION IN NEWCASTLE.
The principal streets of Newcastle presented a more than usually lively appearance by the assembly of some 7,000 members of the Boiler Makers' and Iron Ship Builders' Society at the ceremony of opening their new head offices. These are well situated at Jesmond, and under the name of Lifton House there are comprised a very complete, not to say handsome, suite of offices. From many parts of the North of England representatives of the Society began to arrive at the Central Station, Newcastle, about eleven o'clock in the morning, and by noon the huge space from the foot of Grainger Street to the Cattle Market, and extending some distance along Westmorland and Scotswood Roads, was a dense sea of moving people. Each of the sections was being brought into position by the active marshals, working under the personal super- intendence of the General Secretary of the Society, Mr. R. Knight.
From a distance nothing could be observed but the constant wheeling of banners and other emblems carried high above the people's heads, and after these manoeuvres had lasted some time the procession was at last completed and ready to start.
At the order to move forward a dozen bands equally distributed over the whole line commenced to play, and the flying banners, the martial strains of the music, and the tramping of thousands of feet made an imposing and inspiriting scene. Not only were banners carried, but there were some splendid models of ships, bridges, engines, boilers, furnaces, hammers, and other implements of work, all eloquently demon- strative of hardy toil, from which the men who carried them had that day a respite. All the way up to Jesmond large crowds accompanied and followed the procession, and at about one o'clock Lifton House was reached. The great number of the men now entered the football field adjoining, while the ceremony of formally unlocking the door of the building took place in the presence of two or three hundred of the chief delegates.
SIR BENJAMIN BROWNE, who held the key of the door, was accom- panied by the Mayor of Newcastle (Mr. Thomas Bell, J.P.), the Sheriff (Mr. Edward Culley), the ex-Sheriff (Mr. Wm. Sutton), Mr. R. Knight, the General Secretary, and others. Three cheers having been respectively given for these gentlemen, the door was opened amid further cheering. The remainder of the procession then entered the football field, where a
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large concourse of the men had assembled round the grand stand, on which the principal speakers now took their places.
MR. KNIGHT, who was received with cheers, introduced Sir Benjamin Browne, who, he said, had been invited by the Executive Council to pre- side over the meeting.
SIR BENJAMIN was heartily cheered on rising. He said that day was a day on which he must congratulate them all most heartily on the work they had now accomplished. (Cheers.) It was, he considered, a great epoch in the Labour history of the country. It was a great step in advance, and he believed one which hereafter would be remembered with pride and satisfaction by all those who took a real interest in the well- being of the working classes or in the industrial future of this country (Hear, hear.) For himself, he felt humbly thankful and proud for the great honour they had done him that day. He had been engaged nearly the whole of his life in manufacturing industries. All his time had been spent in connection with the working classes, and he felt that the kindness with which they overlooked one's shortcomings, and the kindly feelings which he might believe from that meeting existed between them, was a thing for which one should be sincerely thankful. He was one of the employers of labour who had always with his whole heart believed in and upheld Trade Unionism. (Loud cheering.) For years and years past he had always given his testimony, whatever it was worth, in that direction. The work which had been done in that way in the elevation, the comfort, and improvement of the working classes was something incredible and, moreover, he believed it had done very little, if anything, less for the consolidating and strengthening of trade. Last of all, he believed it was of very great benefit to employers of labour like himself— nay, more, he said frankly that he very much doubted if it would be possible for the enormous enterprises of this country to go on as they did now if the workers were not organised so as to act with unanimity and system all through the country. If every two or three men here and there were to rise up and attempt to carry out the fetish of competition and the law of supply and demand to an unlimited extent, and all the rest of it, he did not believe large industries could go on at all. It was better for everybody that there should be a steady organisation, and then they got the benefit of the experience of men like their friends Mr. Knight and Mr. Burt, who thoroughly understood the needs and interests of the trade, and who made the best they could of the labour market. He believed such a state of things was better for the employers, better for the men, and better for their customers, who were most worthily represented by an influential shipowner like the Mayor. (Cheers.) He
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(Sir Benjamin) congratulated them most heartily on their new offices. It was a bold step to build a permanent place and say, " This is our home and habitation." He was glad the offices were roomy and con- venient, and that there were plenty of rooms in which groups could converse on the many subjects which would come under their notice at committee meetings and conferences. This was often a great aid to the settlement of matters in dispute. He hoped with God's help they might go on together, carrying on the industries of Tyneside, of England, and, indeed, of the world, in a way which would be for the benefit of all concerned, and that the strides which had been made in civilisation and industry in the past few years might be only a small matter compared with the future. (Hear, hear.) He had great pleasure in declaring their building open and wishing them every success. (Cheers.)
THE MAYOR OF NEWCASTLE (Mr. Thos. Bell), in addressing the assemblage, said he was very pleased indeed to be able to take part in that great demonstration. When Mr. Knight did him the kindness of asking him to be present he not only accepted the invitation with pleasure but he considered it was a matter of duty as the chief representative of the people of this great town to be present with them — (hear, hear) — and to recognise and express the satisfaction which the people of Newcastle must feel that they were the centre of a great and important district which was honoured with the great assemblage that day. The Society of Boiler Makers and Iron Ship Builders — one of the most powerful in the country — was a Society connected with what he considered to be the chief industry of this great country — (applause) — for without ships, and without the boilers and the engines which were fitted to navigate these ships, the future prosperity of this country would be in very considerable doubt. He could not instruct them upon the question of shipbuilding, neither could he give an interpretation of their feelings, but he could only say this, that as one who had spent much of his life in the business of the great shipping enterprises of this country he could not but recognise in their Society a very great and powerful element in connection with that industry. (Applause.) That they should assemble there and make this the centre of their business, and that the people of Newcastle should have the honour and the privilege of having as a citizen a man of the great ability of their secretary, Mr. Knight, was a credit to the city. Led and directed by a man of the character and ability of Mr. Knight, their Society was well led, and they might depend upon it that they would never have anything but words of wisdom coming from a gentleman of his capacity — a man who was well acquainted with the requirements of the country and the district, and
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who would recognise, as Sir Benjamin Browne had said, the weaknesses, and the faults, and the sympathies of his fellow men, and would always be ready to recommend them to meet them. (Applause.)
MR. F. A. Fox then moved the following resolution: — "That the best thanks of this meeting are due, and are hereby accorded, to the past and present Executive Councils and the General Secretary for their services in the execution of such a splendid block of buildings for the Society's offices and secretary's residence, as the same is a great credit to our noble Society, and will be a standing monument in future generations of the completeness of our organisations in the latter part of the nine- teenth century." He did not think it required any word of his to commend that resolution. Coming from the romantic hills of Wales, the land of song and ancient history, he himself felt proud of the honour which he felt had been conferred upon him in being asked to move that resolution. He sincerely thanked Mr. Knight and his colleagues on the Executive Council for the kind invitation, and for the opportunity afforded him in attending that splendid gathering — that massive and soul stirring assemblage of the many thousands who together formed a strong and powerful organisation. It was a monument to the men who held aloft the banners of their organisations when the night was the darkest and the storm raging the fiercest. He said with a previous speaker that if it had not been for the shipping of this country, for the shipbuilding industry, if it was not for their splendid navy and merchant fleets, this country — this island home of ours — would dwindle into insignificance. And where would this shipping be were it not for their hardy sons, the Boiler Makers? (Applause.)
MR. CONLEY seconded the resolution. He said he would not attempt to describe his feelings in being there that day, but he little thought eight years ago when they brought their Executive Council from the city of Liverpool that he should ever see the day when such a noble edifice should be erected as that viewed that day. He was sure that the councils both past and present who undertook that work had to consider the pros and cons in every detail, and he could fearlessly say, although some might find fault, that every credit was due to the past and present councils and the General Secretary for the labours expended, and which had been so nobly crowned that day. Very often the finger of scorn had been pointed at Trade Unionism, but if their Society worked in the future as it had done in the past, hand in hand with the employers, it would be acknowledged and dealt with justly. (Hear, hear.) They wanted a better share of the profits of their labour than hitherto. Employers like Sir Benjamin Browne they could always deal with, and
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and he was very glad to say that other employers were coming round to view Trade Unionism in the same light. (Loud applause.)
The resolution was then put to the meeting and carried, amid great cheering.
MR. KNIGHT then briefly addressed the gathering. He said if ever there was one day in his life which called forth his feelings of gratitude it was that day. He saw that day the crowning effort of the labours of years in the past. (Applause.) They had never been able to get for their Society a house of its own until the present time. They had now succeeded, and he was glad to think they were all pleased with it. He thanked the chairman and others who had favoured them with their presence. Sir Benjamin Browne had been spoken of as one of their model employers, but he would like to inform them that they had a very large number of employers as good and as greatly honoured — much as they honoured the name of Sir Benjamin. (Applause.) The fact was that they were getting to know one another better than they had ever done before. It was simply because the employers did not understand Trade Unionism and the objects and aims of working men, and because the employes did not understand the difficulties of the employers, that they looked upon each other as enemies. But of late years they had been drawing gradually closer together — (hear, hear) — and the influence of their Society with the employers was great indeed — and he hoped it ever would be great. (Applause.)
The MAYOR, on behalf of himself and others on the platform, tlmnked the audience for the reception given them that afternoon. The proceedings then terminated with cheering.
Towards the close of the year trade began to decline, the spell of good trade not being of very long duration. Just three years and again evident signs were appearing foreshadowing another period of depression and adversity, but thanks to the lessons of the past, which had been now more inwardly digested, the financial future of the Society was far better assured than it had hitherto been throughout the long years of its history.
The coming slackness caused the overtime question to be considered, and arrangements for its limitation were decided upon and instructions sent out to the members. Working overtime is in no one case either satisfactory or beneficial, and becomes a positive injustice to the out-of-works if carried on unnecessarily during bad trade. Evidently that was the view taken, for strenuous efforts were made to confine it to a very narrow limit, and to some extent the effort was successful.
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JANUARY, 1891, TO AUGUST 20TH, 1904.
Early in the year 1891 the Apprentices question claimed serious attention, and instructions were issued stating that no one was to be admitted a full member who had not served five years continuously as an apprentice to the trade prior to arriving at the age of twenty-three years, in one firm if possible, and must have entered the yard or shop prior to the age of sixteen years. Notices dealing with various aspects of the question were from time to time issued throughout the year, which were continued well into the year 1892, and instances given of firms employing more apprentices than journeymen — one firm in particular having thirty-three apprentices in their small shipyard and only five journeymen in their employ. However, the evil was not in any way abated, and towards the close of 1892 an Apprentice Card was issued and instructions given that they were to be used at the beginning of 1893. This Apprentice Card contained the following information on main principles :— After January, 1893, no one was to be admitted a member of the Society who had not been supplied with one of these cards.
Cards were only to be issued in accord with the number of apprentices allowed by the rules, viz. one apprentice to five journeymen. The card was to be stamped at the beginning of each quarter. Apprentices were to stay with one firm the whole of their time. No one was to be allowed to work with the tools and learn the trade who was not in possession of the card.
This raised the ire of the employers, and a strongly worded letter was sent by the Employers' Federation. A conference was asked for and agreed to, the result of the conference being that the Apprentice Cards were withdrawn on the following resolution being agreed to : —
We consent to withdraw the Apprentice Card at once on condition that the employers will appoint a committee to meet a committee from our Society, to settle the whole Apprentice question satisfactorily to both parties.
Instructions were at once given not to issue the card, and some months later the proposed terms of the agreement were carried by a large majority of the members.
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The shipyard agreement was signed on the llth October, 1893, and the boilershop agreement in the following December. The shipyard agreement laid down the following general principles: — Five years' apprenticeship was to be served in one firm prior to arriving at the age of twenty-three years. Apprentices should be indentured; work on new or old work on time or piece at the discretion of his employer, and not belong to the Society while apprenticed except for benefit purposes. A restriction of two apprentices to every seven journeymen was agreed to, but it definitely stated that such restriction was not to apply to boilershops or bridgeyards. The agreement was to remain in force for six years, not any provision being made for a renewal.
The boilershop agreement differed in the two particulars just mentioned, viz. a restriction in numbers was not agreed to in the boilershops and a clause was added which made it impossible for the agreement to lapse unless a notice of six months was given to terminate it.
Unfortunately in 1899 the shipyard agreement was allowed to lapse, no attempt having been made to renew it until the beginning of the year 1900, when the action of some of the employers, who suddenly began to violate the terms of the agreement, caused the knowledge that we were without any agreement to be brought vividly before the Society. Immediately efforts were made to obtain an agreement upon the same lines as the one that had lapsed, and conferences, including all the officials and district representatives, were held, R. Knight, who, at the beginning of 1900 vacated the position of General Secretary and was then Consulting Secretary, being present through- out the whole of the negotiations to assist. Despite all efforts the Shipbuilding Employers' Federation (who were now a much more strongly organised body) refused to agree to any restriction, and the Society had to be content with a modified agreement somewhat on the lines of the boilershop agreement, and what little privilege was conceded in giving the right to complain against over-stocking has been practically destroyed by a false interpretation put upon Clause 6 by the Employers' Federation until the agreement has become practically worthless, and unless some modification of that interpretation is conceded, may early end in its abolition.
To go back to 1891, trade was now declining. Towards the middle of the year notices of reduction caused attention to be once more called to the necessity of having some general understanding with the employers to regulate these matters. The advocacy of some such arrangement was first spoken of during the awful times of the depression of 1884 to 1886, and although a better understanding now existed on the North-East Coast of England, still the time was not yet quite
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 129
ripe for such an arrangement, but the Society was being gradually brought to believe more and more in Boards of Conciliation as opposed to the old-time method of the strike.
The carrying of oil in bulk was now becoming quite general, and as sufficient care was not being taken when these oil-carrying steamers were being repaired, many accidents happened, which caused the following instruction to be given : — That on all oil tank steamers the minimum rates payable are to be : Platers 15/- per day, Riveters and Caulkers 12/6 per day, and Holders-Up 10/- per day; this decision being come to in order to compel measures being taken to ensure the safety of the men working on this class of steamer, and which formed the basis of an agreement later on.
The Staffordshire District pleaded for a district delegate to be again elected to better organise that portion of the country, a plea that met with favour, William Sharrocks being the choice of the members.
WILLIAM SHARROCKS entered the Society at Gorton, in 1871, at the age of twenty-one years, and is the son of one of that little band of pioneers who first formed up the Society in 1834. William entered into the work of the Society very early in life, filling many branch offices, and while District Secretary of the Manchester District, was deputed by the Executive Council upon many occasions to attend to disputes in that district, and upon other occasions deputed to assist some of the district delegates on important missions. He served on the General Council on three separate occasions, presided over their deliberations in 1885, and received practical appreciation of the respect in which he is held in the shape of testimonials from those amongst whom he has laboured. He has for many years attended the Trades Union Congress, making the question of Trade Union rates and conditions on Government and Municipal work his very own. Massive in proportions, genial in manner, to be seen and heard is for him to be always remembered.
Before the year closed death claimed the Tyne District Delegate, Alexander Keith, he dying with inflammation of the brain, after a short illness. He left to mourn his loss, a wife and seven children, six of whom were unable to do anything towards earning a livelihood. The Society generously came to their assistance by agreeing to a levy of 3d. per member, the sum thus raised being sufficient to render material help to the children until they were in a position to help themselves.
R. DUNN, who was elected early in 1892 to fill the position vacant by Alexander Keith's death, entered the Society in 1872, and from that time until he resigned his position as district delegate in the year 1900, was
130 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
constantly in office. He was three times elected to serve on the Executive Council, represented that body on the General Council of 1885, and was during one term of office chairman of that Executive Council. At other times he sat upon the District Committee, was twice its chairman, and often called to assist in settling various questions in the district. After his election he, by steady methodical ways, was enabled to accomplish a large amount of work, and many with whom he worked deeply regretted that he decided to give up his certainly onerous duties to become the technical delegate for the Tyne Ship Repairing Employers' Association. At present he is the senior technical delegate for the joint ship builders and ship repairers of the Tyne district, and is in robust health.
During the year imperative instructions were given that Riveters must see that their Holders-up become members of the Society. A society of Holders-up existed in Scotland on a small scale, who ultimately were induced to see that their interests were best served by joining the Society — another slight gathering-in of those outside the fold, marking another step, if small, towards the goal of complete organisation.
The Society was at this period honoured by the appointment of its General Secretary, R. Knight, and the Wear District Delegate, James O'Neill, to the position of Justices of the Peace, they being practically among the first batch of workmen Justices of the Peace appointed in the North of England.
A dispute took place in the hill district of South Wales, which is worth recording. The South Wales Delegate, in the course of his labours, discovered that the Boiler Makers working at the Ebbw Vale, Dowlais, Tredegar, Blaenavon, and Rhymney steel works, were little better off than slaves. Fastened to the locality they were forced to accept whatever the rich combination of millionaire employers offered them, their wages for a 54- hours week being as low as 17/-, and in no case exceeding 19/2. Frank Fox determined to organise these men, and, having the assurance that the Executive would assist, the task was undertaken. The men joined; an advance was asked for and refused, and war declared by a strike commencing at the Ebbw Vale works on January llth, 1892, which extended later on to the other works, and there was then entered into one of the most stubborn, and certainly most just, contests, from a workmen's standpoint, between Capital and Labour in the history of the Society. Winter gave way to spring, spring to summer, and winter again came round, but still the fight went on until all concerned grew weary of the struggle, but defeat in so righteous a cause could
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 131
not be for one moment entertained. After a fourteen months' struggle a desperate, but happily an effectual, remedy was found by the issue of the following : —
We therefore give notice that on and after May 13th, 1893, we will not work, use, or manipulate any iron or steel plates or angles manufactured by the Dowlais Co. ; neither will we execute repairs on any vessels engaged in carrying iron ore to these shores for the said company until the wages question at Dowlais is satisfactorily settled. This latter sentence applies to vessels carrying iron ore for the Blaenavon and Ebbw Vale Companies.
Before this was done every effort to arrive at an amicable understanding had failed, in fact these rich companies absolutely refused to meet or treat in any way with a deputation consisting of the General Secretary of the Society and the general secretaries of other societies who had become implicated in the struggle.
The issue of the notice, which was practically a boycott, caused the Shipping Federation to make strenuous attempts to get the repair dock owners to close all their docks, but the attempt failed, and the Society publicly stated that when the rich companies of steel works were prepared to treat, then the embargo upon the shipping trade would be removed. Influence was brought to bear and in two months three of the chief companies capitulated, making a substantial increase of wages and abolishing an obnoxious sliding scale that had been conceived in the interest of the employers and was a method by which the men were slavishly enthralled, thus ending a struggle of sixteen months' duration, in which the General Secretary and the Executive Council rendered valuable help, backed by the self-sacrifice of the members throughout the Society, without which the victory would not have been won, It is all the more creditable because that victory was won and those sacrifices made during a falling market and bad trade, and when many who refused to work upon the boycotted vessels stood actually in need of good, solid, and sustaining food.
The beginning of 1893 also marked a fresh step in Trade Union circles. Mr. John Burnett had for some six years been the Labour correspondent of the Board of Trade, and in response to repeated requests from Trade Unionists and Co-operators to put the Labour Bureau, as it was then called, on a more satisfactory basis, the President of the Board of Trade, Mr. Mundella, gladdened the hearts of the Trades Congress deputation in January, 1893, by stating that it was the intention to create a Labour Department, with a Commissioner of Labour, a chief Labour correspondent, and three additional Labour
132 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
correspondents and a staff of clerks, with local correspondents in large provincial towns, and to also issue a Monthly Labour Gazette.
Mr. Llewellyn Smith was appointed Commissioner of Labour and general supervisor of the department, Mr. John Burnett being appointed chief Labour correspondent. Some few weeks afterwards the General Secretary, R. Knight, was pressed by the President of the Board of Trade to accept one of the new positions of additional Labour correspondents to assist in the work of the department — an offer he declined, preferring to put in a few more years of work on behalf of the Society rather than in the service of the Government.
Early in the year an attack upon Trade Unions was successfully resisted by the unions concerned known as the Temperton v. Russell case. Temperton, a master builder, sued Russell and others of the building trade societies, both in their individual capacity and as representatives of the societies to which they belonged, charging them with having induced certain persons to break their contracts, induced workmen to leave his employ, and induced other persons not to use his goods. Besides damages he also claimed an injunction. The appeal against the judge's decision in the lower courts was heard before Lord Chief Justice Coleridge and Justice Hawkins, who, in granting the appeal, stated that Parliament again and again had said that these men had the right of combination, and if it was sought to put down Trade Unionism it was for those who wished to do so to appeal to the Legislature. There was no rule which authorised the plaintiff to sue the defendants as representing the members.
Viewing what has happened since, viz. the determination to weave around Trade Unions a net of legal difficulties and disabilities, one thought comes uppermost, and that is, that an opportunity was here missed of getting re-stated through the Legislature a proper definition of the Trade Union position, backed by the supreme law authority, the law lords of the House of Lords. Had such been done the position of Trade Unionists would not have been what it is to-day. The year 1893 closed with thousands of the members being unemployed, many reduced to the brink of starvation, and the streets of the cities and towns in shipping districts crowded with multitudes of willing workers unable to find the labour necessary to provide their families and themselves with the necessities of life.
The payment for repairs on oil vessels, which had been for some time a bone of contention, was settled upon a definite basis, an agreement having been arrived at at a conference held in Newcastle in December, 1893, which was drawn up and signed at 7, Grey Street, Newcastle, on 12th January, 1894, and
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 133
which fixed upon a definite basis the rates of payment that had repeatedly been published as an instruction to the members for some two or three years. In addition to fixing the rates it also provided that an expert's certificate of safety should be obtained daily and posted in a conspicuous place, thus lessening the chance of future injuries and fixing rates for work necessarily done at piece work speed on a fair and equitable basis.
For some few years the Trades Union Congress had been agitating for an Act to be passed exempting from Income Tax the invested provident funds of Trade Unions, and a Bill having that object in view was prepared and entrusted to Mr. George Ho well, M.P. to pilot through the House of Commons. His efforts having been successful, the right of Trade Unions to reclaim Income Tax deducted from investments of Trade Unions applied in payment of provident benefits became law.
The Act has been of especial benefit to the Society, for the first year it became law the General Secretary was enabled to reclaim £77 11s. 5d., which increased in varying sums until we were actually enabled to obtain for the year ending April, 5th, 1903, no less a sum than £480 12s. 5d. as returned Income Tax. The total amount claimed since the Act came into force on January 1st, 1894, until April 5th, 1904, is over £2,200, for which sum the Society has, with others, to thank the joint Trade Union and political action, as represented by the Trades Union Congress and undertaken by them on behalf of Trade Unionism.
The time was fast arriving to bring into operation an agreement that had been from time to time foreshadowed — to regulate wages advances and reductions, and to prevent vexatious disputes. For some years the General Secretary and the Executive had preached against illegal disputes, advocated their suppression, and issued instructions of a very decisive character, and for quite two years the following notice had appeared periodically through the columns of the Monthly Report :—
We have often cautioned our members against leaving their work
without first getting the Council's sanction or even consulting their
district delegate. In the. future, when such cases occur, we shall most
certainly punish the offenders.
District delegates must not make any new demands on employers
without first receiving the Council's sanction.
and despite the fact that summary punishment was threatened very little improvement was accomplished, for on the very eve of an agreement being arrived at an even more drastic notice was issued.
134 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
The result of the negotiations between the employers and the Society's officials was the signing on July 5th, 1894, of the arrangement that is now commonly known as the North-East Coast agreement. Briefly, the object of the agreement was to regulate the alteration in wages, sectional or individual disputes, and to provide machinery to deal with changing conditions in ship construction and increased or decreased facilities for accomplishing work. The agreement was brought into operation by the majority vote of the whole Society; most of the North-East Coast branches were opposed to it, and before long the Society was being circularised against it, which caused an exhaustive explanation in reply to be issued to the members, in which it was necessary to refresh the failing memories of some of the opponents by a publication of the enormous reductions that took place prior to the Executive determining to try and obtain a better understanding with employers and a recognised system of dealing with these questions. The Society having voted, and thus authorised the signing of the agreement, the Executive refused to take a re-vote, and the matter ended as far as any official and adequate protest could be made. The agreement as then drafted is still in operation.
Towards the close of 1894 proposals were made to sever our connection with the Trades Congress, and these proposals having the approval of the officials at the General Office a vote was taken on the famous South Shields No. 2 resolu- tion:— " That this meeting, seeing the altered composition and aims of the Trades Union Congress during the past few years, considers that it has ceased to be of any value to us as a Society, as it no longer represents our views," was put to the Society, and carried by a majority of those voting.
The proposals to break away from Congress were undoubtedly the outcome of the representatives' report, who reported strongly against the Congress's doings; but objection was soon taken to the decision as the representatives were not elected representatives, and the resolution of South Shields No. 2 simply expressed an opinion, but did not put to the members the direct issue of " Shall we sever our connection with the Trades Union Congress ? "
Gallant little Wales stepped into the breach, circularised the members, and the General Council who met in the middle of 1895 determined to again take the opinion of the Society, with the result that the previous decision was defeated by a very large majority, and a rule made that preserved unbroken the connection with the Trades Congress, and made imperative the election of the delegates by the votes of the members, setting aside the method of selection that had previously been in operation.
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 135
The General Council of 1895, among other alterations, came to the decision to create an Executive of permanently paid officials to administer the rules of the Society, such Executive to be elected from seven electoral districts of almost equal voting power, thus abolishing the system that had been in operation ever since the formation of the Society of electing the Executive Council from the district in which the General Office was situated.
They also made a great alteration in the payment of Superannuation, bringing into existence a levy of Id. per week per member, in order to increase the Superannuation payments. Prior to the 1895 revision, and indeed up to the close of 1898, the Superannuation paid was from 4/- to 7/- per week, according to length of membership, being for twenty-five years 4/- per week, graduating until forty years was reached and a payment of 7/- per week. As a result of the decision of the 1895 General Council, Superannuation now commences at 6/- per week, and reaches ll/- per week for forty years' membership.
' The depression that had been going on for some few years now began to ebb away, giving place to a more satisfactory state of trade, the lowest point of this depression being reached in March, 1895.
Water-tube boilers had begun to make headway in the country, the construction of which had caused some irritation and friction with another trade. Conferences were held, but as a settlement was not arrived at the matter was unanimously submitted to the arbitration of D. J. Dunlop, Esq., Engineer and Shipbuilder, whose award was loyally accepted by the two trades concerned, a copy of which will be found in the concluding pages under the heading of "Interesting Arbitration Awards and Agreements."
The request now came from the West Riding of Yorkshire for the appointment of a district delegate, which met with the approval of the members generally. The writer being then resident in London was approached by some influential members in that district to allow himself to be nominated for that position, at first refusing. He ultimately consented, was elected by a large majority, and thereupon took up the duty of Yorkshire District Delegate. It is difficult for one to write about himself, but for the information of those who desire to know something of the writer's early history the following extract from a recent number of Reynolds' s Newspaper
may fulfil that purpose : —
D. C. CUMMINGS.
" DAVE," as he is known to all his intimates, was born at Greenwich in December, 1861. His first educational experience was gained at
136 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
Roan's School, and he was afterwards transferred to one of the London Board Schools. Here he headed the list of scholarships for the Greenwich division in December, 1874. On leaving school in 1875 he was apprenticed at Rennie's shipbuilding yard, and in the year 1880, at the age of nineteen years, joined the Boiler Makers' and Iron and Steel Ship Builders' Society. He entered with all the ardour and sincerity of youth into the work of his own Trade Union. The educational facilities he had enjoyed stood him in good stead, and at the age of twenty-one years he was called upon to act as a branch officer. As such he soon became well known, and the next step was to represent his Society on the London Trades Council. He was very soon placed on its Executive, where he did good work. He was strongly pressed to run for the London County Council as the colleague of Burns, Crooks, Steadman, Sidney Webb, and others, but family considerations prevented. In 1895, at the request of the Yorkshire District of his Society, he gained the position of Yorkshire District Delegate and Organiser. He was thus brought in contact with the leaders and the rank and file of the Trade Unionists of Leeds and district. Here he quickly became popular, and before he had resided in Leeds two years he was elected as Labour member of the Leeds School Board. His friends tried to persuade him to run for the City Council, but holding the opinion that the interests of the Society demanded his first consideration, this honour he was compelled to decline. His ability and earnestness won for him golden opinions in Yorkshire, and when the general secretaryship became vacant he was urged to stand forward, obtaining that position in December, 1899, the members in Yorkshire and Grimsby, amongst whom he had laboured so well for some years, presented him, on his leaving to take up his secretarial duties, with a mark of their appreciation and goodwill.
The year 1895 was happily brought to a close with definite signs of improving trade.
Early in 1896 the Belfast and Barrow members were given the opportunity of electing a district delegate, H. Howard being ultimately the chosen one, after a series of elections brought about by the election in the first instance of one who had to tender his resignation in a few weeks as unfit for the duties he had been elected to fulfil.
HARRY HOWARD was born in County Antrim, Ireland, in the year 1853, and unfortunately lost both parents early in life, which made his early upbringing a severe experience. He joined the Society at Partick No. 1 in 1877, and was soon transferred to Whiteinch at the opening of that branch, he being elected branch president within two years, and from that time was continually in harness in some capacity or other. Leaving Scotland, he journeyed to Barrow, where
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 137
his worth both as a workman and an official was quickly recognised, and inanv wore the deputations he formed a member of. Elected to the General Council of 1895, he made his presence felt and received the grateful thanks of the Barrow members for his labours. Elected to the position of district delegate in 1896, he had to remove to Belfast, ultimately finding his larger sphere of action as a permanent official of the Society in the county and country in which he first saw the light. He has laboured incessantly for the benefit of the members in the district, and Belfast and Barrow have to thank him for the good he has accomplished. Like many men of the Emerald Isle, he is impulsive and generous; and though, like mankind generally, liable to err, nevertheless his desire always is to improve and benefit his fellow-man.
Trade was still improving, and advances of wages now became general. Future prospects were bright and cheerful, and month by month throughout the year came news of ever increasing trade and a decrease in the number of unemployed.
Towards the close of the year the new Executive, consisting of paid officials each representing one of the seven electoral districts, was elected, and at the beginning of 1897 commenced the new era, the old order thus giving place to the new.
The membeivs of the last Executive Council under the old order of things were — C. Laws, J. Corbett, W. Pye, G. Gates, J. Matthews (Council's Referee), G. T. Redhead (Council's Treasurer), and M. Charlton (Chairman).
For over sixty-two years the Executive Council had been chosen from the immediate districts in which the General Office had from time to time been situated — Manchester, Liverpool, and Newcastle (with 'Sunderland) having shared that honour. And in leaving that long period of our history some little mention must be made of the members of the last Executive under the old regime who shared with the General Secretary the responsibility of governing what had now for some years become a great Trade Union organisation.
MATTHEW CHARLTON entered Sunderland No. 1 in the year 1882 and was almost immediately put into office harness, serving in various capacities, and elected in 1895 upon the Executive Council. He served until the close of 189(5, being chairman the last twelve months, and was one of the youngest if not the youngest member who had ever held that position. He has since found congenial work in his branch and serves the interest of Labour upon a public body.
G. T. REDHEAD entered the Society in 1878 at Newcastle, held many branch offices, was often elected to serve on deputations on wage and other
10
138 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
questions, served <>u the District^Committee, and did his duty well upon all occasions. When a member of the Executive Council he, as treasurer, kept a watchful eye on the finances of the General Office.
JOSEPH MATTHEWS acted as the Council's Referee, and as he was elected upon the new Executive and afterwards became Tyne District Delegate a brief sketch of his career appears upon a later page.
CtJTHBERT LAWS entered the Society in 1872 at Newcastle and served in all the branch offices except secretary and treasurer, serving on the old Executive during its last term with credit to himself.
J. CORBETT entered the Society in 1880, held various offices, and had been for years an active and well-known member in the Tyne District before becoming a member of the Executive, and is still doing useful work in the Society's interest.
W. PYE was born July 8th, 1857, joining the Society at Howdon in 1877. Removing to Sunderland, he served in many minor offices, and later as president of his branch. He was one of the first representatives on the Wear District Committee, and was three times elected to serve on the Executive ; often on wages and other conferences, and has in other directions found useful work to do.
G. B. GATES, General Trustee and one of the old Executive, entered early in the year 1880 at Howdon and soon became an energetic member of the Society. Every branch office except that of secretary has been filled by him, and in several shops and yards upon the Tyne he has acted as shop steward. On wages committees and upon deputations on wages questions he has done excellent work ; on District Committees and as Executive representative he has also given satisfaction. Besides being for years one of the General Trustees he is continually serving in some office or other, his recent labours as Chairman of the Riveting Repair List Committee being much appreciated.
AARON FORREST, General Trustee, entered the Society in the year 1870 at the age of twenty-two years and was quickly in office. At one time when leaving office to take up a position as foreman he received a handsome testimonial from his fellow-members and the Emblem of the Society from the Executive Council. He has been often on the District Committee and several times District Secretary, and was a member of the first Executive Council in the Tyne District. He has been one of the General Trustees from the first and is still acting in that capacity ; has been on several deputations to employers, special auditor for the district, and has represented the Society at the Trades Congress. He still finds much useful work to do.
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
139
THE OLD EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, 1896, AND GENERAL TRUSTEES.
JOSEPH MATTHEWS.
CUTHBERT LAWS.
J. CORBETT.
W. PYE.
140
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
THE OLD EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, 1896, AND GENERAL TRUSTEES.
MATTHEW CHARLTON, Chairman.
G. T. REDHEAD Treasurer.
G. B. DATES, E.C. and General Trustee.
A. FORREST, General Trustee.
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
1 11
MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL (NEW ORDER).
A. COLQUHOUN (1897).
G. ELLIS (1897).
J. BREMNER (1897),
R. W. LINDSAY (1897).
MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL (NEW ORDER).
^fP ft^Efl
A. LAMBIE (1897).
W. RYAN (1901).
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 143
GEORGE ELLIS first saw the light on April 19th, 1860, at Shrewsbury. Leaving school at the early age of eleven years, he followed various occupations until his father's family removed to Crewe, which gave him the opportunity at the age of fifteen years to become an apprentice in the boilershop at the London and North-Western Railway Works. At the age of twenty-two yeara he journeyed to London and found employment in the Great Eastern Railway Works at Stratford, becoming a member of London No. 4, soon taking a prominent interest in the work of his branch and holding most of the branch offices. Representing his branch upon the District Committee he was elected secretary, and held that position for two years. Taking an interest in outside work he was appointed upon the Local Trades Council, was instrumental in forming a branch of a friendly society, becoming its first branch secretary. In 1890 he became connected with the interchange privilege ticket movement, became its chief secretary, the success of that movement being to a large extent due to his efforts. Nominated for a seat on the new Executive he was triumphantly returned on the first vote, becoming the first chairman. In Newcastle he takes an interest in Co-operation, Labour Co-partnership, the Workmen's Train movement, and other work which he deems of benefit to his fellows.
THOMAS WATERTON came into the world at Hoyland Nether, Yorkshire, on July 14th, 1848. Going to school at an early age he remained until sixteen years, finishing his education at Ashcroft Academy. Apprenticed at Milton and Elsecar Boiler Works he entered the Society at Sheffield in February, 1871, and was in a few months elected to the office of Sick Visitor. He took part in the agitation for the nine-hours day, warmly defending that principle. Later on he was appointed branch auditor for some few terms, and was in 1884 appointed branch secretary, but a severe illness compelled him to early relinquish that appointment and give up other good work in which he was engaged. After recovery he obtained an appointment as foreman, and spent many years in a similar position in various Yorkshire firms, and on more than one occasion received a substantial token of the respect and esteem of the members employed under him. Becoming a member of the Stanningley branch he again interested himself in the work of the Society, and represented Stanningley on the Yorkshire District Committee, upon which committee he was appointed treasurer, a position he held until elected upon the Executive Council at the close of 1896. He takes an outside interest in national and local politics, is greatly interested in Co-opevation, takes a warm interest in the Lifeboat movement, and renders support to other efforts to benefit humanity.
144 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
R. W. LINDSAY is a native of Hartlepool, and was born in that old town on the 26th October, 1868. He commenced to serve his apprenticeship in February, 1877, and entered the Society in the Hartlepool No. 1 branch on August 26th, 1882, just prior to arriving at the age of nineteen years. In the year 1888 he made his way to Sunderland, and worked in both boilershops and shipyards in that district. He early took an interest in the Society's work, holding several branch offices and on several occasions fulfilling the duties of shop steward. Joining Sunderland No. 4 in 1885 he was at once induced to take office, and in the year 1891 became secretary of that branch, a position he held with credit up to becoming a member of the Executive Council. He represented the 'Wear District on the General Council of 1895, and took an active part in the revision of the rules. During the same year he was prominently connected with an attempt made in Sunderland to ^obtain a Boiler Makers' Hall, his contention being that a central meeting place would solidify the members in the district. Had trade been good the effort would have been successful and the benefits of such an institution have been long since experienced. In Newcastle he now takes an active interest in politics, housing of the people, municipalisation and workmen's trains extension.
JOSEPH MATTHEWS was born in 1859. He entered the Society at Jarrow in the year 1880, at the age of twenty-one years. Being ready with his pen and quick at figures he early found scope for his abilities as branch auditor, a position he occupied for some years. He found work to do in other directions, representing his branch upon the Local Trades Council, on other work of a social character, and as shop steward was noted for the excellence of his judgment. He presided over the destinies of his branch upon many occasions, found a larger scope for his abilities upon the District Committee, whose secretary he became. In 1895 he found a seat upon the Executive, and when the Society determined to have an Executive of paid officials Joseph was the first choice of the vast majority of the Tyne members. When, in 1900, Richard Dunn vacated his position of Tyne District Delegate "Matthews is the man " was the first thought of the majority of Tyne members, and bowing to their wishes he vacated his position on the Executive to take up the onerous duties of district delegate in what was then the largest district in the whole Society. In the year 1903 he left his position to take up a responsible position of trust in a repairing establishment, and as a proof of the approbation of the Tyne members a handsome testimonial to Mrs. Matthews and himself was presented in May, 1904.
ANDREW LAMBIE, bora in I860. He entered the Society at Port Glasgow in October, 1881, at the age of twenty-one years, and was within
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 145
twelve months from his entry elected to a brunch office. For yeans he steadily worked in the interests of the Society, fulfilling every duty satisfactorily, and occupying as the years rolled by every branch office of distinction. As well as attending to his branch members he found time to take his part in the larger sphere of District affairs, and when the Society decided upon a Permanent Executive he was the choice of No. 2 Electoral District for that important office. Not being re-elected three years later he returned to Port Glasgow and again took up branch work, and is at present again acting as secretary for his branch. Ever since the first twelve months of his membership he has been continually in office, and whatever the future may hold for him — be it a branch office or a more important and responsible position — Andrew can be relied upon to do his duty in the way he conceives such duty should be done.
ALEX. COLQUHOUN was born in Glasgow in 1858, in which city he learned his trade. At the age of twenty-two he joined the Society at Glasgow No. 2, removing to Campbeltown early in 1882. At Campbeltown he quickly took office, and after holding minor positions became in turn secretary and chairman of the branch. The slack times of 1884 compelled a return to Glasgow, Alex. on this occasion joining Glasgow No. 4. Again he interested himself in the Society's work, serving the branch in various capacities as well as representing it upon the Clyde District Committee. Half-way through the year 1886 he undertook the duties of branch secretary, a position he continued to hold until elected upon the Executive Council at the close of the year 1896. While holding the position of secretary he was to be found warmly interested in all movements for the benefit of his fellows, using* the experience he had gained in his working life at nearly all classes of work undertaken by a Riveter and Caulker for the good of those with whom he lived. He strongly advocates direct Labour representation, and hopes to see the day when the workers have realised their need for adhesion and are consistently using their power to better the conditions of the greatest number, viz. the working population of the Empire.
JOHN BREMNER was born in Leith in the year 1853, and after serving his apprenticeship entered the Society at Dundee in February, 1874. Trade being slack he journeyed to London and was for some time a member of the Millwall branch. Returning to Dundee he found employment on the ill-fated Tay Bridge, afterwards finding employment in various shops and yards on the North-East Coast of England, finally settling in Liverpool after a somewhat wandering and chequered career. As a member of Liverpool No. 1 he held
146 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
several offices, vacating the position of president to take up the duties of secretary of the newly-opened branch of Liverpool No. 8, remaining in that position until elected as a member of the present Executive Council. He represented the Mersey District on the General Council of 1895 — a Council memorable on account of so many of its members being afterwards elected to prominent official positions in the Society. He was again a member of the General Council of 1900, representing the Executive Council on that body. In addition to his knowledge of the United Kingdom he has had the experience of foreign travel — at one time out in Geneva erecting a yacht on the lakes, at other times in the capacity of a sea-going Boiler Maker, visiting many countries. His advice to young men is to travel before finally settling down, thus obtain the experience for doing good work for the Society, and to always endeavour to do all things well.
DAVID REID, after having served five years as an indentured apprentice with Messrs. Scott and Co., Greenock, joined the Society in the early part of 1889. Taking an active interest in the Society's work he was quickly called upon to act as shop steward and took a goodly share in the work that was then done in completing the organisation of the men employed in the boiler works of that company, having the pleasing experience of seeing every man working at the trade members of the Society. He held various minor offices in the branch before being elected president, and afterwards became secretary, a position he held for about six years, receiving on every special audit a " very good " report. He represented Greenock No. 3 upon the Trades and Labour Council, taking a lively interest in all questions of good for his fellow-workers. He took a leading part in bringing the four Greenock branches under one roof, thus lessening the causes of friction and increasing the comfort of the members. As a member of the Hall Committee he greatly assisted in getting together a good library for the instruction and interest of the Greenock members. He represented his branch at many conferences on wages and other questions, the experience standing him in good stead since his election to the Executive Council at the close of 1899.
WILLIAM RYAN first cast his eyes upon this troublous world in the North of England July, 1862, but before reaching the age of twelve years his parents removed to Southampton, he serving his apprenticeship as a Plater at Messrs. Oswald and Co.'s. He became a member of the Society at Woolston, in which branch he quickly took office. Leaving Woolston he journeyed to London, and for some time was a member of London No. 11, proceeding later to Cardiff. He again travelled back to the vicinity of Southampton, finding employment at
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 147
East Cowes, at that time a disorganised place. After his entry a branch was speedily opened, and he with others quickly put the place on a more satisfactory basis. Returning to the district of his birth he settled down at Howdon-on- Tyne, and soon became known as an energetic member of the district, serving in several branch offices, upon the District Committee, and upon many important conferences for the Society's good. He was chairman of the Tyne District Committee when Joseph Matthews resigned that position, and was the next choice of the Tyne members as Executive representative, a position he has held ever since.
Attention had for some time been directed to the admittance of Light Plate Workers into the ranks of the Society, and excellent reasons were given for their admittance. A vote of the members was taken, which resulted in a majority deciding in favour of their admission. It was decided that they were to form a section by themselves and to be admitted as individuals and not as a Society, and early in 1897 the following rules were drawn up for their guidance : —
LIGHT PLATE WOKKERS.
1. All Light Plate Workers must be admitted into the Society according
to the Society's rule, without exception.
2. All men so admitted must confine themselves to the class of work
they are at present engaged upon.
3. When they remove from one district to another to work they will
have to conform to the bye-laws recognised in each district as to .the question of demarcation of work and all other bye-laws in
existence that may in any way affect them.
The gathering of these men into the Society has not met with unqualified success ; the failure to do so may be found in the rather rigid restrictions. The work these men undertake is ever increasing, and the work they do is certainly of a good — or, to put it in the words of the advocates of their admission, " of a tasty character." Greater efforts will yet have to be made to include them, and without doubt a lessening of the restriction, by permission being given allowing them to progress after five years' membership upon the ordinary conditions of progression, and in addition an assurance that another qualified Light Plate Worker member should take the place of the progressed one, would materially aid in their complete organisation.
Thursday, March llth, 1897, was a red-letter day in the annals of the Society, and in the life of Robert Knight, for the evening of that day
148 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
witnessed a, gathering of representative members and officials from all corners of the three Kingdoms to do honour to him and commemorate his sil\< T jubilee of office. The employers were represented by Mr. Bone, who officiated as chairman, Sir Benjamin Browne, and Mr. James Robinson; the representatives of kindred societies being in plentiful attendance. A large company sat down to dinner at the Assembly Rooms, and after the inner man was completely satisfied, Mr. R. Knight was presented with a silver salver and a cheque for £600, Mrs. Knight being remembered by the gift of a handsome diamond ring and brooch ; their children also coming in for some recognition. R. Rothwell, on behalf of those members and employers who had contributed to the financial success of the undertaking, made the presentation in a suitable speech, Robert thanking the donors in a happily chosen address. Toasts and good music made a very enjoyable evening, and a memorable day in the career of Robert Knight was brought to a close 'by general expressions of goodwill.
Taking advantage of the gathering of the clans the Executive Council called a conference of the district delegates and district representatives who were present to discuss the questions of Dockyard Shipbuilding, the organisation of Railway and Locomotive Shops, and the admission of Drillers into the Society. As a result of that conference efforts were made to deal with these matters, but the good results anticipated have not yet been realised. Despite failure, another attempt and yet another should be made to cope with these difficulties and not any effort be spared until complete success is obtained. The 'admission of Drillers has perhaps received the greatest amount of attention, and the refusal of the members upon three separate occasions to accept the advice of the officials in the matter marks a page in t"he history of the Society that is regrettable and is one of those blunders that from time to time seem just as inevitable in the life of a trade union as they undoubtedly are in the life of a nation or of an individual. To the future alone belongs reparation, and it is to be devoutly hoped that the necessary retrieving of that mistake will be recognised before it becomes too late to remedy it.
The middle of 1897 saw trade still good, wages advances being general, the number on the out-of-work funds being then only 1,500.
The year 1897 also witnessed the beginning of the great lock-out in the Engineering trade over the eight-hours working day. Some time prior to the close of 1896 the Executive of the Shipbuilding and Engineering Trades Federation had decided to try and obtain a reduction of the working hours in conference with the employers, but the strained relationships that existed
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 149
between some1 of the trades and their employers prevented that conference being then brought about.
Early in the year 1897 the Amalgamated Engineers, without consulting other great Trade Unions, made a demand upon the London employers for an eight-hours day, and there is not a doubt that had they allowed the federated trades to continue their efforts a shorter working week than fifty-three or fifty-four hours would long ago have been an accomplished fact.
It is quite true to say that the London District of the Society were represented upon the Committee with the consent of the Executive, but it was upon the distinct understanding that the movement was to be a peaceful one, and that the support of the London members of the Society would aid the movement, on account of the eight-hours day having been conceded to them for some years.
The movement in its preliminary stages was a friendly one, but the allied trades could not induce three large firms to agree to work the eight-hours day, and it was decided to strike these shops, an action which brought about the discharge of twenty-five per cent, of the members of the allied trades, the other seventy-five per cent, retaliating by leaving their work. A struggle was then entered into which lasted for nearly seven months, which ended in the defeat of the trades concerned and brought into existence a strong body of federated employers prepared to act together to resist Trade Unionists' desires.
Looking back one cannot help regretting that such a hasty action was taken — no doubt hurried in some quarters by the desire to outdo the federated trades — and that a second vote was not taken as to whether a strike likely to involve the whole country was advisable or not.
The lock-out caused a considerable amount of distress throughout the Society, throwing thousands of the members out of employment, and so acute did it become that it was found necessary in order to alleviate it to grant special Donation over and above the Home Donation allowed by rule.
The Workmen's Compensation Bill was introduced in the House of Commons by the Home Secretary, Sir Matthew White Ridley, on May 3rd, going quickly through the various stages and receiving the Royal Assent on August 6th becoming law on July 1st, 1898. This Act was a distinct advance upon the Employers' Liability Act, by the abolition of the doctrine of common employment, by throwing the responsibility upon employers of proving serious and wilful misconduct, and by broadening the basis of compensation;
150 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
and although its faulty wording has caused many complications, it has without doubt been of immense benefit to the members of the Society as well as to Trade Unionists generally. Its defects are many, but the time is quickly arriving when some of the acknowledged defects will be remedied.
A VICTORY FOR TRADE UNIONISM was before the close of the year obtained by the decision of the Law Lords in the well-known case of Allen r. Flood. Four years had almost passed away from the time when the case commenced, but it was fought out in ;i manner worthy of the traditions of the Society and at a cost that laid the whole Trade Union world under an obligation.
When the case first appeared the very serious charge of conspiracy was made against the Chairman of the Council at that time, the General Secretary, and T. F. Allen, London District Delegate. When the case came before the Court in London the three officials named were present, and after a protracted hearing the case of conspiracy could not be maintained, and judgment was given in favour of the Executive Council Chairman and the General Secretary : the following may be taken as a bare outline of the facts of the case as affecting Allen : — The respondents Flood and Taylor were workmen engaged by the day at the works of the Glengall Company. They were shipwrights doing wood work on a vessel called the Sam Welter. The company employed a far larger number of the Society's members than they did shipwrights ; there was a strong feeling against the respondents on the ground that they had previously, being shipwrights, done iron work for another firm. One of the members on April 1 2, 1894, telegraphed to Allen, and he went to the dock and saw the man who had sent the telegram, who told Allen that the men were talking of throwing down their tools at dinner-time. Allen warned the member to be careful, and said the men must not leave without the sanction of the Society. Shortly afterwards Allen saw Mr. Halkett, the managing director, to whom he showed the telegram, observing that the men felt aggrieved at having to work with Flood and Taylor, and that if these were continued on the job the men would leave off work or be called out. The two men were thereupon dismissed by Mr. Halkett and brought their action against Allen. At the trial Mr. Justice Kennedy, after stating that no case had been established of conspiracy or of coercion or intimidation, left two questions to the jury : — 1. " Did Allen maliciously induce the company to discharge the plaintiffs ? " 2. " Did Allen maliciously induce the company not to engage the plaintiffs ?" The questions were answered in the affirmative, and damages against Allen for £40 was given, to which notice of appeal was at once given.
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 151
The trial before Mr. .Just-ice Kennedy was in February, 1895, and judgment was given in accordance with the findings of the jurv in the following March. Within a month the case found itself in the Court of Appeal, which Court affirmed the decision of the learned Judge. The further appeal came before the Lords in the first instance in December, 1895, and was argued before the Lord Chancellor, Lord Watson, Lord Herschell, Lord Macnaghten, Lord Morris, Lord Shand, and Lord Davey. As there was a diversity of opinion among the noble and learned Lords, it was announced in December, 189u', that the appeal was to be reheard in the presence of certain of Her Majesty's Judges; and on March 25, 1897, it was again commenced to be heard before a House strengthened by the addition of the Lord Chancellor of Ireland and Lord James of Hereford, and the members of the Bench who assembled to hear the arguments and to tender their advice, were as follows: — Mr. Justice Hawkins, Mr. Justice Mathew, the late Mr. Justice Cave, Mr. Justice North, Mr. Justice Wills, Mr. Justice Grantham, Mr. Justice Lawrence, and Mr. Justice Wright. Six of the learned Judges thought the appeal should be dismissed, whilst two, Mr. Justice Mathew and Mr. Justice Wright, were in favour of its allowance; but the Law Lords, by a majority of six to three, reversed the decision of the lower Courts and entered judgment for Allen.
This decision established the right of Trade Unions to threaten employers with suspension of work unless men obnoxious to them were discharged, providing that the threat was an individual one. It did not in any way alter the common law right of the individual to freedom from personal intimidation. Had the Law Lords decided against Allen every man discharged or locked out by an employer at the instance of another would have had the right of action against that other.
Several letters of appreciation were received by other Trade Union organisations, the following one being the general tenour of the others : —
FEDERATION OF ENGINEERING AND SHIPBUILDING TRADES OF THE UNITED KINGDOM EXECUTIVE COUNCIL,
25th March, 1898.
DEAR SIR, — An Executive Council Meeting of the above Federation was held in Liverpool last Wednesday, and at the conclusion of the ordinary business a resolution was unanimously agreed to " Thanking your Society for the manner in which they had vindicated the rights of
152 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
Trade Unionism by their determination and persistence in carrying the case of " Allen v. Flood " to the highest Court of Appeal."
This resolution but faintly represents the appreciation of the whole of the members of the Executive Council at the manner in which your Society has pursued this costly and protracted case to a final and success- ful issue — -it was felt that your Society had, by finally determining the extent of the powers of Trade Unions, not only placed the organised workers of this country under a deep and lasting obligation, but you have also completed a work of great public benefit by establishing a test case which will prevent expensive litigation in future, and which pre- serves to Trade Unionists the right to express their objections to any workman, who has made himself obnoxious to the general body of his fellows, without being liable to prosecution and conviction for intimidation. Yours faithfully,
WM. MOSSES.
The Society having agreed to a Manchester District Delegate CHARLES LUKE was after a contest elected to that position. Born in Manchester he, through the loss of the breadwinner, had to commence to earn his own living before arriving at the age of ten. Apprenticed at Galloway's, of Manchester, he at the age of twenty joined the Society, and within twelve months from that date began to take an interest in the work of the Society, both inside and outside the branch meetings, always doing his best for the interests of his fellows. He has held several branch offices, often on the District Committee, was twice chairman of that body, served on many deputations, and was a member of the General Council of 1895, being elected District Delegate in June, 1898, a position he still holds with credit to himself and benefit to the members of the district, his one great desire being to try and help his fellow-men.
The question of weekly pays in Scotland had for some time been a bone of contention. Conferences were held, the final one taking place in Glasgow, on November 24th, 1898, between the Shipbuilding and Engineering Federation of Employers and the representatives of the societies composing the Workmen's Federation. The Amalgamated Society of Engineers were asked to co- operate with the other trades in the effort to secure the boon of weekly pays, but in this they declined to take part.
The Scotch employers contended that weekly pays would mean a larger amount of lost time on the part of the workmen. The representatives of the men believed that it would have the contrary effect, and it was therefore agreed to recommend that a trial be given to the payment of wages weekly
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 153
for a period of twelve months. In the event of (lie employers finding at the end of the said twelve months that there has been no improvement in the time kept by the workmen in their employment, or that the tirne-keeping has become still worse, it was understood and agreed that the custom of fortnightly pays may be again reverted to, but not before a conference of the parties had been held and proof adduced.
At the close of the twelve months the Scotch employers again reverted to fortnightly pays upon the plea that the lost time had increased, a plea that was not by any means proven. Several attempts have been made to get the employers to agree again to weekly pays, but without avail. The Amalgamated Society of Engineers again refused to take action with the Federation, or in any other way to act with the other trades, although in favour of the agitation. Without doubt a return of good trade will see a determined effort made to secure the weekly pay day. Recently an under- standing between the two federations has been arrived at, the Amalgamated Society of Engineers agreeing to act with the rest of the trades interested.
At the beginning of 1899 a small society in London was admitted into the ranks, a settlement of a question that had been under consideration for a considerable period and had been more than once subject to an arbitrator's decision.
Upon the Wear an attempt was made to include another small society; the majority of the men were willing, but a minority and the employer were against that course and the attempt failed.
Trade was now in an exceedingly brisk condition, a period of prosperity was everywhere in force, and with that prosperity came peace, for it is worthy of note that although there was so much good trade the members everywhere were content to let well alone, and did not make any great demands for improved conditions.
Early in 1899 R. Knight tendered his resignation, although circumstances compelled him to retain his position until the close of the year. D. C. Cummings took up the position of General Secretary on January 1st, 1900, R. Knight being appointed Consulting Secretary, a position only held for twelve months, it being abolished by the General Council in 1900, and the allowance of £3 10s. per week was later on granted to R. Knight as a life superannuation, he then, like other superannuated members ceasing to be a paying member of the Society. A change also took place upon the Executive, D. Reid taking the place of A. Lambie.
11
154 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
The Registration and Inspection of Boilers Bill which had been promoted by the Society was fortunate in obtaining a place early in the Parliamentary Session of 1900, the result of the discussion on the measure being the appoint- ment of a Select Committee to enquire into the question. The Committee met and the report stage was reached, but Parliament dissolved and this prevented the report being laid before the House of Commons. The findings of that Select Committee did not go as far as the Society desired, as it refused to agree to the sensible request that Boiler Inspectors should be qualified Boiler Makers and under the control of the Board of Trade, but the other findings of the Committee would if passed into law go far to minimise the loss of life and limb caused by boiler explosions. Some day the growing intelligence of our legislators will recognise the logic of the request for qualified and practical Boiler Makers as Boiler Inspectors.
During the latter half of the year, and even longer, the question of the revision of the rules again engaged attention. The General Council met in June and July and made some material changes. With the new rules the ballot vote for important questions and elections became an accomplished fact. The Monthly Report was by the same decree to be issued to every member, and a portion of its pages opened for technical, educational, and other like subjects, giving the opportunity for its columns to be made more instructive and interesting than before. One other change in the rules is worthy of a remark or two, and that is the opportunity that was by a new rule given for careful members to obtain a loan from the Superannuation Fund to enable them to purchase their own house. The housing question is a question having a greater bearing on the character of men than is popularly supposed, and the employers of the country would be watching their own interests if they combined to help local authorities to deal with the question of the housing of the people. The Society cannot house all its members, the magnitude of the task requires grappling with by authorities having greater and special powers. The Society's scheme will at least help some of the careful and thoughtful members, whose wages are not sufficent to enable them to early obtain the complete ownership of their home, and thus increase their pride in that which is rightly theirs. The manner in which a man is housed influences his life for good, and it is beyond dispute that the localities in which the people are best housed less lost time and less drinking is noticeable, the worst delinquents invariably being in districts where the housing of the people is of the worst possible character.
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 155
During the year R. Dunn resigned to take up an appointment under the Employers' Federation. T. F. Allen retired from the position of London District Delegate, having been for fifty years a member of the Society. R. Rothwell retired under the sad circumstances previously mentioned. M. Smith, district delegate, celebrated his completion of twenty-five years' service as a District Delegate. Jas. Conley, District Delegate, received an excellent token and public appreciation of the good- will of Scotland's sons : and John Rowat received a national testimonial which the members cheerfully and readily granted.
The retirement of some of the old officials and the changes consequent on the election of the General Secretary caused many official posi ions to be vacant during the year. The decision of Frank Fox to take service under the employers left the position of South Wales Delegate to be filled, J. H. Jose being elected.
The vacancy in Yorkshire was filled by the election of W. Travis; Alex. Richards obtained the London position ; P. Keeley followed R. Rothwell on the Tees ; Joseph Matthews vacated his position on the Executive to fulfil the position vacated on the Tyne by R. Dunn ; W. Ryan was elected for the vacancy on the Executive, and during the year John Hill was elected to the position previously held by John McLaren.
The following is a brief summary of the life of the District Delegates elected during the year 1900 : —
J. H. JOSE was born in Somersetshire in 1857, where he resided until arriving at the age of thirteen years, when, with his parents, he removed to Cardiff. At the age of sixteen he was apprenticed to Messrs. John Gunn and Co., now known as the Mount Stuart Dry Docks Company, Limited. In March, 1879, he entered the Society as a Plater, and has been a continuous member ever since. After being in the Society twelve months he was chosen repeatedly to audit the branch accounts. In 1886 he was elected President of the branch. A year later he was elected Branch Secretary, which office he filled with credit to himself and the branch for three years, for which services he was presented with a handsome testimonial from the Cardiff members. In 1890 Bro. Jose secured a situation as foreman at the Barry Graving Dock, which position he held for two years. Whilst foreman he was instrumental in forming the Barry branch of the Society. After giving up the position of foreman he was elected District Auditor in 1893, and the following year he was appointed District Secretary, which position he held up
156 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
to his appointment as District Delegate in February, 1900, which he obtained without any opposition, still retaining the full confidence of the members in South Wales. He has continuously represented the Society at the Trades Union Congress, and is well known in the political world. Hopes are entertained that he may some time in the near future represent Labour in the House of Commons.
WlLLTAM TRAVIS was born in Yorkshire in the year 1859. Learning his trade at Sheffield he became a member of the Society in the year 1880 at the age of twenty-one years. Soon afterwards, to gain experience, he journeyed to Hull, finding employment on marine boiler work ; and later on his desire for further experience took him to Middlesbro', finding there employment in the shipyards. Returning to his native city he took an active part in the affairs of the Society, fulfilling many offices and doing much good work. Early in the year 1892 he became branch secretary, and while in that position he gained the respect of those with whom he came in contact by his thoughtful consideration for all, coupled with a strict regard for fair dealing. He held the position of branch secretary until called upon to fulfil the larger and more onerous duty of District Delegate for the Yorkshire and Hull Districts, a position he still holds. Although having broad political and social sympathies, he has not, since becoming district delegate, had the opportunity to enter largely into political and social work on account of having first to remove to Leeds and then to Hull to satisfy the exigencies of his district. No doubt the future will see him so doing.
ALEX. RICHARDS comes from the extreme South, being born in Portsmouth in the year 1857. His parents removing to Southampton caused him to learn his trade in that port, but to this day he regrets the necessity that compelled him to start work at the early age of twelve and before the opportunities for education that exist to-day were to be obtained. Arriving at the age of twenty he felt the need of educational improvement and attended technical and " other classes. Entering the Society in 1880 he soon took an interest in the work, his first experience of secretarial duties being obtained in 1885, while acting pro tern, during the absence of his branch secretary on the General Council. Shortly afterwards he was elected Treasurer, holding that position until he removed to London in 1890. He quickly became popular with the London members, for shortly afterwards we find him Secretary of London No. G. He in turn became District Representative, District Chairman, and District Auditor, and when T. F. Allen resigned he was the popular choice of the London members. He always bears testimony to the good fellowship of the London
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. Io7
members, and speaks with pleasure of the assistance rendered him by his fellow-officers. London and the South of England certainly have bo thank him for his assiduous labours on their behalf.
PHILIP KEELEY is a Lancashire man, and served his apprenticeship in Bolton, being admitted a member of the Bolton branch in 1877 at the age of nineteen years. From the North- West of England he found his way to the North-East, settling down in Middlesbro', and after a period of service in minor offices we find him in 1884 Secretary of Middlesbro' No. 1. Slack trade on the North-East Coast forced him to Chiswick, London, but after about eighteen months' stay he returned to Middlesbro' and was again elected Secretary in 1887. Elected District Auditor in 1891 he held that position for nearly ten years, only relinquishing it when called to the position of Tees District Delegate late in 1900. He represented the Tees District upon the General Council, where the experience he had gained both as secretary and district auditor proved valuable to his fellow-councillors. Philip takes an interest in educational matters and was a member of the Middlesbro' School Board prior to the abolition of that body ; he also takes an intelligent interest in the social and political questions of the hour.
JOHN HILL comes of an old Black-squad family, his father and grand- father being engaged in the trade before him. Born in Govan, he at the age of thirteen started to work at the trade. He early took an interest in the bettering of the condition of his fellow-workmen. Elected upon the District Committee on two occasions he was at first treasurer and then chairman of that body, and was continually appointed upon deputations and committees to do work on behalf of the Clyde District. He interested himself in many questions that were beneficial to the members, successfully helped to obtain their trade rights, and used considerable influence in establishing local halls for meeting places. Upon the Trades Council he did excellent work on general Trade Union questions, being elected to his present position in 1900. Taking an active interest in outside work he has had to consent to work upon the public bodies of the locality. While trying to improve others he also found time to improve himself, and in the Science and Art department of the evening schools he has been very successful ; in addition he holds a first-class certificate for naval architecture. He steadfastly believes that in Trade Unionism and Co-operation lie great possibilities for the people, and is firmly convinced that Labour representation is an absolute necessity. He is prospective Labour Candidate for Govan and may soon write the magic letters M.P. after his name.
158
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. DISTRICT DELEGATES.
JOHN SANDERSON.
W. SHARROCKS.
T. McCLEARY ('903).
JAMES CONLEY.
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. DISTRICT DELEGATES.
L6'J
P. KEELEY.
C. LUKE.
ALEX. RICHARDS (1900).
J. H. JOSE (1900).
1GO
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. DISTRICT DELEGATES.
HY. HOWARD.
JOHN HILL.
W. J. WATSON.
W. TRAVIS (1900).
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 161
SOME PAST DISTRICT DELEGATES STILL ENJOYING LIFE.
JOHN SCOTT.
162 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
The year 1901 witnessed a twofold attack upon Trade Unionism, legal and journalistic, which on the surface may not seem to have any connection with each other, but there certainly is more than a sympathetic connection, and may be said to be two sides of a policy carefully thought out and considered by those who are using the law and the Press to try and destroy the Trade Unions, who have done so much to improve the status of the worker, and who in doing so have certainly largely benefited the country generally. The Press attack led by a certain well-known newspaper was to be expected, for that section of the Press to which it belongs has ever shown itself to be on the side of Capital, whether right or wrong ; and against Trade Unionism.
The legal attack, as shown in the Law Lords' decision in the Taff Vale and other cases, is a more serious matter, and whether we are of the opinion or not that this was brought about by mistakes in policy, yet the fact remains that such decisions are now so-called law, that the time for recrimination is past and that the necessity exists for all to work solidly together to regain the lost privileges.
Early in the year a third delegate for Scotland was elected to officiate in the western portion of the country, the choice of the members being J. Sanderson, of Port Glasgow.
JOHN SANDERSON, who in appearance is a typical Scotsman, was born in the year 1865, entering the Society in March, 1889. After fulfilling offices in connection with his branch he was sent to represent them on the District Committee on several occasions, and was for more than one term of office chairman of that body. On many occasions he was called upon to represent his branch and the District Committee on important conferences on wages and other questions, and was often one of a deputation to meet the Employers' Federation on questions affecting members of the district. He was elected to his present position of District Delegate for the West of Scotland early in 1901, and carries out his duties with satisfaction to those concerned.
A second delegate for the Tyne was also agreed upon, W. J. Watson being the popular choice.
WILLIAM J. WATSON was born at Willington-on-Tyne in December, 1860, educated at the Stephenson Memorial Schools, Willington Quay, and served his apprenticeship as a Plater in the Tyne Iron Ship Building Co. He entered the Society as a member of the Howdori branch on October 3rd, 1892, and held various branch offices. In 1887 he left the Tyne and went to Cardiff,
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 163
where he remained for two years, returning to the Tyne in May, 1889. He was elected to represent the Howdon No. 1 branch on the Executive- Council, and after finishing his term of office was elected Branch Auditor, which position he held until he was elected as Branch Secretary in October, 18!)± He retained this office until October, 1897, and then gave it up to accept the position of head foreman Plater at Messrs. R. Stephenson & Co.'s Hebburn Shipbuilding Yard. After being in that position for some two years he resigned, and again started work with the tools at Messrs. Hawthorn, Leslie's, Hebburn, where he remained until elected to his present position as District Delegate, the duties of which office he took up on May 6th, 1901.
The year 1902 started with trade declining, a decline that slowly but surely continued, and the year had scarcely commenced before reduction in wages became general. It will be memorable also on account of the decision of the Society to be directly represented in Parliament by those of their own trade and calling. No one can say that this demand is an immoderate one. Even the bitterest opponents of the Society will be forced to admit that a society nearly 50,000 strong, and then having over £415,000 to its credit, is indeed modest when it only asks for one or two representatives for the many and varied interests of so great a number of British citizens. The political voice of the Trade Unionists have too long been inarticulate, and bad as the recent decisions in the Law Courts had been, they had at least done some good in rousing Trade Unionists from the lethargy into which they had undoubtedly fallen. Labour interests are great indeed, and have a right to have that share of attention that so great an interest demands. Wealth cannot possibly be produced without labour. Without labour production is impossible, and while we may concede to capital its rightful place, yet we should not give way one jot on the right of labour to be heard and to have that just consideration which should be given to what is, after all, the largest portion of our population.
This year also witnessed the actual starting of the Building Society method of loaning money adopted by the General Council of 1900, a method that has undoubtedly been the means of causing many to become the owners of their own houses who would not have seriously considered so important a matter. Efforts were also made to regain the position lost by the Taff Vale decision by a motion moved by Mr. Beaumont, M.P., " That legislation is necessary to prevent workmen being placed in a position inferior to that intended by Parliament in 1875," the motion being defeated by the Government.
104 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
The bad trade of 1902 continued throughout 1903 and a wage reduction was again general throughout the shipbuilding districts. During the early months of the year 1903 hopes were being entertained that trade would revive and an improvement had commenced, only to be scotched by the Fiscal agitation, which caused capital to become shy, thus intensifying the dislocation of trade and utterly preventing any immediate recovery taking place.
The year opened with hopes of employment being found in South Africa for many of our members and other white workers, hopes that have since been doomed, the powers that be having, at the bidding of wealthy magnates without souls above their own aggrandisement, determined to make a Chinese colony of what might otherwise have been a prosperous British colony of white workers, under conditions of indentured labour that is worse than the chattel slavery of the slave days of old, for in those days the black slave was a valuable asset whom it paid the slave owners to keep alive and well, while it is actually in the interest of the Randlords to do the exact opposite and thus save the expense of returning these poor Chinese indentured labourers to their own country. The object of these magnates was and is to fight Trade Unionism. Prominent Rand capitalists have plainly stated that white labour would organise into Trade Unionism and possess votes, and thus dictate terms to the wealth of South Africa.
A demarcation difficulty in connection with the Niclausse boilers was early in the year decided in favour of the Society, the evidence having been taken late in the preceding year. See later page for the details of the award.
Labour representation as affecting the Society went forward another step by the adoption of James Conley as Labour candidate for the Kirkdale division of Liverpool, and went forward still further by the decision of the Society early in the following year, 1904, by a very large majority to increase the levy for this purpose, and financially render support to John Hill, who had been adopted Labour candidate for Govan.
In 1903 another attempt was made by Mr. Shackleton, M.P., to retrieve the disaster to Trade Union law, which again failed, and in the year 1904 another effort was made, Mr. Paulton, M.P., introducing a Bill drawn up by the Parliamentary Committee, which passed the second reading but was blocked by Sir Frederic Banbury in the interests of the opponents of that measure.
Joseph Matthews having resigned the position of Tyne District Delegate Thomas McCleary became the choice of the Tyne members.
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 165
THOMAS MCCLEARY was born on August 17th, 1855, just three days prior to the Society obtaining its majority of twenty-one years. After serving his apprenticeship at Henderson & Co.'s, Renfrew, X.B., he crossed the ocean to Australia, joining the Boiler Makers' Society at Sydney in December, 1878. While in that part of the world he represented the Australian Society on the Trades Hall Committee, an institution similar to the Trades Federation at home. McCleary returned to Scotland in 1884, and joined the Society in June of that year at Paisley. Trade becoming bad he decided to again try his fortunes in Australia, but he again returned to Scotland in 1881), becoming a member of Govan No. 1. Since finally settling down in the old country he has taken an active interest in the Society's affairs mainly upon the Tyneside, having been a resident in Jarrow for many years. Serving on the District Committee, on wages conferences and demarcation difficulties, he ultimately was elected late in the year 1903 to take up the position of Tyne District Delegate vacated by Joseph Matthews.
The beginning of 1904 saw trade still on the down grade, and the close of the Society's seventy years of life come in the midst of a severe depression. The morning of August 20th opened with a burst of sunshine, the day being, from a weather standpoint, one of the best, and at the hour when the fourteen men met in Manchester seventy years before the flag run up upon the corner of the offices was waving proudly in the breeze, celebrating as well as it was able the closing of the first seventy years of strenuous work on behalf of the Society whose anniversary it had been unfurled to commemorate. Seventy years of Trade Union life ; years in which many sacrifices had been made and during which many had suffered for the good of their fellows. Some of those now with us were members in the early days of the Society's history, and the photos of some of the old veterans are certainly worthy a place in this work. It is said that the young men of to-day have not the grit or the stamina of their forefathers, that they come into a Society of great influence, whose benefits are many and whose finances are good, and that they do not realise to the full their responsibilities or stop to think over the sacrifices others have made on their behalf. Maybe a glance at some of the old members who struggled long years to bring the Society up will bring home to the minds of those who are content to accept without question or thanks the work of the old veterans, their duty to their fellows, and inspire them to live the nobler life of those who deem it more blessed to give' than to receive.
166 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
SOME OLD BRANCH SECRETARIES OF LONG STANDING.
JOSEPH DICKENSON.
WILLIAM GRIFFITHS.
Entered the Society in 1853, held the office of secretary 36 years, the last time for 30 years continuously. He is over 5 1 years a member,
Entered the Society in 1864, has com- pleted a 40 years' membership ; is still holding the position of branch secre- tary, which he has now held for over 37 years.
Entered July, 1242, was a branch secretary for 50 years of his long membership, holding a record unique in the Society's history. At the time of his death in Dec., 1901. he had almost completed a membership of 60 years. The photo was taken over 25 years ago.
RICHARD BRADSTOCK.
Entered the Society in 1862, has held various offices ; was secretary for nearly 28 years, when he retired from that position.
JOHN MOODIE.
Entered the Society in 1872, is 32 years a member ; has been secretary of Thornaby No. i for 30 years, still acting in that capacity.
A HISTORICAL SUKVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
167
SOME OLD VETERANS.
THE THREE PORTSMOUTH VETERANS,
N. CUNCLIFFE.
Entered March, 1851, nearly 54 years ago.
JOHN POLLITT.
Entered October, 1846, died May, 1904, being over 57 years a member.
E. TAYLOR. Entered in the year 1846, and is now 58 years a member.
I. GIBBON. The " Grand Old Man " of the Society, entered in 1838, is still living, being now 66 years a member of the Society,
S. PARKER. Entered early in the year 1846, and when he departed this life in November, 1903, was nearly 58 years a member,
J. MAKIN.
Entered in the year 1844, and is 60 years a member.
JONATHAN HEY.
Entered June, 1840, deceased January, 1904, being 64 years a member at the time of death.
168
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. SOME OLD VETERANS.
THE BROTHERS RAVENSCROFT, OF CREWE.
R. TAPLEY.
Entered 1841, is still with us in his 64th year of membership, and is the next in seniority to I. Gibbons.
GEORGE DUTTON.
Entered September, 1352, and has continued with us 52 years.
EDWARD RAVENSCROFT. Entered August, 1845, being now 59 years a member of the Society.
JOHN RAVENSCROFT. Entered July, 1841, died June, 1902. being 61 years a member.
KIDD.
Entered May, 1844, and is now 60 years a member.
MARK COUPE.
Entered the Society in the year 1851, recently departed this life.
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 10'.'
There are other old veterans and also many other old branch offic.-rv The Burnley branch have two old officers: J. Favvcett has been secretary since 1875 (over twenty-nine years), and Cornelius Wolstenholme lias been branch treasurer for over thirty-two years. James Bateman has been secretary of Ilkeston over twenty-seven years. John Crabtree, late secretary of I 'rest mi. and Thomas Vickers, late secretary of Sunderland No. 1, both hold very lengthy records, so do many other old branch officers: and there are a considerable number of branch officers of the present whose years of membership do not permit of a twenty-five-years' service but who have from their first entry into the Society rendered yeoman service, and it is to their self-sacrificing help to carry on the work of the Society that this history is being dedicated, as well as to those who have gone before. Let the contemplation of the work of old veterans, old officers, and those others whose work cannot ever be adequately remunerated, spur on the laggards to a sense of their duty. Those who are content to live upon the efforts of their forefathers and are day by day benefiting by the efforts of their fellow- members, who take no share in the work, contributing no act of self-sacrifice, seeking only to gratify their own individual passions and pleasures, lead a worthless life that might be closed to-morrow and the Society be even better for their having passed away: God forbid that we should not care for their lives ; but let our desire be to make them better and truer men, knowing that by so doing we shall make them better and truer Trade Unionists. Charges are made that the average Trade Unionist of to-day seeks only to gain personal material benefits, forgetting altogether his share of work always needed to be done to improve the conditions of his fellows irrespective of what may be the result to himself. If the reading of this work but arouses the interest of that growing class who, seeing a society numerically and financially strong, seek only to obtain as much as possible without doing anything to benefit others, then it will not have been written in vain, and the writer can then be content with the knowledge that the labour it has entailed has not been thrown away. The seventy years' history has now drawn to a close, but attached to it are comparisons and illustrations of some sections of our trade prior to 1834 or in the early days of the Society and of the present day, concluding with a few arbitrations and agreements, previously mentioned, as of interest to all.
D. C. CUMMINGS.
12
170
A HISTORICAL SURVEY or THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
SHIPBUILDING AND MARINE BOILER MAKING PAST AND PRESENT.
SHIPBUILDING.
Before the close of the 18th century, after Watt had begun to produce his steam engines, many capable men were working simultaneously to adapt the steam engine for the propulsion of vessels.
In 1801 Lord Dundas got Symmington to build him a steam vessel— the Charlotte Dundas — which was driven on the Forth and Clyde Canal. Ten years afterwards, in 1811, Henry Bell built the Comet — the first passenger vessel in Europe driven by steam. She was 30 tons burden, 40 ft. long, 10£ ft. broad, driven by side paddle-wheels and engines of 3 horse power. She ran between Glasgow and Greenock for some years. With her success the era of steam navigation may be considered to have begun.
THE "ENTERPRISE"
In 1819 the first steam vessel crossed the Atlantic. This was the Savannah. She was built in America, was a full-rigged sailing ship of 355 tons, fitted with a steam engine for driving paddle-wheels, which were so con- structed that they could be detached and hoisted on deck when not required. She took 25 days to cross to Liverpool. Her engines were used 18 days, the rest of the voyage being made under sail.
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 171
In the year 1825 the Enterprise, a steamer 122 ft. long by 27 ft. l»«-;n... made the voyage from the Thames to Calcutta in 118 days, bring lln- first steamer to accomplish that journey.
THE "ROBERT F. STOCKTON" [A.v IRON SCRKW STKAMKR BUILT BY LAIKD & Co. 1838. SAILED ACROSS THK ATLANTIC 1839.]
In June, 1838, less than four years after the formation of the Society, Messrs. Laird & Co. launched at their Birkenhead works a small screw steamer the Robert F. Stockton. Her dimensions were : — Length, G3 ft. 5 in. ; beam, 10 ft. ; depth of hold, 7 ft. ; tonnage, 33 tons ; horse power, 30. An extract from a printed record from the works kindly supplied me by Mr. Roy M. Laird reads as follows : —
In 1838 a screw steamer, with a propeller on Ericsson's plan, was built at the Birkenhead works for river and canal work in the United States. Although only 33 tons burthen, 63 ft. 5 in. in length, 10 ft. in breadth, and 7 ft. in depth, she made a voyage from Liverpool to New York under canvas — her propeller having been taken out — with every success. Until he built this vessel, the Robert F. Stockton, Mr. Laird had constructed only paddle steamers ; and we believe we are correct in saying that, with at the utmost only two or three exceptions, she was the first screw vessel built.
In 1838 we come to the actual introduction of steam power for ocean navigation. Two steamers made the voyage almost simultaneously — the Serins, of 450 tons and 250 horse power and the Great Western, 1,340 tons and 450 horse power. Two years later the first Cunarder, the first Britannia, was launched, steaming 8i knots an hour.
Iron steam shipping soon became an actual necessity, developing and developing until in sixty years we have developed the splendid steel vessels
172
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILKK MAKERS' SOCIETY. 173
of the present day, one of the typical ones being the H.K. O//-/V, of which a photo and particulars are given for comparison.
The s.s. Cedric, which when launched in August, 1902, was the largest vessel afloat, was built at Messrs. Harland and Wolff's shipbuilding vard, Belfast, for the White Star Line.
She is a twin screw steamer 700 ft. in length, 75 ft. beam, and 49 £ ft. deep, her gross tonnage being 20,984 tons, with engines of 13,350 horse power.
Having nine decks she is built on the cellular double-bottom principle, divided into numerous water-tight compartments. She has accommodation for about 3,000 passengers, and quarters for a crew of 350. Being built for the double pin-pose of cargo and passenger traffic, she was not designed to be one of the greyhounds of the Atlantic, the question of a good return for the money invested being the guiding factor of her design.
The engines, which are of the Harland and Wolff quadruple expansion balanced type, will drive her at the designed speed with a considerably less consumption of coal than what is necessary for a vessel of extreme speed.
Although recently superseded by a larger vessel built at the same works, viz. the s.s. Baltic, and that two Cunarders are now being built of 30,000 gross tons, yet the contrast between the s.s. Cedric and either the Enterprise or the Robert F. Stockton is sufficient to show the enormous developments that have taken place in the shipbuilding trade, developments that are still proceeding with great rapidity.
[I am indebted to the Editor of The Shipping World for the loan of the blocks of fche three vessels herein reproduced.]
MARINE BOILER MAKING.
SKETCHES OF A 24 HORSE POWER MARINE BOILER MADE BY MESSRS. JOHN
PENN AND SONS IN 1838.
The section, sectional elevation, and elevation of front; were taken from an old drawing the 'property of the Thames Shipbuilding and Engineering Co., London, which they were good enough to loan me, accompanied by the photo and particulars of the modern type of boilers made by the same firm.
174
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
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A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
175
The boiler shown in the sketches was made for the s.s. Dtiyi'njhl l>v Messrs. Perm and Son, now the Thames Shipbuilding and Engineering Co., and was one of the earliest marine boilers. From the sketches it is easy to judge the developments in marine boiler making that have taken place in tin- seventy vears under consideration, and all that needs to be added in describing it is that the plating was of iron ranging from | in. to 'i in. in thickness, the tubes being 2£ in. outside diameter and made of brass.
PHOTO AND PARTICULARS OF THE CYLINDRICAL BOILERS N(>\V KEING MAMK AT THE THAMES ENGINEERING WORKS FOR H.M.S. " liLACK I'RINCK."
The above photo with particulars were kindly supplied me by the manager of the above firm, and are very interesting as showing the difference between the present day and the one previously dealt with, which was made nearly seventy years ago in the same works.
1 76 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
Thf inside diameter of these boilers is 1 3 ft. H in., length 9 ft. <i in., and the shell plating lT5ff in. in thickness — at least an inch thicker than the shell of the boiler for the Daylight.
The tubes number 370, are 2£ in. in diameter and 6 ft. 5 in. in length. There are three corrugated furnaces each 3 ft. 7£ in. in diameter and 7 ft. 2 in. in length, the plates being £~ or about f in. thick ; the combustion chambers, three in number, being also f in. thick and the fire bars 6 ft. 3 in. long.
The total heating surface is 1,904 square feet, the total grate surface being 61 square feet.
These boilers will have a working steam pressure of 210 Ibs. to the square inch, and are to withstand a hydraulic test pressure of 315 Ibs. to the square inch. The whole of the material used in their construction is Siemens-Martin mild steel — the strength of these boilers being enormous when compared with the iron 25 horse power boiler of 1838.
Marine boilers have also developed in another direction, water tube boilers being now much in evidence, although experts differ very much as to which is to be the marine boiler of the future.
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
177
LOCOMOTIVES IN THE EAKLY DAYS AND THE
PRESENT.
The early locomotives, as shown in the illustrations, belonged to the Stockton and Darlington Railway, which was the first public railway opened in Great Britain. The Stockton and Darlington Railway was afterwards merged into the North Eastern Railway, to which the property now belongs. I am indebted to Mr. Wilson Worsdell for the particulars, and to him and the Editor of the Engineer for the permission to reproduce the photos.
The " Leader" was built by Hackworth. The boiler was 10 ft. long and 4 ft. 4 in. in diameter. The arrangement for heating surface piesented some novelties at the time of its construction, and formed a return multitubular fire tube. It consisted of a main tube 2 ft. 4 in. in diameter at the large end, diminishing to 2 ft. at the other end, and 8 ft. long. The large end contained the fire grate, and at the small end a box of a D shape was placed
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182 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
No. 2111 is a six-coupled passenger engine, the leading dimensions of which are as follow : — Wheels, coupled, 6 ft. 6 in. diameter ; do. bogie, 3 ft. 6 in. diameter ; do. tender, 3 ft. 9 in. diameter ; total wheel base, engine and tender, 48 ft. 4f in. ; cylinders, outside, 20 in. diameter, stroke, 26 in. ; boiler and firebox, 23 ft. 10£ in. long, the boiler being 4 ft. 9 in. diameter ; tubes, 204, 2 in. diameter, 15 ft. long ; heating surface : firebox, 130 sq. ft. ; tubes, 1,638 sq. ft. ; total, 1,768 sq. ft. ; grate area, 23 sq. ft. ; tank capacity, 3,782 gallons; weight in working order : engine, 67 tons 2 cwt. ; tender, 40 tons ; total, 107 tons 2 cwt.
No. 2116 is an eight-coupled goods or mineral engine, its leading dimensions being : — Wheels : engine, 4 ft. 6 in. diameter ; tender, 3 ft. 9 in. ; total wheel base, engine and tender, 41 ft. 11| in. ; cylinders, outside, 20 in. diameter, 26 in. stroke ; boiler and firebox, 22 ft. 6 in. long ; diameter of boiler, 4 ft. 9 in. ; tubes, 193, 2 in. in diameter, 15 ft. long; heating surface : firebox, 125 sq. ft.; tubes, 1,550 sq. ft. ; total, 1,675 sq. ft. ; grate area, 21^ sq. ft. ; tank capacity, 3,761 gallons ; weight in working order : engine, 58 tons 6 cwt. ; tender, 38 tons 18 cwt. ; total, 97 tons 4 cwt.
The photos of the boiler of the " Leader " possess special interests as showing the striking difference between the old and new methods in boiler construction.
Engines Nos. 2111 and 2116 represent the latest and also the most powerful types of passenger and freight locomotives in use on the North Eastern Railway. Each was constructed at Gateshead Works from the designs of Mr. Wilson Worsdell, Chief Mechanical Engineer to the Company.
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 183
BKIDGEBUILDING.
The subject of this illustration is an old bridge which was recently removed from the position it had occupied for nearly eighty years. This interesting relic dated from 1823, having been built for the Stockton and Darlington Railway Company at the western extremity of their original main line at West Auckland, and spanned the river Gaundless, a tributary of the Wear. This bridge was in use when the " first public railway " was opened in September, 1825, between Witton Park and Stockton. It consisted of cast and wrought iron in combination, and is said to have been the first metal railway bridge ever erected in this country and the only one of its kind. The piers were cast-iron columns braced together — the bracing bars being connected together at their point of intersection. The spans measured 12 ft. (i in. The frames constituting the girder each consisted of a pair of wrought -iron arched members united by cast-iron verticals cast round them. Each frame had thus, it will be seen, to act as a couple of arches, one arch being inverted as there was no bracing between the verticals. All the shearing forces must have been resisted by the curved members. The cast-iron vertical pillars extended upwards to form a support for the roadway. The ends of the top and bottom members had bosses cast round them, and spigots were made to fit into the top of the column forming the piers. Each pair of columns was connected by a casting which fitted into grooves in the bosses at the ends of the main girders — in fact the general design was such that the structure should fit together like a puzzle. The bridge is generally believed to have been built to the designs of George Stephenson, who at this time was engineer to the Stockton and Darlington Railway, but a Mr. Storey is credited with its erection.
It may not be without interest to make some slight reference to the first railway "suspension" bridge ever erected. By Act of Parliament dated May 23, 1828, the construction was authorised of a railway between Stockton and Middlesbrough, including the building of a bridge across the river Tees, at Stockton. The building of this bridge was entrusted to a Captain Brown, R.N. On testing the bridge by placing 18 tons at the centre a
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
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A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOII.KK MAKKHS' SOCIKTV. 185
deflection of 9'3 in. was observed. A train consisting of engine, tender, and 28 empty trucks, weighing 37 tons, and extending from end to end of tin- bridge caused a deflection of 2'3 in. The engineers eventually reported that " trade might be carried on with the bridge as it was by passing loaded wagons over one by one, the engine passing over first." It was added that "the engine might return with the whole train of empty wagons closely connected together," and that "twenty wagons might be passed over in this wav in about six minutes, after the man got into the method." It is not surprising to learn that before long this method of procedure ceased and a more solid structure was erected.
THE FORTH BRIDGE.
Although the feasibility of a tunnel was discussed in considering the schemes for more direct railway communication across the Forth, the construction of a bridge was preferred. Several schemes for bridges had been proposed from time to time, and a steel suspension bridge for crossing the Forth at the. site of the present bridge, with two spans of 1,000 ft., was authorised in 1873. The foundation of one of the towers of this bridge had already been commenced when the overthrow of the large spans of the Tav Bridge by a gale in December, 1879, led to the abandonment of the suspension bridge, and the adoption of a design by Messrs. Fowler and Baker for a steel cantilever bridge, the construction of which was authorised in 1882.
The bridge, which is tubular, has two central spans of 1,710 ft. each, and two side spans of 680 ft. across the two channels on each side of Inchgarvie Island, with a clear headway of 150 ft. at high water for the central 500 ft. of each large span. The main portion of the bridge consists of three double, symmetrical cantilevers resting on piers on the shore side of each of the deep channels and on a central group of piers on the island. These stretch out over the two channels, viaducts on each bank connecting the bridge with the high land rising on each side of the Forth. The interval between the cantilevers over the centre of each channel is spanned by a pair of lattice-girders 350 ft. in length supported on the ends of the cantilevers. The length of the main portion is 5,330 ft., but the total length of the bridge, including the approach viaducts on each side, is 8,296 ft.
The work was commenced early in 1883. Each of the three cantilevers rest on four circular masonry piers, on which the four central steel columns of the cantilever stand.
The erection of the central portion of the cantilevers was commenced on the completion of the piers. The skewbacks were first proceeded with,
186
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOTLKK MAKERS' SOCIETY. 187
and then the horizontal tubes connecting them wen- put, together on staging and riveted up.
The nearly vertical columns and the diagonal strut were then built up, with their cross-girders and diagonals for bracing them together, the riveting of the tubes being done by hydraulic riveting machines.
As no staging could be erected in the deep channels on each side of the island the projecting cantilevers on each side of the central towers had to be built out, and the tubes forming the bottom compression members of the cantilevers, 12 ft. in diameter and of 1£ in. plates, were commenced first, starting from the piers. The bottom member though curved in outline was formed of straight lengths of tubes joined together at a gradually diminishing angle to the horizontal for facility of construction. For building out these tubes a square cage was constructed round the tube which could be shifted forward in pieces as the work advanced, and on which a hydraulic crane was placed for handling the plates. A hydraulic tube riveting machine within the cage fastened up the plates. The tube was temporarily supported by chains and ties till the tube struts and lattice-ties of the first bay of the cantilever could be completed and connected by the aid of lifting platforms, and the top lattice-girder members of the cantilever were built out by cranes from the top of the tower. The successive bays of the cantilevers were then gradually built out on each side by means of cranes, and the internal viaduct was simultaneously carried forward, on which two lines of way and a footway on each side are borne by two longitudinal lattice-girders braced together and supported at intervals on the cantilevers by trestles and cross-girders. Finally, on the completion of the cantilevers, the central lattice-girders of 850 ft. span over the centre of each channel were built out from each end of the adjacent cantilevers and were joined in the centre of the span. To provide for longitudinal expansion and contraction rocking columns were interposed between one end of the central girders and the cantilevers, and the shore extremities of the other two cantilevers were left free to slide on their abutments. The weight of steel in the cantilever portion of the bridge amounts to 51,000 tons.
With a wind pressure of 56 Ibs. on a square foot the lateral pressure against one of the large spans amounts to 2,000 tons. To provide for this pressure, in addition to diagonal wind-bracing in the cantilevers the cantilevers at the central towers, where the greatest surface is exposed, have been widened to 120 ft. at the base, decreasing to a width of 33 ft. at the top of
188 A lllSTOUICAI. Sl'ltVKY OF THE Boll. EH MAKEHS* &OC1ETY.
the towers, and these widths arc reduced at the ends of the cantilevers to 32 ft. at the bottom and 22 ft. at the top, the inward slope upwards of the sides of the cantilevers of about 1 in 7£ being maintained uniform throughout.
As the dead weight of one of the large spans is about 16,000 tons, and the maximum moving load in ordinary daily working is only HOO tons, the chief strains on the bridge are due to its own weight.
The bridge was opened for traffic in March, 1890, its erection having occupied about seven years. Sir John Fowler, Bart., Past-President Inst. C.E., and Sir Benjamin Baker, K.C.M.G., Vice-President Inst. C.E., to whom I am indebted for the publication of these details, superintended the construction of the bridge as engineers-in-chief, and Sir William Arrol was the principal contractor. The works, including the approach railways, Parliamentary expenses and interest during construction, cost approximately £3,000,000.
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILEU MAKERS' SOCIETY.
INTERESTING ARBITRATION AWARDS AND AGREEMENTS.
REPAIRS ON OIL VESSELS. BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
The rates for Repair Work shall be as follows : —
Platers 15/- per day.
Riveters 12/6 „
Caulkers 12/6
Holders-up ... ... ... 10/- „
These rates are only to be paid to men when working in the tanks, including shell and decks in connection therewith, coffer-dams, hatches, or oil pump room.
The employers undertake that, before men are put to work on the above jobs, an expert's certificate shall be obtained daily to the effect that the tanks are absolutely safe. Such certificate to be posted in some conspicuous place.
Ordinary repair rates only are to apply with regard to oil vessels that have been cleansed, and have carried perishable goods as the last cargo.
It is agreed by the Boiler Makers' Society that for the rates above- named, piece-work speed must be worked.
The above agreement to come into force on and after the second full week's pay in February.
R. G. FLETCHER, Chairman Ship Repairers of the United Kingdom.
R. KNIGHT,
General Secretary Boiler Makers' and Iron and Steel Ship Builders' Society.
7, Grey Street, Newcastle,
12th January, 1894.
The above-mentioned agreement only applies to vessels carrying refined or lubricating oils. When crude oil is carried crt-ri/ number of ours working on such a vessel must receive the full rates.
The agreement just brings us back to the instructions first given in our Monthly Report of September, 1891, when only those members who
HO A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILEU MAKERS' SOCIETY.
were working in or about the tanks or hatches received the extra pay. But our position now is very different, as we have an agreement with the employers to pay the rates, whereas before we were continually fighting with individual employers to compel them to pay. Signed on behalf of the Council,
J. JACKSON, Chairman.
R. KNIGHT, General Secretary.
NORTH-EAST COAST WAGES AGREEMENT.
Agreement V.etween the Tyne, Wear, Tees and Hartlepool Shipbuilders and the Executive Council of the Boiler Makers' and Iron and Steel Ship Builders Society, entered into on July 4th, 1894.
1. ALTERATIONS IN WAGES. — No general alteration to be made until after six calendar months have elapsed from the date of last alteration, and no single alteration to be more than 5 per cent. Four weeks' notice in writing to be given of any proposed alteration. Previous to such notice being given by either side, a request for a meeting between the Associated Employers and the Boiler Makers' Society shall be given by the party intending to give notice ; this meeting shall be held within 14 days after the receipt of the request. Failing agreement during the month's notice, the notice may be extended to any time not exceeding another month, if acceptable to both parties ; but whatever the settle- ment may be, the advance or reduction (if any) shall commence from the expiration of the first month's notice.
Should a settlement not thus be effected, the question can be dealt with as may be considered best.
2. SECTIONAL OR INDIVIDUAL DISPUTES. — In the event of any such disputes, they shall, in the first instance, be referred to the Society's officials and the employer, or his representatives. If any dispute takes place respecting the price of work, the job shall be proceeded with as on piece, and whatever the price may be when settled, the same shall be paid from the commencement of the job, and in the meantime, if a pay-day comes before a settlement, the man or men can draw whatever amount it has been the custom of the firm to pay under the circumstances, or the disputed job can be done at day rates if so agreed upon between the firm's officials and the district delegate.
Failing a settlement of the dispute by ordinary means, the terms of settlement shall be adjusted by a committee representing employers and the Boiler Makers' and Iron Ship Buliders Society within fourteen days.
A HISTORICAL SUUVEY OF THE BoiUOU MAKKKs' SOCIETY. 1 1U
3. APPLIANCES, &c. — Notwithstanding any of the above clauses, the Shipbuilders are to be entitled to a revision of rates on account of labour-saving appliances, whether now existing and not already sufficiently allowed for, or hereafter to be introduced ; for improved arrangements in yards ; for rates to be paid in vessels of new types where work is easier, and for other special cases. The terms of these revisions to be adjusted by a committee representing employers and the Boiler Makers' and Iron Ship Builders' Society. Then men shall in like manner be entitled to bring before the said Committee any jobs, the rates of which may require revision due to new conditions of working, structural alterations in vessels, or any other cause.
4. WORK PENDING SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTES. — Work shall in all cases be proceeded with without interruption, pending the settlement of any dispute, whether as to prices or otherwise.
5. STANDING COMMITTEE. — A Standing Committee of three on each side (exclusive of the delegate on each side) shall be appointed for each river to consider local disputes. In the event of any dispute involving more than one river, a Joint Committee, the members of which shall be selected from the local committees involved, shall be convened.
6. DURATION OF SCHEME. — The scheme to be tried for a period of five years, and to be afterwards terminable by six months' notice on either side.
Signed on behalf of the Tyne, Wear, Tees and Hartlepool Ship- builders.
H. DYER, CHAIRMAN.
Signed on behalf of the Boiler Makers' and Iron and Steel Ship Builders' Society.
R. KNIGHT, GENERAL SECRETARY. Newcastle-on-Tyne. 5th July, 1894.
When any dispute takes place respecting the price of any job, or allowances, the man or men affected cannot be sent away and the job given to someone else, but they must continue to work on the job until the question in dispute is settled according to terms of agreement.
Prices set forth in the agreed price lists, arrangements made by the firms with the district delegates and settlements come to by the Wages Committee, cannot be set aside by any firm or firms without negotia- tions as per agreement.
D. C. CUMMINGS,
General Office, GENERAL SECRETARY.
January, 1904.
192 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILEU MAKERS' SOCIETY.
MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT.
Re the Apprentice Question, between the Iron Trades Employers' Association and the Boiler Makers' and Iron and Steel Ship Builders' Society.
BOILER AND BRIDGE APPRENTICES.
1.- — Boys about 14 years of age to be taken on as " Rivet boys," and similar work, as probationers. These boys are not to be bound in any way. Except in special cases the apprentices will be selected from the most capable and best conducted of these probationers.
2. — Apprentices who have not been probationers to commence at the age of 16 years, and to serve five years. Probationers to commence their apprenticeship at 16 years of age, if possible, but in cases where there are not vacancies for them as apprentices they can be allowed to com- mence at any time not later than 18 years of age. The limitation of 18 years not to apply to boys actually on the books at present. In all cases five years' apprenticeship must be served.
3. — Every apprentice is to come under an indenture or written agreement, as may be adopted by the firm of employers where the appren- ticeship is served. The indenture or agreement to be subject to revoca- tion in the event of misconduct on the part of the apprentice. During the term of apprenticeship, the apprentice is to work as required in his employers' works, at new or old work, and on time or piece, at the discretion of his employer. But the apprentice may be so employed out- side the employer's premises only during the last 18 months of his apprenticeship on new work, and only during the last 12 months of his apprenticeship on repair work. He is not to belong to any Trade Society except for the purposes of benefit) nor is he to be interfered with in any way by any Trade Society. A certificate of having served his apprentice- ship is to be granted by the employer to the apprentice at the expiration of his agreement.
4. — Apprentices are not to leave their employers except with their permission in writing.
5. — All time lost during the year, unless accounted for by certificates of sickness, must be made up at the end of each year. The minimum rates of pay for apprentices shall be as follows : —
1st year ... ... ... ... 6s. per week.
2nd „ 7s. „
3rd „ ... .". 8s. „
4th „ 9s.
5th „ 10s.
Piece work rates to be arranged locally — i.e., by districts.
A HlSTOlUCAL SuilVEY OF THE BoiLEU MAKEHS* SOCIETY. 193
6. — Restriction in the number of apprentices, which has been admitted in shipyards, is not to apply to boiler shops and bridge yards.
7. — The above rules are not to apply to premium apprentices.
8. — This Agreement to be in force for six years and thereafter, unless terminated by six months' notice expiring on 1st January, 1900.
9. — Definition of Boiler Shop or Bridge Yard : — " A Boiler Shop or Bridge Yard " is understood to be a yard or shop where " power " and plant is employed suitable for the manufacture of boilers or bridge work, and where new boiler work or bridge work is occasionally carried on.
JOHN LAIRD, Chairman Executive Committee Iron Trades Employers' Association.
R. KNIGHT, Secretary Boiler Makers' and Iron
Ship Builders' Society. 13th December, 1893.
NOTE. — The employers recognise that the sons of men working in the different departments of the boilermaking trade have a claim to be taken on as probationers, and while not binding themselves to do so, they will endeavour to give these lads the preference.
MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT
BELATING TO
Apprentices made between The Shipbuilding Employers' Federation of the one part and The United Society of Boiler Makers and Iron and Steel Ship Builders of the other part, this Eighteenth day of December, Nineteen Hundred and One.
TO APPLY TO SHIPYARDS ONLY.
1. — Boys about fourteen years of age taken on as " Platers' Markers," " Rivet Boys," and for similar work, may be considered as probationers. These boys are not to be bound in any way, but may be selected for apprenticeship from the most capable and best conducted of them.
2. — Apprenticeship to commence not earlier than sixteen nor later than nineteen years of age.
Apprentices starting up to eighteen years of age to serve five years.
194 A HlSTOKICAL SUKVEY OF THE BoiLEU MAKEHS' SOCIETY.
Apprentices starting after eighteen years of age to serve till they are twenty-three years of age.
3. — Every apprentice is to come under an indenture or written agreement as may be adopted by the firm of employers where the apprenticeship is served. The indenture or agreement to be subject to revocation in the event of misconduct on the part of the apprentice. During the term of apprenticeship the apprentice is to work as required in or out of his employers' works, at new or old work, on time or piece, and with either journeymen or other apprentices, at the discretion of his employer. He is not to belong to any Trade Society (except for the purposes of benefit), nor is he to be interfered with in any way by any Trade Society. A certificate of having served his apprenticeship is to be given by the employer to the apprentice at the expiration of his agreement.
4. — Apprentices are not to leave their employers except with their permission in writing.
5. — All time lost during the year, unless accounted for by certificates of sickness, or by absence on leave through stress of weather, want of material, or usual holidays, must be made up at the end of each year. The minimum rates of pay for apprentices shall be as follows :
|
1st year .... |
6s. per week. |
7s. per week. |
|
2nd „ .... |
7s. |
8s. |
|
3rd „ |
8s. |
... 10s. |
|
4th „ .... |
10s. |
... 12s. |
|
5th „ |
12s. |
... 14s. |
Piece work rates to be arranged locally — i.e. by districts.
6. — The employers recognise that the sons of men working in the different departments of the shipbuilding trade have a claim to be taken on as probationers, and whilst not binding themselves to be so, they will endeavour to give these lads the preference. The employers are opposed to any limitation in the number of apprentices to be employed ; but it is not their intention to overstock yards with apprentices, and if the Boi lei- Makers' Society finds it necessary to prefer a complaint respecting the number of apprentices, this must be done through the secretaries of the Shipbuilding Employers' Federation. When requested, the secretaries of the Shipbuilding Employers' Federation will furnish a list of recognised apprentices, stating their names and ages, and also the time of their commencing their apprenticeship, but not oftener than once a year.
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 195
7. — The above rules are not to apply to premium apprentices.
8. -This agreement to be in force for six years, and then subject to six months' notice on either side.
Signed on behalf of the Shipbuilding Employers' Federation,
P. WATTS, PRESIDENT. THOMAS BIGGART, i v JAMES ROBINSON, ) '
Signed on behalf of the United Society of Boiler Makers and Iron and Steel Ship Builders,
JOHN BREMNER,
CHAIRMAN OF EXECUTIVE COUNCIL. D. C. CUMMINGS,
Newcastle-on-Tyne, GENERAL SECRETARY.
December 18th, 1901.
DEMARCATION OF THE WORK ON BELLEVILLE BOILERS.
AWARD.
GLASGOW, 1st July, 1895. — The Arbiter having heard parties and considered the question referred to him : Finds that the particular portion of the work which forms the subject of the present reference — viz., the work of " screwing the tubes into the boxes and the subsequent testing of same and of putting on the doors," is Boiler Makers' work, and should be given to that class of tradesmen accordingly: Further, as regards the additional claim of the Boiler Makers' Society to " put in all screw stays and stud bolts and hammer or rivet and caulk same in feed collectors," finds that this portion of work is without the reference, and in consequence he does not make any award thereon : Finds neither party entitled to expenses ; and Finds and ordains that the incidental expenses of the Arbitration be paid equally by the parties.
(Signed) D. J. DUNLOP.
Note. — The dispute submitted to the Arbiter is one of that intricate class of questions which arise out of the demarcation of work between different classes of tradesmen. While in such questions there are necessarily always present the conflicting claims of the different classes of tradesmen, there is usually also involved the consideration of the employers' position, which in the interest of both employed and employer cannot be overlooked. In the present case, however, this does not arise, the employers having from the first treated the question as one upon which the two classes of tradesmen should come to an understanding.
The particular work in dispute is clearly defined and the facts regarding the operations which lead up to that part are equally well
196 A HISTORICAL SUHVEY OF THE BUILEU MAKERS' SOCIETY.
defined. From the first the preparation of the tubes, boxes, and various pieces which go to form the sections, technically termed " elements," has been admitted by the representatives of the Boiler Makers' Society to be work to which they can make no claim. The Arbiter finds further, from the evidence led before him, and also from personal visitations to the establishments where Belleville boilers are constructed, including Mr. Belleville's works in France— whose practice and procedure is closely followed at Clydebank — that this preparation of these various parts leaves them in a finished state for erection, and that when thus completed they are passed on to another set of men to be put together. Further, the Arbiter finds that this fitting together, which is the particular portion of work in dispute, is quite capable of being done by either class of tradesmen.
In every manufacturing industry great changes will and must necessarily arise in course of time. Such changes may at times demand the services, to a greater or less extent, of a new class of tradesmen, or at least of men specially trained for this new departure.
It appears to the Arbiter that unless such changes amount to a complete transition no new class of tradesmen introduced should, in the general case, and in the absence of any special considerations, receive more than that portion of the work which is outwith, or foreign to, the work pertaining to the trade recognised as the producers of the special article or structure.
In the case of a new type of a well-known article, in the Arbiter's opinion, a similar result follows, unless the new type is such that the article has lost the essential characteristics of that which it has displaced.
The Arbiter has felt himself unable to adopt the conclusion which was ably urged on behalf of the Engineers, that so great was the transition which had taken place in the Belleville Boiler that the characteristics of a boiler were a wanting; neither has he felt that he could look upon the " elements " by themselves and deal with them apart from the boiler as a whole.
On this point it is desirable to keep in view that, in the progress of this new type of boiler, firms will devote themselves to the preparation of the various parts which go to form the " elements," and, in perhaps the majority of cases, the firm actually building the boiler will only begin at the stage of fitting together these various parts.
The " elements " will not necessarily be delivered complete. Fre- quently they will be received not as complete sections but in parts different portions coming from different works. Such has already occurred in actual practice, and shows that the " elements " cannot be dealt with as distinct and separate articles.
A nisTouuAi, PURVEY OK TIIK P.OM.KK MAKKIS.S' SOCIKTY. 19?
In applying the principle indicated as to the division of work between different classes of tradesmen the Arbiter is of opinion that the special portion of work before him is Boiler Makers' work, and should be assigned to them accordingly.
In the award now given the Arbiter is conscious that if it is at once enforced considerable disturbance and loss must arise to the employers on work presently in hand. It is not within the limits of the Reference to him to in any way defer the operation of the award. lie, however, adverts to this, trusting that this mention of it is all that is necessary to ensure some arrangement being come to that will be equally satisfactory to the successful party and the interests affected.
When parties came before the Arbiter the claim of the Boiler Makers' Society was stated more broadly than in the previous Minute of Reference, and made to cover the " putting in of all screw stays and stud bolts and hammering or riveting and caulking same in the feed collectors." The work here referred to is of little extent, still the Arbiter cannot in his award go beyond what was particularly referred to him. If desired, he is prepared to deal with it.
The Arbiter cannot allow this opportunity to pass without referring to the satisfaction he has had in connection with this arbitration, the care and ability with which each Society prepared and presented their respective cases, and the spirit they have shown throughout.
In past years questions of demarcation of work have frequently been productive of disastrous strife, though so eminently suited either for a mutual arrangement or a settlement in some such form as has been adopted in the present case. The Arbiter expresses the hope that the step which has on this occasion been taken by the two powerful unions interested will be adopted by them in any future differences which may arise, and that the example they have set will be widely followed.
(Intd.) D. J. DUNLOP.
ARBITRATION ON
BOILER MAKERS' CLAIM FOR WORK ON WATER TUBE BOILERS AND TORPEDO STEAMERS.
AWARD.
2, Queen Square Place,
Westminster, S.W.
July 31st, 1896.
Having heard the parties on the 27th and 28th instant, and inspected the classes of work in dispute at Messrs. Thornycroft's Works, my decision with respect to the 13 claims set forth in the letter of the
198 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
Boiler Makers' and Iron and Steel Ship Builders' Society to Messrs. Thoruycroft & Co., dated October 29th, 1895, is as follows: —
Claim (1) " Our first request is that we should put in all stay tubes with nuts and to make all stay tubes joints."
I decide that the above is Boiler Makers' work.
Claim (2) " That all manhole doors and dogs should be fixed and all manhole joints be made by our members."
I decide that the above is Boiler Makers' work.
Claim (3) " We desire to make and fix all firehole doors." I decide that the above is Boiler Makers' work.
Claim (4) " We ask that we should put in all studs for boiler casing where the casing is attached to the barrels or boilers."
I decide that the above is Boiler Makers' work.
Cla!m (5) " We consider that our members should build, construct, and connect all parts of the boiler casing completely and entirely." I decide that the above is Boiler Makers' work.
Claim (6) " We request that you will allow our members to prepare to test and to do all testing to our own work, and which should be under the supervision of the foreman Boiler Maker."
I decide that the Engineers should fix the gear for testing, and be present at the testing to see the result of the same as regards their own work, but that the testing of the boilers is Boiler Makers' work."
Claim (7) " We respectfully ask to be allowed to put on all ends and flanges on wing tubes and barrels."
I decide that the above is Boiler Makers' work.
Claim (8) " To make all cowls and ventilators, whether made of iron or steel plates."
Engineers withdrew the claim in this case.
Ciaim (9) " We contend that we are entitled to do all chipping of all bunker holes and all manholes in decks, &c., and to do all chipping and cutting on or about the shell of a boat or a boiler."
I decide that the Boiler Makers are entitled to do all chipping and cutting of bunker-holes and manholes in decks, and generally all other chipping and cutting connected with their work, but that the Engineers are to be at liberty to do such minor chipping and cutting as may be required in connection with the fitting and adjust- ment of their pipes and tubes, &c., on board ship, and that the cutting of holes by rachet brace, or by special machine tools and the fitting of gun-metal rings and lids of bunker-holes is engineers' work.
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THK ROII.KK MAKERS' SOCIETY.
Claim (10) " We claim that our members are entitled to make and fix all pipe stays and brackets, such as ladder brackets, spare gear brackets, tank stays and bands, &c., and to mark and cut all holes, and to rivet or bolt up all kinds of stays and brackets that are made of plate, angle or bar iron, or steel."
I decide that the Engineers are entitled to fit and fix all stays and brackets for the pipes, and for the spare gear connected with the machinery, but that all other work of the kind is Boiler Makers' work.
Claim (11) " We respectfully ask that we should put in all studs which are put in to substitute rivets, such as round the bosses and stem post or any others inside or outside the shell of the ship." I decide that the above is Boiler Makers' work.
Claim (12) " We desire to ask to put up all stanchions, columns and stays from deck to deck, or from floors to deck, &c."
I decide that the above is Boiler Makers' work.
Claim (13) " We ask to be allowed to do all our own testing to fresh water and oil tanks which we make and rivet up.
I decide that, as far as possible, the same practice should be followed with regard to tanks as to boilers. (See Clause 6.)
(Signed) BENJAMIN BAKER.
NICLAUSSE BOILERS.
AWARD.
Whereas a dispute has lately arisen between the Amalgamated Society of Engineers' and the Boiler Makers and Iron and Steel Ship Builders' Society, as to which of the two above-named societies is entitled to do certain work in connection with certain boilers, known as Niclausse boilers.
And whereas by an agreement made the 17th day of November, 1902, between the above-named societies, it was agreed that the question raised as regards the said Niclausse boilers as to which of the said societies is entitled (a) to reduce the back end of the tubes (b) to put up the risers, and connect steam drums (c) to put in the tubes, put on the dogs, and make good the joints (d) to do the usual testing when the boiler is completed, should be made the subject of a Demarcation Agreement between the said societies, and that the terms of such agreement should be drawn up and settled by an arbitrator appointed by the Board of Trade.
And whereas by an order of the Board of Trade, dated 27th November, 1902, and made in accordance with the above agreement, I,
'200 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
William Markby, of tleadington Hill, in the county of Oxford, was nominated to act as arbitrator for the purpose of drawing up and settling the terms of such Agreement.
Now having heard and considered the facts and arguments adduced before me by the parties, I do make my award as follows : —
I do award and determine that the following shall be the terms of the Demarcation Agreement to be entered into by the parties : —
" Agreement made the day of between the
Amalgamated Society of Engineers of the one part, and the Boiler Makers and Iron and Steel Ship Builders' Society of the other part. Whereas a question has arisen between the two above-named societies as to who is entitled to do certain work in connection with Niclausse boilers. It is agreed as follows : —
(a) That neither Engineers nor Boiler Makers are exclusively entitled to reduce the back end of the tubes of the said boilers, but that either party may do this work if directed to do so by the employer, (ft) That Boiler Makers and not Engineers are entitled to put up the risers and connect steam drums in the said boilers.
(c) That Boiler Makers and not Engineers are entitled to put in the tubes, put on the dogs, and make good the joints in the said boilers.
(d) That neither Engineers nor Boiler Makers are exclusively entitled to do the usual testing when the said boilers are complete, but that as regards so much of the work then tested as is Engineers' work Engineers are entitled to do the usual testing, and that as regards so much of the work as is Boiler Makers' work, Boiler Makers are entitled to do the usual testing.
In witness whereof the said societies parties hereto have here- unto set their hands the day and year first above written."
And I do order that an agreement in these terms shall be forth- with executed by each of the above-named societies in the form in which agreements are usually executed by the above-named parties.
January 5, 1893. WILLIAM MARKBY.
Upon receiving the above Award the following correspondence ensued : —
Dear Sir, January 6th, 1903.
Yours of the 5th inst. to hand enclosing your Award, which we accept.
Is our notification of your Award sufficient for you, or do you want our signatures?
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 201
Having agreed to go to Arbitration both sides must of necessity agree to your terms without having the slightest power of objection, that being so I take it that a definite finding given to all concerned would be sufficient, although the language used in your Award gives the impression that you want signatures to it.
Faithfully yours, Sir W. Markby, D. C. CUMMINGS,
Headington Hill, Gen. Secretary.
Oxford.
Headington Hill, Oxford,
Dear Sir, 7/1/03.
By the terms of the agreement of the 17th Nov. it was my duty to draw up and settle the terms of a demarcation agreement between the two societies, and the strictly correct course would now be for such an agreement to be signed by the two societies in the terms set out in my Award.
As you say, however, my Award fully defines the positions, and if neither party insists upon an agreement being signed nothing further need be done.
I am, dear sir, D. C. Cummings, Esq., Yours faithfully,
Lifton House, Eslington Road, W. MARKBY.
Newcastle-on-Tyne.
Dear Sir, January 7th, 1903.
Your letter of the 7th inst. to hand, for which I thank you.
My Executive Council and myself are strongly of opinion that as the impression conveyed in the Award is the need of signatures, that it would be best to get these signatures attached.
Would it be troubling you too much to ask for another copy to be sent us, which we will sign for you to send to the Amalgamated Society of Engineers for their signature.
Faithfully yours, Sir W. Markby, D. C. CUMMINGS,
Headington Hill, General Secretary.
Oxford.
Dear Sir, Headington Hill, Oxford, 13/1/03.
I enclose herewith two copies of the Agreement as settled by me. I thought it might be convenient to have a second copy.
I am, yours faithfully,
D. C. Cummings, Esq. W. MARKBY.
14
202 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
Dear Sir, January 16th, 1903.
Enclosed is a letter from Sir W. Mark by, and two copies of the Award.
Will you sign both of them, and return one copy registered to me.
Faithfully yours,
Mr. G. N. Barnes, D. C. CUMMINGS,
General Secretary,
Amalgamated Society of Engineers.
Dear Sir, January 21st, 1903.
Your letter of the 17th has been duly placed before my Council, and as a result I have to say that, while we are quite ready to abide by the result of the Markby arbitration, we see no need to sign the agreement, and therefore return same. The view taken is that the matter is not understood as a mutual Trade Union Agreement, but an Arbitrator's decision arising out of a claim on employers.
We understood by a letter dated 8th inst., from Markby, that there was no need of, and " neither Society recognises an agreement to be essential."
Yours sincerely,
Mr. D. Cummings, GEO. N. BARNES.
Secretary,
Boiler Makers and Iron Ship Builders.
The foregoing letter from the A.S.E. was acknowledged, and Sir William Markby made acquainted with its contents, Sir William, in reply, writing to say that as the Engineers have, through Mr. G. N. Barnes, signified their intention of abiding by the Award, it will not be necessary to insist upon an agreement being signed, to which opinion we concur, the Award being in itself convincing proof of our right to this class of work.
Four Awards of a similar character have now been given in our favour, being on Locomotive, Belleville, Thorneycroft, and Niclausse types. A refusal on our part to go to arbitration in future on similar work after so many decisions in our favour would certainly be justified, and matters will have to assume a very serious aspect before we again allow ourselves to be driven to arbitration on this point.
P. C. CUMMINGS, General Secretary.
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 203
TUBING OF LOCOMOTIVE BOILERS.
ARBITRATOR'S AWARD.
Jan. 21st, 1899.
The following is my award in the dispute between the Amalgamated Engineers and Boiler Makers at the Lilleshall Company, Oakcngates, Salop, re the Tubing of Locomotive Boilers :
" I have given careful consideration to the evidence submitted to me by the delegates representing the above societies on the 12th inst. I have also read with care the correspondence as between the two societies, the letters from the firm and other documents entrusted to my care. After most anxious thought and much consideration, weighing the evidence given and the written statements submitted, I have come to the conclusion that the tubing of boilers is Boiler Makers' work, and give my decision accordingly.
I may add that the Engineers made out a strong case for their side, they having held this work from 1851 till 1890, but the former custom of the firm having changed now for the last eight years, it became necessary to decide this question on broader lines, and became one of demarcation of trades. On these lines, in my judgment, the tubing of boilers is more closely allied to and connected with the boilermaking trade than that of engineering, fitting, or coppersmiths. It cannot be said that the tools used in connection with this work are an encroachment on the tools that may be exclusively claimed as those of fitters. In fact, it is admitted that these tools are such as are used by Boiler Makers in their ordinary work.
It must be clearly understood that this decision does not affect any other fittings or attachments to boilers other than tubing, and, further, that it has no reference to or should have any influence on the practice or customs of any other district, firm, or works other than the Lilleshall Company, Oakengates, Salop, this being according to the terms of reference. I have to acknowledge the kindness and consideration extended to me by both parties, and for the honesty displayed in sub- mitting to me documents that told both for and against their case. I have no doubt that my decision will give some disappointment to the Engineers ; but if they will put themselves in my position, they will see that the decision could not be given in favour of both sides, and I have been compelled, without fear or favour, to decide for the side I believed to be right ; and in doing so and deciding a most difficult and knotty question, I trust I shall not sacrifice the friendship and the confidence of any of my friends or the Societies they represent."
I am, yours faithfully,
JOHN V. STEVENS, Arbitrator.
•204 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
FAIRFIELD DEMARCATION. BOILER MAKERS v. SHIPWRIGHTS.
FINDINGS BY S. CRAWFORD, ESQ., SHIPBUILDER, KINGHORN.
THE UMPIRE.
Abden Shipbuilding Works, KINGHORN, 31st July, 1899. — The Arbiters having differed in opinion in regard to the items of work referred to in the list claimed by the Caulkers at Fairfield, as falling to be executed by the Boiler Makers' trade, and which also the Shipwrights claim as falling to be executed by their trade, and having devolved the submission on the Umpire, and the Umpire having heard the evidence led by both parties, and having now considered the various matters in dispute, and the evidence adduced, Finds and Declares as follows : —
1. — Netting Eyes (Jackstay Eyes). These are lined and marked off in all cases by Shipwrights, and fastened by them when they are on wood, but when they come on iron, the hole-borer drills the hole ; if tapped, the Caulker taps and finishes fixing ; if riveted, the Riveter finishes fixing, but if plain hole, the Shipwright finishes fixing.
2. — Tread Plates. The Shipwrights mark off position, make moulds, mark holes for fastening, and fasten where these come on wood : where they come on iron decks, the Shipwrights mark off for hole-borer, then the Caulker finishes the fixing if tapped, and the Riveter if riveted, and if fixed with bolts, the Shipwright finishes fixing.
3. — Feet of Stands for Filter Tanks and Stowage c«mnH«l with same. Shipwrights mark off position and make moulds for both feet and stowage, put them in place and mark holes for hole-borer, then if tapped, riveted, or plain bolted, the job is finished by Caulker, Riveter, or Shipwright respectively.
4. — Portable Rifle Racks. The Shipwrights mark off position, make moulds, and mark off material when made, and when these come on wood, finish the fastening. When they come on iron, the Shipwrights mark off holes for hole-borer : if tapped, the Caulkers follow up and finish the work : if plain holes, the fixing is done by Riveters or Caulkers as the case may be.
5. — Hammock Netting, where tapped (Hammock Hooks). The Shipwrights mark off position for hole-borer, and if the hooks come on beams they finish the job. When the hooks come on bulkheads the Shipwrights mark position of holes for hole-borer, and the Caulkers follow, up with the tapping and finishing.
6.— Sword Racks (unless wood intervenes}. The Shipwrights mark off position, make moulds, get article made, and mark off position of holes
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. ^
for hole-borer. If article conies on wood or if fixed with plain bolt, grimmet and washer, Shipwright finishes the fastening : if tapped or riveted, the Caulker or Riveter finishes fixing, as the case may be.
7. — Stove complete. Shipwrights mark position, make moulds, and mark holes for hole-borer, the Caulkers or Riveters, as the case may be, follow up and finish.
8. — Bag Racks. Shipwrights mark position, make moulds, and mark holes for hole-borer, then Caulkers follow up and finish if tapped on : if plain bolted with grimmet and washer, or if riveted, the Ship* wrights or Riveters, as the case may be, finish the job.
9. — Rag Tanks. Shipwrights mark position, make moulds, and mark position of holes for hole-borer; then if tapped bolted, the Caulker finishes the job : if plain bolted or riveted, the Shipwrights or Riveters, as the case may be, finish the fixing.
10. — Stowage of Portable Gratings. The Shipwrights mark position, make moulds, and mark holes for hole-borer; if tapped, the Caulker taps and finishes fixing : if plain bolted or riveted, the Shipwrights or Riveters, as the case may be, follow up and finish the job.
11. — Permanent Rifle Racks where tapped. — Shipwrights mark off position, make moulds, arid mark holes for hole-borer, and place in position; then Caulkers follow up with tapping and fixing.
12. — Shot Racks. The Shipwrights mark position, make moulds for Ironworkers, place racks in position, and mark holes for hole-borer; then if tapped, the Caulkers follow up and finish : if holes are plain, the Shipwrights or Riveters, as the case may be, do the finishing.
13. — Stowage for Hose. Shipwrights mark position, make moulds, mark holes for hole-borer; if tapped, the Caulkers finish the job, but if plain holes, the Shipwrights or Riveters, as the case may be, finish.
14. — Storage for Coupling Keys. Shipwrights mark position, make moulds, mark holes for hole-borer ; if tapped, the Caulkers finish the job, but if plain hole, the Shipwrights or Riveters, as the case may be, finish.
15. Stowage for Nozzles. Shipwrights mark position, make moulds,
mark holes for hole-borer ; if tapped, the Caulkers finish the job, but if plain holes, the Shipwrights or Riveters, as the case may be, finish.
16. Stowage for Hose Reels (Fastening for Hose Reel Brackets on
Standards'). Shipwrights mark off position, make moulds, and mark off position of holes for hole-borer; if tapped, the fixing is done by Caulkers; if plain holes, the fixing is done by Shipwrights or Riveters, as the case may be.
17.— Splinter Racks (Splinter Nettings). The Shipwrights mark off position and mark off holes for hole-borer; then if tapped, the tapping
206 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
and fixing is done by Caulkers: if plain holes, the fixing is done by Shipwrights or Riveters, as the case may be.
18. — Ammunition Hacks (Hooks). Shipwrights mark position, make moulds, and mark holes for hole-borer ; if tapped, the tapping and fixing is done by Caulkers ; if plain holes, the fixing is done by Shipwrights or Riveters, as the case may be.
19. — Chest Sacks. The Shipwrights mark off position, make moulds, and mark off holes for hoL-borer; then if tapped, tapping and fixing is done by Caulkers ; if plain holes, fixing is done by Shipwrights or Riveters, as the case may be.
20. — Whip Racks. Shipwrights mark off position, make moulds, and mark holes for hole-borer ; then if tapped, tapping and fixing is done by Caulkers ; if plain holes, fixing is done by Shipwrights or Riveters, as the case may be.
21. — Hammock Racks. Shipwrights mark off position, make moulds, and mark off holes for hole-borer; then if tapped, tapping and fixing is done by Caulkers ; if plain holes, fixing is done by Shipwrights or Riveters, as the case may be.
22. — Scuttle Rings. Shipwrights mark off position, make moulds, and mark holes for hole-borer; then if tapped, tapping and fixing done by Caulkers ; if plain holes, fixing is done by Shipwrights or Riveters, as the case may be.
23. — Fire Bucket Hangers. These depend very much on the position in which they are stowed. As a rule they are stowed by both Carpenter and Joiner, if on wood. If fixed on iron, Shipwrights mark off position and holes for hole-borer; then if tapped, the Caulkers follow up and do the tapping and finish the job. If, however, the holes are plain, the Shipwrights or Riveters, as the case may be, finish the job.
24. — Rammers. Shipwrights mark off position and holes for hole- borer; then if tapped, the Caulkers follow up and do the tapping and finish the job. If, however, the holes are plain, the Shipwrights or Riveters, as the case may be, finish the job.
25. — Binding Bands for Tanks and Stools for same. Shipwrights mark off position, make moulds, and mark holes for hole-borer ; then if tapped, the Caulkers follow up and do the tapping and finish the job. If, however, the holes are plain, the Shipwrights or Riveters, as the case may be, finish the job.
26. — Fitting Bulls-Eyes complete, and Guards connected with same. This job depends very much upon the position in which it is placed. If these are being put into the light rooms of Magazines, then the Ship- wrights have to do all the cutting of holes, fitting in the electro-plated
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 207
copper shield reflector, and fastening the guards connected with same ; but if they be in the engine-room skylights or other skylight Haps (if of iron), then the Shipwrights mark off position for the Caulkers to cut holes, and they also mark off holes for hole-borer, and the Caulkers do the fastening.
27. — Washers, Grimmets, and Nuts — (Put same on bolts passing or coming through water-tight work.) If the holes be plain and not tapped, the Shipwrights put in all bolts with lappings under heads, with grimmets, washers and nuts underneath, and screw up the job complete ; but if the holes are tapped, then the Caulkers put in bolts, with. grimmets, washers and nuts, and complete the job.
28. — Levelling Beams. If in ordinary work the Shipwrights sheer the deck lines and put the ribbands on deck to carry up the weight of the beam, then the Caulkers help or cut the holes on beam knees to raise or lower the beam as required. If on an upper deck, the Caulker will cut off frame tops by or to the sheer line. If it be a double bottomed ship, the beams are usually made fair, and any discrepancies made up by angle corner pieces on tank margin plate. These pieces are fitted by Ironworkers.
29. — Fastening Name and Number Plates on Beading of Cofferdams* and Casing Doors. The Shipwrights or Joiners mark off position of plates, and mark holes for hole-borer ; then the Caulkers tap and complete the job.
30. — Fastening Strajw for Cortesene. — The Shipwrights mark off all straps for hole-borer ; then the Caulkers tap the holes. The Shipwrights lay down the Cortesene and the strips by tack set pins, and the Caulkers follow up and complete the job.
In all such work as above set forth, the Caulkers put in all set pins or tapped bolts, irrespective of the shape of the heads, whether they be hexagonal, square, or countersunk, with a square on head for a dwang; while the Shipwrights put in all bolts with lappings through plain holes, with grimmet, washer and nut. Of course, where riveting has to be done, this does not apply. (g.gned) g CRAWFORD.
Note. — Looking to the contradictory nature of the evidence adduced at the Proof, and after a careful review of the whole facts and circum- stances connected with the subject matter of the dispute between the parties, and taking into account his own practical knowledge of the different branches of labour involved therein, the Umpire is of the opinion that the above are, in the whole circumstances, the only Findings that he can arrive at in order to do justice to the parties concerned.
(Intld.) S. C.
208 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
THE RIGHT TO DO IRON AND STEEL WORK.
Arbitration Award given in a case heard at Bristol, the main question being whether the Iron Ship Builders had violated any rules or agreement in going into Messrs. Stothert and Co.'s, Bristol, to do iron and steel work.
AWARD.
Whereas disputes have arisen between the Associated Shipwrights' Society (Bristol Branch) and the Boiler Makers' and Iron and Steel Ship Builders' Society (Bristol Branch), in connection with Messrs. Stothert and Co.'s shipbuilding yard at Bristol, and whereas the said Associated Shipwrights' Society duly appointed Mr. John Jenkins and Mr. Robert Howell as Arbitrators on their behalf, and the said Boiler Makers' and Iron and Steel Ship Builders' Society duly appointed Mr. John Henry Jose and Mr. Frederick Coleman as Arbitrators on their behalf, and whereas the said societies both belong to the Federation of Engineering and Shipbuilding Trades of the United Kingdom, and whereas before entering on the reference of the said disputes, I the undersigned Alfred Arthur Hudson, Barrister-in-law, of 5, Paper Buildings, Temple, London, was appointed Umpire, all of which appointments were acknowledged by the said Arbitrators to be duly made under and in pursuance of the rules of the said Federation. And whereas the said Associated Shipwrights' Society claimed that the said Boiler Makers' and Iron and Steel Ship Builders' Society had : —
(1) Violated the terms of a certain document dated the 13th of April, 1893, addressed by Mr. F. A. Fox to Mr. G. Richards, and further had:—
(2) Violated a certain rule of the Federation of Engineering and Shipbuilding Trades of the United Kingdom, to wit, the rule that: " Whenever any dispute exists between an employer or employers and any society belonging to this Federation, no member or members com- posing the societies forming this Federation shall do any work of the men on dispute.
And whereas the said Boiler Makers' and Iron and Steel Ship Builders' Society denied that they had either violated the terms of the said document or the said rule, and whereas the said Arbitrators disagreed and gave me verbal notice thereof. Now I, the said Umpire, having heard and duly weighed and considered the several allegations of the said parties, and their evidence, do hereby make and publish this my award and umpirage of and concerning the matters referred to me as aforesaid in manner following. That is to say, — I award and decide : —
(1) That the said Boiler Makers' and Iron and Steel Ship Builders' Society have not violated the terms of the said document of the 13th
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKKHH' SOCIETY. 209
April, 1893, whether such document is or is not binding on the said societies, and
(2) That the said Boiler Makers' and Iron and Steel Ship Builders' Society have not violated the said rule (above referred to) of the Feder- ation of Engineering and Shipbuilding Trades of the United Kingdom.
As witness my hand this 21st day of October, 1901.
ALFD. A. HUDSON.
Signed and published on the day and year last above mentioned in the presence of Frank P. Place, clerk to Mr. A. A. Hudson, 5, Paper Buildings, Temple, E.G.
MAKING SHIPYARD TEMPLETS. ARBITRATION PROCEEDINGS
BETWEEN THE
GOOLE BRANCH OF ASSOCIATED SHIPWRIGHTS' SOCIETY
AND THE
HULL DISTRICT OF THE BOILER MAKERS' AND IRON AND STEEL SHIP BUILDERS' SOCIETY.
HELD AT GOOLE, OCTOBER 25TH, 1901.
Before His Honour, Judge AUSTIN, Bristol, Arbitrator on behalf of
the Board of Trade.
AWARD— Re WOOD TEMPLETS.
Whereas a difference as to the demarcation of work has arisen between the Goole Branch of the Associated Shipwrights' Society (herein- after called " the Shipwrights ") and the Hull district of the United Society of Boiler Makers and Iron and Steel Ship Builders (hereinafter called " the Boiler Makers.")
And whereas for the purposes of settling such difference by Arbitration the Shipwrights appointed William Greenwood Millington and William Chester to be Arbitrators on their behalf and the Boiler Makers appointed William Travis and Alfred Edward Scarlett to be Arbitrators on their behalf.
And whereas the said Arbitrators have failed to settle such difference and have not made any award.
210 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
And whereas on the 6th day of September, 1901, the Board of Trade, upon the application of both parties to such difference, appointed me, the undersigned, James Valentine Austin, Judge of County Courts, to be Umpire in the matter of such difference for the purposes of the Conciliation Act, 1896.
And whereas I have taken upon me the burden of acting as Umpire in the matter aforesaid, and have heard and duly considered the state- ments laid before me on the 25th day of October, 1901, by the said Arbitrators and the evidence of the witnesses called by them respectively :
Now I, the undersigned, do hereby Award and Determine as follows, that is to say, —
That, as between the Shipwrights and the Boiler Makers, and without prejudice to the lawful orders of any employer of labour :
(1) The Boiler Makers shall be entitled to make all such wood templets as are made in or about the ship in construction or repair and as can be made without the use of Shipwrights' edge tools.
(2) The Shipwrights shall be entitled to make all wood templets and moulds other than the templets mentioned in the last preceding paragraph of this my award.
In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this thirtieth day of October, one thousand nine hundred and one.
Signed and published by the above-named Umpire, in the presence of FREDERICK WHYMAN USHER, Bristol County Court.
J. V. AUSTIN, Arbitrator.
DEMARCATION OF WORK,
AS ARRANGED BY JOINT COMMITTEES OF
ASSOCIATED SHIPWRIGHTS AND IRON AND STEEL SHIP BUILDERS' AND BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETIES.
And as decided by the Referees appointed under rule of the Engineering and Shipbuilding Trades Federation of the United Kingdom, and agreed to by the Employers of the Liverpool and Birkenhead Districts. [This List of Work to come into force on and after May 1st, 1902.]
DEFINITIONS.
1. — This list of work is intended to avoid continual friction, and the following work, which was in dispute, has been decided as a future basis for the guidance of the members of the societies.
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 211
2. — That the finding in this list shall apply to the Mersey District. i.e. Liverpool and Birkenhead sides of the Mersey.
3. — That the Iron and Steel Ship Builders and Boiler Makers shall continue to fasten with slotted screws all work that they have fastened since 1890, and not defined under the head of fastening in this list.
4. — That this list admits of no interference with work done at present by either trade which is not included in these decisions, it being their custom to have done it.
5. — That Moulds and Templates defined in I.S.S.B.S. list are those which can be made without the use of Shipwrights' tools, and not including Moulds usually made by Mould Room staff.
6. — That where the trades have worked in conjunction tn the same job neither trades shall interfere with each other's portion of the said work.
7. — That " Marking Centre Line of Shaft " in Shipwrights' list means " to produce the lines required for sighting line through ship."
8. — Levelling Engine and Boiler Seating means " what shoring is required for the same."
BOILER MAKERS' AND IRON AND STEEL SHIP BUILDERS- LIST OF WORK.
Levelling of Gun Pedestals.
Marking the position of circular ventilation in engine room and stokehold, and square trunk ventilation throughout the ship.
Lining out for trolleyways and railways in bunkers, stokehold and engine room.
MAKING OF MOULDS AND TEMPLATES.
Make all Moulds for Keel Plates, Straps and Bars, Floorings, centre and
side Keelsons and Bars. „ Reverse Bars and Web Frames. „ Stringer Plates and Bars, Shoes and Lugs. „ Bulkheads, fore and aft, thwartships, Bars and Stiffeners. „ Bunker Plates and Bars.
„ Engine and Boiler Seatings, Plates and Bars. „ Deck Plating and Angles, also forecastle and poop Fronts and
Brackets.
„ Casings, engine and boiler rooms. „ Deck Houses, Plates and Bars, galley and cabin sole.
212 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
Make Bilge Keels, Breast Hooks, Back Bone or Whale Back. „ Breakwater and Bow Chocks and Shoots. „ Wheel Houses, Chart Houses, and Side Houses. „ Companions, and circular and square Hatch Coamings. „ Chain Locker, Donkey Engine Seat, all Doors to casings, bunkers
and houses.
„ Tank side Plates and Bars and Brackets. „ Facing Plates and Angles, Tunnel and rubber Plates and Angles
(except specified in Shipwrights' List). „ Stool and Thrust Blocks in tunnel. „ Fresh-water Tanks built in vessel, Gangway Doors, Waterway Angles
on all decks and Gunwale Bars. „ Gravits, Plates and Angles, intercostal Plates and Bars, Moulding,
Hawes pipe, Stiffening Plate, all Liners and Lugs. ,, Pipe Covers and Plate Covers for running steering gear. „ Rudder, single and double plated, also Bridge Plate and Front. „ Stanchions Foot, Plate or Bars. ,, Mast Steps, Plates and Bars. „ Tank-top Plating and Angles. „ Tank Lids and Wash Plates. „ Longitudinal Girders, Plates and Bars. „ Wash Port and Coal Port Doors. ,, Ventilators and Coal Pipe Plates. ,, Skylights and Trunks. ,, Turtle Backs, Deck-ties and Bridles. „ Box-beams and Watertight Flats. ,, Water-closet Plates and Angles. ,, Shell-plating and Shell Liners. ,, Lighthouse Towers and Bulwarks. „ Masts, Yards and Bowsprits. ,, Mast-rings and Strength-plates. „ Fairlead Plates and Bars, Bulb-iron Winch Seating and Bollard
Plates.
The folloiving was also added to Boiler Makers' List : —
Make Edge Moulds for shot and ammunition racks.
,, Moulds for trolleyways and railways, Straps for tanks of forty gallons capacity, and under, Straps for tanks in engine-room and boiler- room.
MOULDS FOR STOWAGE WORK.
Moulds and Templates for Portable Coal Shoots, Hawes Pipe and Covers, inclined Planes, when such are made by Iron Ship Builders, Smith's Forge and Anvil (for ship's use) and Chain Pipe Covers.
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILEH MAKERS' SOCIETY. 213
MOULDS FOR DAVIT HANGERS.
Platers and Shipwrights to work together on this particular work. NOTE. — The Moulds and Templates made by Iron Ship Builders arc such as can be made without the use of Shipwrights' edge tools.
FIXING OF NAME AND NUMBEK PLATES,
Fix and fasten Name and Number Plates in engine and boiler rooms, exhaust louvres, and all ventilators (except constructive numbers).
ARBITRATORS' AWARD.
Having considered the foregoing questions submitted to us for final settlement, we are of opinion that the clauses proposed by Shipwrights (as an amendment to the proposition of the Boiler Makers and Iron and Steel Ship Builders) together with the following proviso, which we here insert, viz. : —
" That Iron and Steel Ship Builders continue to fasten with Slotted Screws such work as it has been the custom for them to fasten at Messrs. Lairds' yard during and since the year 1890," is a fair settlement of the question in dispute.
We therefore decide, that for the future guidance of the two trades, the following clauses, together with the above proviso, shall be observed, which clauses, &c., we determine shall cover, in addition to Stowage work, the fixing and fastening of Iron Ladders, Foot Plates, and Escape Ladders.
BOILER MAKERS' WORK.
Clause 1. — That the Iron Ship Builders' Society, as at present con- stituted, shall fasten all Stowage fittings and gear with Rivets or Bolts-- what articles their members make.
Clause 2. — Arrange and complete the stowage of portable gear when moulds are made for stowage by their members (as per agreement).
Clause 3. — Arrange and complete the stowage of portable gear in engine rooms and stokeholds.
Clause 4. — Fasten, when riveted or bolted, all fixed fitments or attachments — made by their members.
Clause 5. — Fasten, when riveted or bolted permanently, all Angles and Plates for working gear — when made by their members.
SHIPWRIGHTS' WORK. LINING AND MARKING-OFF POSITIONS.
Line in and mark off position of all gear necessary for the working and
navigation of ship.
Marking-off and trammelling for anchor davit and hawse pipe holes. Mark off position for stowage of portable gear (except specified in H. M.
list).
214 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY.
Mark off position for gear necessary for working cargo and coal. Mark off position for gear necessary for the working of ammunition and guns.
Mark off position for circular ventilation throughout ship (except in
engine and boiler rooms).
Mark off position of ammunition and coal scuttles. Mark off position of shot and small arms racks. Mark off position of hand-holds and grips. Mark in centre line of shaft.
Line in centre of barbettes and position of ground angles and frames. Line off for deck plating. Line off for conning tower.
Line off for trolleyways and railways (except specified in B. M. list). Level engine and boiler seating. Level all gun seating. Fair beam ends to beam shear.
MAKING MOULDS AND TEMPLATES.
Make Moulds for ships' construction in mould loft, upon boards, and
on vessels — mould room work (except specified in B. M. list). „ Moulds and Templates for all arrangements of angle-bars and plates
(single or attached) for all work commenced by Shipwrights. „ all Moulds for stowage of gear for which Shipwrights find position of
stowage except boiler and engine rooms. „ Moulds for debris deck and all Gratings throughout ship (except
specified in B. M. list). „ Moulds for gun ports and gun stands. ,, Moulds for ammunition railways. ,, Moulds for all racks and garlands.
„ Moulds for inclined planes (except specified in B. M. list). ,, Moulds for shot racks (except specified in B. M. list). ,, Moulds for stowage of ventilation cowls, coamings and covers. ,, Moulds for straps to secure tanks, over 40 gallons capacity (except
specified in B. M. list). ,, Moulds for face plates on wooden rubbers.
FIXING AND FASTENING.
Clause 6. — Place in position for riveting or bolting all stowage work ordered by Shipwrights, and fasten, when screwed with tapped or slotted screws. (Except specified in clause 2, B. M. list).
A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 215
Clause 7. — Place in position for riveting or bolting all fitments or attachments ordered by Shipwrights, and fasten with tapped or slotted screws, and bolt the same. (Except specified in clause 4, B. M. list).
Clause 8. — Place in position for riveting or bolting all working gear ordered by Shipwrights, and fasten with tapped or slotted screws, and bolt the same. (Except specified in clause 5, B. M. list.)
Clause 9. — Fit and fasten all work where wood intervenes.
Clause 10. — Fit and fasten all name, number and contents plates. (Except specified in B. M. list.)
Arbiters— THOMAS JEFFERS, FRANK SMITH, ALEX. KENNEDY, Chairman.
15, Belmont Road, Liverpool, 3rd May, 1904.
SHIPWRIGHTS v. BOILER MAKERS.
At the Meeting on Tuesday, April 26th, 1904, at the Feathers Hotel, Liverpool, which was attended by Messrs. C. Neil, R. Derby and J. Rowland, representing the Shipwrights' Societies and Messrs. M. Smith, H. Devlin, J. Henderson and E. Morris, representing the Boiler Makers' Society, the question as to the meaning of the award given in 1902 was referred, by mutual agreement, to the independent chairman, Mr. Thomas Jeffers.
The difference between the two societies related to the fastening of certain Stowage Fittings with slotted screws. The Shipwrights claimed that under the award Shipwrights only should fasten, with slotted screws, Stowage work, as per clause 6, page 12. Boiler Makers claimed to fasten, with slotted screws, Stowage Fittings which were made by their members, as per clause 1, page 9.
Having heard statements from both sides, my ruling is: — " That the whole of the clauses found on pages 9 and 12 must be considered, together with the proviso on page 8, inserted by the Arbiters, which gives to the Boiler Makers the right to continue to fasten with slotted screws such work as it had been the custom for them to fasten at Messrs. Lairds' yard during
and since the year 1890."
THOMAS JEFFERS.
216 A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE BOILEK MAKERS' SOCIETY.
FEDERATION OP ENGINEERING AND SHIPBUILDING TRADES
OF THE UNITED KINGDOM. MERSEY DISTRICT COMMITTEE.
Arbitration Board on Demarcation of Work for Skip Repairs. BOILER MAKERS v. DRILLERS.
COPY OF AWARD.
We, the Arbiters, after hearing the evidence from either side, and likewise having taken expert evidence, have decided that the following decisions come into force from June 1st, 1903, and is based on claims put forth by both trades as the custom on the Port of the Mersey, and not to be taken as a precedent or applicable to other Shipbuilding and Repairing Ports, or as between any other trades.
BOILER MAKERS' LIST.
Clause 1. Boiler Makers shall, when making new Scarphs, do all drilling or cutting in connection with keels, stem or stern posts.
Clause 2. Drill all holes on Boiler Repairs, and do all drilling in boiler room up to base of funnel.
Clause 3. Drill out Rivets or Studs on hull or shell of ship.
Clause 4. Do all Chain Drilling for holes round, square or oval, above 3in. dia. on hull or shell of ship.
Clause 5. Run in all Bolts and Studs where wood does not intervene.
Clause 6. That Boiler Makers shall drill and tap all holes on watertight work, and for which they are held responsible.
Clause 7. Boiler Makers shall tap all holes they drill according to the list. Clause 8. That the Boiler Makers shall drill all holes required to be
tapped for cattle fittings. Clause 9. Boiler Makers drill and tap all holes for rolling chocks.
Clause 10. Boiler Makers shall drill and tap all holes in engine room for which they are responsible and all holes above Sin. dia.
Clause 11. Boiler Makers to have free use of drilling machines on all work specified in their list.
DEFINITION. — It is understood that Boiler Makers are responsible where the work affects the seaworthiness or structiiral parts of the vessel.
DRILLERS' LIST.
Clause 1. Drill or knife all plain holes up to and including Sin. dia., except those specified in Boiler Makers' list, Sin. dia. to mean the finished size of hole.
A HISTORICAL SUKVEY OF THE BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY. 217
Clause 2. Drill or knife all plain holes in interior of ship when required by other trades, and for which the Boiler Makers are not responsible (engine room excepted).
Clause 3. Drill and tap all holes in connection with electrical installation, excepting in boiler room.
Clause 4. Drill all plain holes for cattle fittings.
Clause 5. All drilling for other trades in engine room up to 3 in. dia. when finished, to be done by Drillers.
Clause 6. To have free use of drilling machines on all work specified in their list.
DEFINITION. — It is understood that Boiler Maki-rx <n •• ri'x/><>nxil>li' where the work affects the seaworthiness or structural i><irt* <>f tin- /vxx«/.
Arbitration Board —
CHARLES ROUSE, ALLEN F. FREYER, WILLIAM IRVINE, W. H. PATTERSON, FRANK SMITH, Chairman.
FEDERATION OF ENGINEERS AND SHIPBUILDING TRADES OF THE UNITED KINGDOM.
July 4th, 1903.
DEFINITION TO CLAUSE 6, BOILER MAKERS' LIST. — To mean hull or shell of ship.
DEFINITION, CLAUSE 1 — DRILLERS' LIST. — It is understood that Drillers tap all holes they drill, and they can drill and tap holes up to 3 inches on the hull of ship when required by other trades.
ADDENDUM TO ORIGINAL DEFINITION. — The seaworthiness or structural parts to mean hull, shell ribs, watertight bulkheads, and thwart ship beams. Drilling and Tapping in the aforesaid parts for other trades to be done by Drillers.
CHARLES ROUSE, A. FREYER,
W. IRVINE, W. H. PATTERSON,
F. SMITH, CHAIRMAN.
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS,
Portrait of General Secretary
(Mr. D. C. Cummings) faciny Title.
Portrait of Jas. Cooper 14
First Emblem of the Order 16
Lines to the Memory of John Roach 39
Portrait of John Allen 55
Portrait of Robert Knight, J. P. 81
Second Emblem of the Order 89-90
Present do. do. 91
Portrait of Matthew Smith 93
Do. Richard Roth well 100
Do. John Rowat 102
Do. James O'Neill, J.P. 104
View of General Offices, Newcastle 121
The Old Executive Council and
General Trustees 139-140
Members of the Executive Council,
New Order 141-142
District Delegates
158-160
Some Past District Delegates still
enjoying life 161
Some Old Branch Secretaries 166 Some Old Veterans - 167-168
The " Enterprise " - 170
The " Robert F. Stockton " 171
The s.s. " Cedric " 172
Sectional Views of Boilers 174
Photo of Cylindrical Boilers now making for H.M.S. "Black
Prince " 175
Section of Boiler of the "Leader" 177
No. 10 Engine - 178
No. 1041 Engine, "The Dart"- 179
No. 2111 Engine, N.E. Ry. - 180
No. 2116 do. 181
The First Metal Railway Bridge
in England .- 184
The Forth Bridge
186
CONTENTS.
PR K FACE
EAKLY TRADE UNION STRUGGLES — 1800-34 9
THE FRIENDLY BOILER MAKERS' SOCIETY — 1834-40 - 13
PREFACE TO DO. DO. 17
LECTURE — PART I. 19
Do. —PART II. ->\
1841 TO 1850 ;w
1851 TO 1860 47
JANUARY, 1861, TO DECEMBER, 1870 58
JANUARY, 1871, TO DECEMBER, 1880 77
JANUARY, 1881, TO DECEMBER, 1890 111
JANUARY, 1891, TO AUGUST, 1904 127
SHIPBUILDING AND MARINE BOILER MAKING, PAST AND PRESENT 170
LOCOMOTIVES IN THE EARLY DAYS AND THE PRESENT 177
BRIDGEBUILDING , - 183
ARBITRATION AWARDS AND AGREEMENTS 189
mni M
PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE CARDS OR SLIPS FROM THIS POCKET
UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO LIBRARY
Curlings, David Charles
A historical survey of the Boiler Inkers' and Steel Ship Builders1 Society