The Amalgamated Weavers' Association, often known as the Weavers' Amalgamation, was a

trade union A trade union (British English) or labor union (American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers whose purpose is to maintain or improve the conditions of their employment, such as attaining better wages ...

in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

. Initially, it operated in competition with the

North East Lancashire Amalgamated Weavers' Association The North East Lancashire Amalgamated Weavers' Association was a trade union federation of local weavers' unions in part of Lancashire in England, in the 19th century. History The federation was founded in 1858 as the East Lancashire Amalgamat ...

in part of its area, and it was therefore nicknamed the Second Amalgamation.

History

The union was founded in 1884 as the Northern Counties Amalgamated Association of Weavers,Amalgamated Weavers' Association
", Archives Hub with the participation of thirty-four local trade unions: Mary Agnes Hamilton, ''Women at Work: A Brief Introduction to Trade Unionism for Women'', p.117 The majority of the union's members were female: in 1894, 45,000 of its 80,000 total membership were women. This was unusual; outside the cotton industry, very few women were members of trade unions. By 1937, membership had risen to 94,000, and the proportion of women had grown further, to a total of 75,000 of its members. For many years, the union campaigned against the practice of steaming in cotton mills. The union took its final name in 1923. In 1974, it merged with the

National Union of Textile and Allied Workers The Cardroom Amalgamation or Cardroom Workers' Amalgamation (CWA)Joseph L. White, ''The Limits of Trade Union Militancy'', p.240, note 9 was a British trade union which existed between 1886 and 1974. It represented workers in the cotton textil ...

to form the

Amalgamated Textile Workers' Union The Amalgamated Textile Workers' Union (ATWU) was a trade union in Great Britain.G. P. and S. P. A. Henderson, ''Directory of British Associations & Associations in Ireland'' (8th Edition), p.7 History The union was founded in 1974, when the Ama ...

Affiliated membership

The total membership of the union's affiliates grew steadily, peaked in 1922, then fell almost continuously until the union was dissolved.

Leadership

General Secretaries

:1884:

Thomas Birtwistle Thomas Birtwistle (16 October 1833 – 22 March 1912) was an English trade unionist and factory inspector. Born in Great Harwood, Lancashire, he worked in a cotton mill from the age of six, becoming a power-loom weaver at the age of fourteen. In s ...

:1885:

William Henry Wilkinson Sir William Henry Wilkinson (traditional Chinese: 務謹順, simplified Chinese: 务谨顺; May 10, 1858The Foreign Office list and diplomatic and consular year book for 1917, Foreign Office, Great Britain. – 1930) was a British sinologist who ...

:1906: Joseph Cross :1925: John C. Parker :1927: Andrew Naesmith :1953:

Lewis Wright Lewis Tatham Wright, Baron Wright of Ashton under Lyne, Commander of the Order of the British Empire, CBE (born Stiles; 11 October 1903Harry Kershaw Harry Kershaw was a professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1890s and 1900s. He played at club level for Wakefield Trinity, as a , or half-back. He played in Wakefield Trinity's first ever match in the Northern Union (now the Rug ...

:1971: Fred Hague

Presidents

:1884: David Holmes :1906:

David Shackleton Sir David James Shackleton (21 November 1863 – 1 August 1938) was a cotton worker and trade unionist who became the third Labour Party (UK), Labour Member of Parliament in the United Kingdom, following the formation of the British Labour Pa ...

:1911:

John William Ogden John William Ogden (1862 – 23 March 1930) was a British trade unionist. Ogden was born in Heywood, Greater Manchester, to Peter and Martha Ogden. He was baptised 14 September 1862.''Manchester, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1 ...

:1930:

James Hindle James Hindle (13 April 1871''1939 England and Wales Register'' – 31 July 1942) was a British trade unionist. Born in Heywood, Hindle became a weaver at an early age. In 1888, he moved with his family to Burnley and became involved in the B ...

:1937: James Bell :1947:

Carey Hargreaves Carey Hargreaves (died 11 October 1954) was a British trade unionist. Born in Burnley, Hargreaves grew up in Barrowford. He worked as a cotton weaver and became active in the Nelson Weavers' Association (NWA), serving on its committee for a few ...

:1949:

Lewis Wright Lewis Tatham Wright, Baron Wright of Ashton under Lyne, Commander of the Order of the British Empire, CBE (born Stiles; 11 October 1903Harold Bradley Harold Bradley may refer to: Others * Harold Bradley (guitarist) (1926–2019), American country and pop guitarist * Harold Bradley (pianist) (1906–1984), Canadian pianist * Harold Bradley (trade unionist) (1895–1979), British trade union leade ...

:1960:

Ernest Thornton Ernest Thornton (18 May 1905 – 5 February 1992) was a British Labour Party politician. He was elected Member of Parliament (MP) for Farnworth Farnworth is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester, England, s ...

:1964: Fred Hague :1970:

Hilda Unsworth Hilda Peace Unsworth (11 November 1918 – 26 November 2015) was a British trade union leader who served as the last president of the Amalgamated Weavers' Association. Early life Unsworth was born in Bolton on Armistice Day, and as a result ...

References

{{Lancashire Cotton Defunct trade unions of the United Kingdom Cotton industry trade unions 1884 establishments in the United Kingdom 1974 disestablishments in the United Kingdom Trade unions established in 1884 Trade unions disestablished in 1974 Trade unions based in Greater Manchester