Grand National Consolidated Trades Union
Encyclopedia
The Grand National Consolidated Trades Union of 1834 was an early attempt to form a national union confederation in the United Kingdom
.
There had been several attempts to form national general union
s in the 1820s, culminating with the National Association for the Protection of Labour
, established in 1830. However, this had soon failed, and by 1830 the most influential labour organisation was the Builders' Union.
In 1833, Robert Owen
returned from the United States
, and declared the need for a guild
-based system of co-operative production. He was able to gain the support of the Builders' Union, which called for a Grand National Guild to take over the entire building trade. In February 1834, a conference was held in London
which founded the Grand National Consolidated Trades Union.
The new body, unlike other organisations founded by Owen, was open only to trade unionists and, as a result, initially Owen did not join it. Its foundation coincided with a period of industrial unrest, and strikes broke out in Derby
, Leeds
and Oldham
. These were discouraged by the new union, which unsuccessfully tried to persuade workers to adopt co-operative solutions. Six labourers in Tolpuddle
, Dorset
, attempted to found a friendly society
and to seek to affiliate with the Grand National. This was discovered, they were convicted of swearing unlawful oaths, and they were sentenced to transportation for seven years. They became known as the Tolpuddle Martyrs
and there was a large but unsuccessful campaign led by William Lovett
to reduce their sentence.
The organisation was riven by disagreement over the approach to take, given that many strikes had been lost, the Tolpuddle case had discouraged workers from joining unions, and several new unions had collapsed. The initial reaction was to rename itself the British and Foreign Consolidated Association of Industry, Humanity and Knowledge, focus increasingly on common interests of workers and employers, and attempt to regain prestige by appointing Owen as Grand Master. The organisation began to break up in the summer of 1834 and by November, it had ceased to function: Owen called a congress in Loindon which reconstituted it as the Friendly Association of the Unionists of All Classes of All Nations with himself as Grand Master, but it was defunct by the end of 1834. Meanwhile, the Builders' Union broke up into smaller trade-based unions.
Owen persevered, holding a congress in 1 May 1835 to constitute a new Association of All Classes of All Nations, with himself as Preliminary Father. This was essentially a propaganda organisation, with little popular support, which attempted to gain the ear of influential individuals to propose a more rational society. In 1837, it registered as a friendly society
, but was initially overshadowed by Owen's similar National Community Friendly Society. In 1838, it was able to expand significantly by sending out "social missionaries", setting up fifty branches, most in Cheshire, Lancashire and Yorkshire. In 1839, the National Community and the Association of All Classes merged to form the Universal Community Society of Rational Religionists.
Despite its name, the Grand National was never able to gain significant support outside London and, as a result, Lovett's London Working Men's Association
was its most important successor. The next attempt to form a national union confederation was the National Association of United Trades for the Protection of Labour
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
There had been several attempts to form national general union
General union
A General Union is a trade union which represents workers from all industries and companies, rather than just one organization or a particular sector, as in a craft union or industrial union...
s in the 1820s, culminating with the National Association for the Protection of Labour
National Association for the Protection of Labour
The National Association for the Protection of Labour was one of the first attempts at creating a National Trade union in the United Kingdom. The organization was established in July, 1830 by John Doherty, after an apparently unsuccessful attempt to create a similar national presence with the...
, established in 1830. However, this had soon failed, and by 1830 the most influential labour organisation was the Builders' Union.
In 1833, Robert Owen
Robert Owen
Robert Owen was a Welsh social reformer and one of the founders of utopian socialism and the cooperative movement.Owen's philosophy was based on three intellectual pillars:...
returned from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and declared the need for a guild
Guild
A guild is an association of craftsmen in a particular trade. The earliest types of guild were formed as confraternities of workers. They were organized in a manner something between a trade union, a cartel, and a secret society...
-based system of co-operative production. He was able to gain the support of the Builders' Union, which called for a Grand National Guild to take over the entire building trade. In February 1834, a conference was held in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
which founded the Grand National Consolidated Trades Union.
The new body, unlike other organisations founded by Owen, was open only to trade unionists and, as a result, initially Owen did not join it. Its foundation coincided with a period of industrial unrest, and strikes broke out in Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
, Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
and Oldham
Oldham
Oldham is a large town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amid the Pennines on elevated ground between the rivers Irk and Medlock, south-southeast of Rochdale, and northeast of the city of Manchester...
. These were discouraged by the new union, which unsuccessfully tried to persuade workers to adopt co-operative solutions. Six labourers in Tolpuddle
Tolpuddle
Tolpuddle is a small village in the southern English county of Dorset, situated in the Piddle valley, eight miles east of Dorchester and 12 miles west of Poole. The village has a population of 331 ....
, Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
, attempted to found a friendly society
Friendly society
A friendly society is a mutual association for insurance, pensions or savings and loan-like purposes, or cooperative banking. It is a mutual organization or benefit society composed of a body of people who join together for a common financial or social purpose...
and to seek to affiliate with the Grand National. This was discovered, they were convicted of swearing unlawful oaths, and they were sentenced to transportation for seven years. They became known as the Tolpuddle Martyrs
Tolpuddle Martyrs
The Tolpuddle Martyrs were a group of 19th century Dorset agricultural labourers who were arrested for and convicted of swearing a secret oath as members of the Friendly Society of Agricultural Labourers. The rules of the society show it was clearly structured as a friendly society and operated as...
and there was a large but unsuccessful campaign led by William Lovett
William Lovett
William Lovett was a British activist who was a leader of the political movement Chartism as well as one of the leading London-based Artisan Radicals of his generation....
to reduce their sentence.
The organisation was riven by disagreement over the approach to take, given that many strikes had been lost, the Tolpuddle case had discouraged workers from joining unions, and several new unions had collapsed. The initial reaction was to rename itself the British and Foreign Consolidated Association of Industry, Humanity and Knowledge, focus increasingly on common interests of workers and employers, and attempt to regain prestige by appointing Owen as Grand Master. The organisation began to break up in the summer of 1834 and by November, it had ceased to function: Owen called a congress in Loindon which reconstituted it as the Friendly Association of the Unionists of All Classes of All Nations with himself as Grand Master, but it was defunct by the end of 1834. Meanwhile, the Builders' Union broke up into smaller trade-based unions.
Owen persevered, holding a congress in 1 May 1835 to constitute a new Association of All Classes of All Nations, with himself as Preliminary Father. This was essentially a propaganda organisation, with little popular support, which attempted to gain the ear of influential individuals to propose a more rational society. In 1837, it registered as a friendly society
Friendly society
A friendly society is a mutual association for insurance, pensions or savings and loan-like purposes, or cooperative banking. It is a mutual organization or benefit society composed of a body of people who join together for a common financial or social purpose...
, but was initially overshadowed by Owen's similar National Community Friendly Society. In 1838, it was able to expand significantly by sending out "social missionaries", setting up fifty branches, most in Cheshire, Lancashire and Yorkshire. In 1839, the National Community and the Association of All Classes merged to form the Universal Community Society of Rational Religionists.
Despite its name, the Grand National was never able to gain significant support outside London and, as a result, Lovett's London Working Men's Association
London Working Men's Association
The London Working Men's Association was an organization established in London in 1836. It was one of the foundations of Chartism. The founders were William Lovett, Francis Place and Henry Hetherington. They appealed to skilled workers rather than the mass of unskilled factory labourers...
was its most important successor. The next attempt to form a national union confederation was the National Association of United Trades for the Protection of Labour
National Association of United Trades for the Protection of Labour
The National Association of United Trades for the Protection of Labour was an early trade union federation in the United Kingdom.No attempt had been made to co-ordinate the activities of trade unions in various industries across the country since the failure of the Grand National Consolidated...
.