William Dronfield
Encyclopedia
William Dronfield was a British
trade unionist.
Born in Sheffield
, Dronfield became a compositor. In 1849, he was a founder member of the Provincial Typographical Association, and from 1852 to 1855 served as its President.
In 1858, many Sheffield compositors were involved in a dispute with the owner of the Sheffield Times newspaper. In order to build solidarity for their cause, they founded the Sheffield Association of Organised Trades. Dronfield was elected as its first secretary, a post he held until 1867.
Through this organisation, Dronfield became active in many national campaigns; in particular, against the Master and Servant Act
, against which he helped organise a national conference in 1864.
In 1865, Dronfield presented a paper on trade unions at the conference of the National Association for the Promotion of Social Science, a bourgeois organisation which aimed to include industrial relations in its remit. However, details of his speech and the debate sparked by it were omitted from the official report. A second intervention, calling for state aid for education
, was included.
Disappointment at the body's indifference to labour matters convinced him of the need for a national trade union organisation. He called a conference in Sheffield in 1866 which organised the United Kingdom Alliance of Organised Trades, and he was elected as its secretary.
Dronfield was appointed as the honorary secretary of the Sheffield Trades Defence Committee, founded in the aftermath of the Sheffield Outrages
, and so gave evidence in support of the legalisation of trade union activity.
Dronfield convinced two members of the Manchester and Salford Trades Council, William Henry Wood
and Samuel Caldwell Nicholson
, of the need for a national organisation, and this inspired them to call a meeting in Manchester
in 1868. Dronfield attended this as a representative of the Sheffield Association of Organised Trades, and played a prominent role in the proceedings. The meeting resolved to found the Trades Union Congress
.
Dronfield supported the Reform League
, and in order to further labour interests, he convinced Anthony John Mundella
to stand as the Liberal Party
candidate for Sheffield
in the 1868 UK general election. Mundella took a seat.
Also in 1868, Dronfield became the secretary of the newly formed National Education League
. He represented Sheffield at the Workmen's International Exhibition in 1870, and later became a sanitary inspector, calling for improvements to Sheffield's sanitation systems.
Dronfield died in 1894 and is buried in Sheffield General Cemetery
.
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...
trade unionist.
Born in Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, Dronfield became a compositor. In 1849, he was a founder member of the Provincial Typographical Association, and from 1852 to 1855 served as its President.
In 1858, many Sheffield compositors were involved in a dispute with the owner of the Sheffield Times newspaper. In order to build solidarity for their cause, they founded the Sheffield Association of Organised Trades. Dronfield was elected as its first secretary, a post he held until 1867.
Through this organisation, Dronfield became active in many national campaigns; in particular, against the Master and Servant Act
Master and Servant Act
Master and Servant Acts or Masters and Servants Acts were laws designed to regulate relations between employers and employees during the 18th and 19th centuries. An 1823 United Kingdom Act described its purpose as "the better regulations of servants, labourers and work people"...
, against which he helped organise a national conference in 1864.
In 1865, Dronfield presented a paper on trade unions at the conference of the National Association for the Promotion of Social Science, a bourgeois organisation which aimed to include industrial relations in its remit. However, details of his speech and the debate sparked by it were omitted from the official report. A second intervention, calling for state aid for education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
, was included.
Disappointment at the body's indifference to labour matters convinced him of the need for a national trade union organisation. He called a conference in Sheffield in 1866 which organised the United Kingdom Alliance of Organised Trades, and he was elected as its secretary.
Dronfield was appointed as the honorary secretary of the Sheffield Trades Defence Committee, founded in the aftermath of the Sheffield Outrages
Sheffield Outrages
Sheffield's early success in steel production had involved long working hours, in desperately unpleasant conditions which offered little or no safety protection. quotes a local doctor, Dr. Knight, regarding the so-called "Grinder's Asthma" suffered by the Sheffield cutlery workers in the mid 19th...
, and so gave evidence in support of the legalisation of trade union activity.
Dronfield convinced two members of the Manchester and Salford Trades Council, William Henry Wood
William Henry Wood
William Henry Wood was a British trade union leader.Wood was a compositor, and became the Secretary of the Manchester Typographical Society. In 1864, he was elected as the first Secretary of the Manchester and Salford Trades Council....
and Samuel Caldwell Nicholson
Samuel Caldwell Nicholson
Samuel Caldwell Nicholson was a British trade unionist.Nicholson was a compositor who became the Treasurer of the Manchester Typographical Society. In 1864, he was elected the first President of the Manchester and Salford Trades Council...
, of the need for a national organisation, and this inspired them to call a meeting in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
in 1868. Dronfield attended this as a representative of the Sheffield Association of Organised Trades, and played a prominent role in the proceedings. The meeting resolved to found the Trades Union Congress
Trades Union Congress
The Trades Union Congress is a national trade union centre, a federation of trade unions in the United Kingdom, representing the majority of trade unions...
.
Dronfield supported the Reform League
Reform League
The Reform League was established in 1865 to press for manhood suffrage and the ballot in Great Britain. It collaborated with the more moderate and middle class Reform Union and gave strong support to the abortive Reform Bill 1866 and the successful Reform Act 1867...
, and in order to further labour interests, he convinced Anthony John Mundella
Anthony John Mundella
Anthony John Mundella PC , known as A. J. Mundella, was an English manufacturer, reformer and Liberal Party politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1868 to 1897...
to stand as the Liberal Party
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
candidate for Sheffield
Sheffield (UK Parliament constituency)
Sheffield was a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom 1832 to 1885. It elected two Members of Parliament by the bloc vote system of elections....
in the 1868 UK general election. Mundella took a seat.
Also in 1868, Dronfield became the secretary of the newly formed National Education League
National Education League
The National Education League was a political movement in England and Wales which promoted elementary education for all children, free from religious control....
. He represented Sheffield at the Workmen's International Exhibition in 1870, and later became a sanitary inspector, calling for improvements to Sheffield's sanitation systems.
Dronfield died in 1894 and is buried in Sheffield General Cemetery
Sheffield General Cemetery
The General Cemetery is a cemetery in the City of Sheffield, England that opened in 1836, and closed for burial in 1978. It was the principal cemetery in Victorian Sheffield with over 87,000 burials. Today it is a conservation area , and it is listed on the English Heritage National Register of...
.