Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers

Former trade union of the United Kingdom From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers (ASW) was a British trade union representing carpenters, joiners and allied trades. The ASW was formed in 1921 by the amalgamation of two smaller unions. It was itself merged into the Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians in 1971.^[1]

MergedintoAmalgamated Society of Woodworkers and Painters

Founded1 January 1921

Dissolved1 July 1970

Headquarters9–11 Macaulay Road, Clapham, London

Quick facts Merged into, Founded ...

Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers

Merged into	Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers and Painters
Founded	1 January 1921
Dissolved	1 July 1970
Headquarters	9–11 Macaulay Road, Clapham, London
Location	United Kingdom
Members	198,000 (1956)
Publication	Woodworkers' Journal
Affiliations	TUC, ITUC

History

The ASW was formed in 1921 through the merger of two rival unions: the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters, Cabinetmakers and Joiners and the General Union of Carpenters and Joiners.^[1] In 1922, most of its Irish members left to form the Irish National Union of Woodworkers.^[2]

The ASW had 176,000 members by 1945, making it the seventh largest union in Britain. Its membership rose to 198,000 by 1956.^[3] In 1965, the National Union of Packing Case Makers (Wood and Tin), Box Makers, Sawyers and Mill Workers merged into the ASW.^[4]

On 1 July 1970 the ASW was merged with Amalgamated Society of Painters and Decorators and the Association of Building Technicians to form the Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers and Painters.^[5] One year later the new union was itself merged with Amalgamated Union of Building Trade Workers to become the Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers Painters and Builders (ASWPB). At the end of 1971 the ASWPB was renamed the Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians (UCATT).^[5]

Election results

The union sponsored a large number of Labour Party candidates, many of whom won election.

More information Election, Constituency ...

Election	Constituency	Candidate	Votes	Percentage	Position
1922 general election	Birmingham Yardley	Archibald Gossling	11,234	41.9	2^[6]
	Chippenham	William Robert Roberts	1,098	05.1	3^[6]
	Stockport	James C. H. Robinson	16,126	15.8	4^[7]
	Walthamstow West	Valentine McEntee	8,758	43.3	1^[6]
	Willesden West	Samuel Viant	12,529	48.5	2^[6]
	Wycombe	Samuel Stennett	4,403	14.1	3^[6]
1923 general election	Birmingham Yardley	Archibald Gossling	11,562	46.5	2^[8]
	Manchester Hulme	Andrew McElwee	8,433	30.0	3^[8]
	Nuneaton	Thomas Barron	10,437	29.1	3^[8]
	Rotherham	Fred Lindley	16,983	53.9	1^[9]
	Walthamstow West	Valentine McEntee	10,026	47.6	1^[9]
	Willesden West	Samuel Viant	14,004	51.3	1^[8]
1924 general election	Birmingham Yardley	Archibald Gossling	14,184	46.8	2^[9]
	Manchester Hulme	Andrew McElwee	13,070	41.2	2^[9]
	Montrose Burghs	Thomas Barron	6,914	42.8	2^[9]
	Rotherham	Fred Lindley	18,860	54.6	1^[9]
	Walthamstow West	Valentine McEntee	12,621	49.1	2^[9]
	Willesden West	Samuel Viant	14,884	47.3	1^[9]
1929 general election	Birmingham Yardley	Archibald Gossling	23,956	48.8	1^[10]
	Glasgow Partick	Adam McKinlay	13,110	45.5	1^[10]
	Manchester Hulme	Andrew McElwee	15,053	43.8	1^[10]
	Rotherham	Fred Lindley	26,937	60.4	1^[10]
	Walthamstow West	Valentine McEntee	16,050	54.0	1^[10]
	Willesden West	Samuel Viant	20,583	52.3	1^[10]
1931 general election	Birmingham Yardley	Archibald Gossling	16,640	33.8	2^[11]
	Glasgow Partick	Adam McKinlay	11,252	37.3	2^[11]
	Rotherham	Fred Lindley	22,834	49.2	2^[11]
	Walthamstow West	Valentine McEntee	14,144	45.1	1^[11]
	Willesden West	Samuel Viant	15,550	39.4	2^[11]
1935 general election	Leeds Central	Fred Lindley	13,701	43.6	2^[12]
	Liverpool Fairfield	Arthur Moody	11,155	37.5	2^[12]
	Walthamstow West	Valentine McEntee	17,613	61.8	1^[12]
	Willesden West	Samuel Viant	19,402	45.9	2^[12]
1945 general election	Leeds Central	George Porter	13,370	57.1	1^[13]
	Liverpool Exchange	Bessie Braddock	8,494	52.0	1^[13]
	Walthamstow West	Valentine McEntee	17,460	65.2	1^[13]
	Willesden West	Samuel Viant	26,566	72.2	1^[13]
1950 general election	Gateshead East	Arthur Moody	15,249	45.1	1^[14]
	Leeds Central	George Porter	24,030	60.8	1^[14]
	Willesden West	Samuel Viant	33,963	61.1	1^[14]
1951 general election	Gateshead East	Arthur Moody	19,525	57.7	1^[15]
	Leeds Central	George Porter	23,967	62.4	1^[15]
	Willesden West	Samuel Viant	35,296	64.3	1^[15]
1955 general election	Gateshead East	Arthur Moody	21,653	56.5	1^[16]
1955 general election	Willesden West	Samuel Viant	29,185	61.8	1^[16]
1959 general election	Bradford North	John Marshall	20,179	46.9	2^[17]
	Canterbury	George Peters	15,746	33.8	2^[17]
	Gateshead East	Arthur Moody	25,319	58.9	1^[17]
1964 general election	Ripon	Peter O'Grady	7,341	21.8	3^[18]
1966 general election	Liverpool Walton	Eric Heffer	20,590	57.3	1^[19]
1970 general election	Liverpool Walton	Eric Heffer	21,452	53.6	1^[20]

Leadership

General Secretaries

1921: Alexander Gordon Cameron

1926: Frank Wolstencroft

1948: Jack McDermott

1959: George Smith

Assistant General Secretaries

1921: Frank Wolstencroft

1927: Thomas O. Williams

1947: Jack McDermott

1949: George Smith

1959: W. J. Martin

1962: Les Wood

References

[1]
"Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers including the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners". Trade Union Ancestors. Archived from the original on 9 May 2008. Retrieved 11 September 2008.
[2]
Devine, Francis; Smethurst, John B. (2017). Historical Directory of Trade Unions in Ireland (PDF). Dublin: Irish Labour History Society & Working Class Movement Library. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
[3]
Marsh, Arthur (1979). Trade Union Handbook: A Guide and Directory to the Structure, Membership, Policy and Personnel of the British Trade Unions. Westmead, Hants.: Gower Press. p. 14. ISBN 0-566-02091-2. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
[4]
Marsh, Arthur; Ryan, Victoria (1987). Historical Directory of Trade Unions. Vol. 3. Aldershot: Gower Publishing. p. 368. ISBN 0566021625.
[5]
"Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers 1915-71". University of Warwick. Retrieved 11 September 2008.
[6]
Labour Party, Report of the Twenty-second Annual Conference of the Labour Party, pp.255-272. Note that this list is of the sanctioned candidates as of June 1922, and there were some changes between this date and the general election.
[7]
"Obituary: J. C. H. Robinson". Woodworkers', Painters' and Building Workers' Journal. 1946.
[8]
Higgenbottam, Samuel (1939). Our Society's History. Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers. p. 284.
[9]
"Woodworkers' six for Parliament". Manchester Guardian. 28 July 1924.
[10]
Report of the Annual Labour Party Conference: 24–44. 1929. {{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
[11]
Annual Report of the Labour Party: 11–27. 1931. {{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
[12]
"List of Endorsed Labour Candidates and Election Results, November 14, 1935". Annual Report of the Labour Party: 8–23. 1935.
[13]
Labour Party, Report of the Forty-Fifth Annual Conference of the Labour Party, pp.232-248
[14]
"List of Parliamentary Labour candidates and election results, February 23rd, 1950". Report of the Conference of the Labour Party: 179–198. 1950.
[15]
Labour Party, Report of the Fiftieth Annual Conference of the Labour Party, pp.184-203
[16]
Labour Party, Report of the Fifty-Fourth Annual Conference of the Labour Party, pp.255-275
[17]
Labour Party, Report of the Fifty-Eighth Annual Conference of the Labour Party, pp.179-201
[18]
Labour Party, Report of the Sixty-Third Annual Conference of the Labour Party, pp.158-180
[19]
Labour Party, Report of the Sixty-Fifth Annual Conference of the Labour Party, pp.308-330
[20]
Labour Party, Report of the Sixty-Ninth Annual Conference of the Labour Party, pp.289-312

Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers

History

Election results

Leadership

General Secretaries

Assistant General Secretaries

References

External links

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