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United Textile Factory Workers' Association

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The United Textile Factory Workers' Association (UTFWA) was a trade union federation in Great Britain. It was active from 1889 until 1975.

United Textile Factory Workers' Association
Founded1889
Dissolved1975
Location
Members
100,522 (1946)[1]
AffiliationsLabour Party

Objectives

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The federation was founded in 1889, to represent the various textile workers' unions in political matters.[2] A successor to the Northern Counties Factory Acts Reform Association, it had a broader outlook, not just campaigning on the implementation and extension of the Factory Acts.[3]

The UTFWA initially represented around 125,000 workers,[4] three-quarters within twenty miles of Bolton in Lancashire.[5] By the early twentieth century, its members were organised in the Amalgamated Association of Card and Blowing Room Operatives, Amalgamated Association of Operative Cotton Spinners, Amalgamated Association of Beamers, Twisters and Drawers, Amalgamated Weavers' Association, General Union of Loom Overlookers and Operative Bleachers, Dyers and Finishers Association.[6] Later members included the Amalgamated Textile Warehousemen, the General Warp Dressers' Association of Lancashire and Yorkshire, and the Ball Warpers' Association.[1]

The new federation had a General Council with about two hundred members of local unions, and a Legislative Council of full-time leaders. However, its member unions did not always engage with its structures, and the General Council did not meet between 1896 and 1899.[7]

Early years

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In its early years, the association attempted to introduce a bill reducing working hours, but dropped the proposal after it was only narrowly passed in a ballot of members. It also hoped to sponsor parliamentary candidates for both the Conservative Party and Liberal Party, but decided not to pursue this following a lack of interest from the Conservatives and opposition from James Mawdsley. However, it did achieve some success in campaigning against Indian tariffs on cotton imports, as the rates were reduced to below those on other materials.[8]

In 1902, breaking with its previous policy, the UTFWA supported David Shackleton's candidature for the Labour Representation Committee (LRC) in Clitheroe.[9] He was elected and, the following year, the Association affiliated to the LRC.[2] The Cardroom Workers quit the association a few years later after none of its members were adopted as parliamentary candidates, but rejoined in 1916.[10]

In 1920, some of its member unions moved for the association to extend its remit to industrial matters, but this was not adopted.[11]

Demise

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The federation was dissolved on 1 December 1975,[12] following the decline of the industry and the merger of its two largest affiliates into the Amalgamated Textile Workers' Union.[13]

Election results

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

Election Constituency Candidate Votes Percentage Position Union
1906 general election Bolton Alfred Henry Gill 10,416 37.1 2[14][15] Spinners[16]
Clitheroe David James Shackleton 12,035 75.9 1[14][15] Weavers[16]
1910 Jan general election Bolton Alfred Gill 11,864 30.5 2 Spinners[16]
Clitheroe David Shackleton 13,873 67.3 1 Weavers[16]
1910 Dec general election Bolton Alfred Gill 7,729 64.0 2 Spinners[16]
Clitheroe Albert Smith 12,107 67.7 1 Weavers[16]
Preston William Henry Carr 7,853 23.0 4 Cardroom[16]
1911 by-election Oldham William Cornforth Robinson 7,448 24.6 3 Beamers[16]
1918 general election Clitheroe Alfred Davies 9,578 44.7 1 Spinners[16]
Fylde William John Tout 7,400 35.1 2 Weavers
Nelson and Colne Albert Smith 14,075 62.0 1 Weavers[16]
Oldham William Cornforth Robinson 15,178 19.6 3 Beamers[16]
Ormskirk James Bell 6,545 37.2 1 Weavers
Preston Tom Shaw 19,213 25.8 1 Weavers
Rossendale Gilbert Wright Jones 7,984 35.1 2 Bleachers
Sowerby John William Ogden 7,306 32.7 2 Weavers
1920 by-election Ashton-under-Lyne William Cornforth Robinson 8,127 39.6 2 Beamers[16]
1922 general election Birmingham Duddeston Michael Brothers 8,331 38.9 2[17] Cardroom
Clitheroe Alfred Davies 12,911 45.3 2[17] Spinners[16]
Elland William C. Robinson 10,590 36.8 1[17] Beamers[16]
Middleton and Prestwich Matthew Burrow Farr 10,505 41.5 2[17] Cardroom
Oldham William John Tout 24,434 27.7 2[17] Weavers
Ormskirk James Bell 8,374 41.3 2[18] Weavers
Preston Tom Shaw 26,259 27.9 1[17] Weavers
Rossendale Gilbert Wright Jones 11,029 36.5 2[17] Bleachers
Royton John B. Battle 5,776 19.6 2[17] Spinners[16]
Sowerby John William Ogden 7,496 25.5 3[17] Weavers
1923 general election Bolton Albert Law 25,133 18.6 1[19] Spinners[16]
Chorley Zeph Hutchinson 12,179 45.3 2[19] Weavers
Clitheroe Alfred Davies 11,469 37.9 2[19] Spinners[16]
Elland William C. Robinson 12,031 49.1 2[19] Beamers[16]
Middleton and Prestwich Matthew Burrow Farr 7,849 28.7 3[19] Cardroom
Oldham William John Tout 20,939 23.4 1[19] Weavers
Preston Tom Shaw 25,816 34.4 1[19] Weavers
1924 general election Bolton Albert Law 30,632 20.9 3[20] Spinners[16]
Chorley Zeph Hutchinson 13,074 42.3 2[20] Weavers
Elland William C. Robinson 11,690 39.5 1[20] Beamers[16]
Middleton and Prestwich Matthew Burrow Farr 8,442 27.0 2[20] Cardroom
Oldham William Tout 23,623 19.7 3[20] Weavers
Preston Tom Shaw 27,009 26.3 1[20] Weavers
Rossendale James Bell 9,951 32.4 2[20] Weavers
1925 by-election Oldham William John Tout 21,702 45.2 2[21] Weavers
1929 general election Bolton Albert Law 43,520 24.0 1[22] Spinners[16]
Bolton Michael Brothers 37,888 20.9 2[22] Cardroom
Bury James Bell 13,175 37.4 2[22] Weavers
Middleton and Prestwich Matthew Burrow Farr 14,368 34.6 2[22] Cardroom
Preston Tom Shaw 37,705 29.5 1[22] Weavers
Sowerby William John Tout 14,223 37.2 1[22] Weavers
1931 general election Bolton Michael Brothers 32,049 16.4 4[23] Cardroom[24]
Bolton Albert Law 33,736 17.3 3[23] Spinners[16]
Bury James Bell 10,532 29.7 2[23] Weavers[24]
Heywood and Radcliffe James Stott 12,915 28.5 2[23] Beamers[24]
Middleton and Prestwich Thomas McCall 10,796 25.4 2[23] Warehousemen[24]
Preston Tom Shaw 25,710 18.0 3[23] Weavers
Royton George Illingworth 5,913 14.4 3[23] Spinners[16]
Sowerby William John Tout 11,857 31.7 2[23] Weavers[24]
1935 general election Blackburn James Bell 34,571 23.9 3[25] Weavers[26]
Bolton Albert Law 39,890 21.4 3[25] Spinners[16]
Bolton John Lynch 39,871 21.4 4[25] Warehousemen[26]
Middleton and Prestwich Joseph Nuttall 17,398 38.9 2[25] Weavers[26]
Oldham Matthew Burrow Farr 29,647 4[25] Cardroom[26]
Sowerby William John Tout 16,035 46.2 2[25] Weavers[26]
1938 by-election Farnworth George Tomlinson 24,298 59.1 1[27] Weavers
1945 general election Farnworth George Tomlinson 28,462 66.1 1[28] Weavers
Oldham Frank Fairhurst 31,704 23.9 1[28] Overlookers
Preston John William Sunderland 32,889 24.1 2[28] Weavers
1950 general election Farnworth George Tomlinson 25,375 56.6 1[29] Weavers
Manchester Withington Lewis Wright 14,206 32.6 2[29] Weavers
Oldham East Frank Fairhurst 21,510 45.0 1[29] Overlookers
1951 general election Bury and Radcliffe Lewis Wright 28,058 48.4 2[30] Weavers
Clitheroe Harold Bradley 18,582 44.7 2[30] Weavers
Farnworth George Tomlinson 26,297 59.2 1[30] Weavers
1952 by-election Farnworth Ernest Thornton 21,834 59.9 1 Weavers
1955 general election Clitheroe William Rutter 16,671 43.5 2[31] Overlookers
Farnworth Ernest Thornton 24,829 57.7 1[31] Weavers
1959 general election Clitheroe William Rutter 16,103 41.9 2[32] Overlookers
Farnworth Ernest Thornton 27,393 58.6 1[32] Weavers
1964 general election Farnworth Ernest Thornton 28,492 62.1 1[33] Weavers
1966 general election Farnworth Ernest Thornton 30,015 66.2 1[34] Weavers
1970 general election North Fylde Raymond Hill 15,235 31.2 2[35] Weavers

Leadership

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Secretaries

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1889: Thomas Birtwistle
c.1892: James Mawdsley
1902: Joseph Cross
1925: James Bell
1931: Cephas Speak
1943: Ernest Thornton
1953: Harold Bradley
1958: James Milhench
1968: Joseph Richardson

Presidents

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1889: David Holmes
1890s: William Mullin
1913: William C. Robinson
1919: Walter Gee
1924: William Thomasson
1935: Archie Robertson
1953: William Roberts
1958: Harold Chorlton
1964: Jim Browning

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Labour Party, Report of the Forty-Fifth Annual Conference of the Labour Party, p.77
  2. ^ a b D. A. Farnie, Region and Strategy in Britain and Japan, p.117
  3. ^ Andrew Bullen, The Lancashire Weavers Union, p.22
  4. ^ Teun Hoefnagel, Tussen traditie en emancipatie, p.328 (in Dutch)
  5. ^ P. F. Clarke, Lancashire and the New Liberalism, p.84
  6. ^ P. F. Clarke, Lancashire and the New Liberalism, p.93
  7. ^ David Howell, British Workers and the Independent Labour Party, 1888-1906, pp.58-59
  8. ^ P. F. Clarke, Lancashire and the New Liberalism, pp.84-88
  9. ^ P. F. Clarke, Lancashire and the New Liberalism, pp.91-92
  10. ^ Joseph L. White, The Limits of Trade Union Militancy: The Lancashire Textile Workers, 1910-1914, pp.151-152
  11. ^ H. A. Clegg et al, A History of British Trade Unions Since 1889: 1911-1933, p.305
  12. ^ Report of Annual Trades Union Congress, vol.108, p.379
  13. ^ "Amalgamated Textile Workers' Union", Archives Hub
  14. ^ a b Joel Dayton Moore, The Taff Vale Decision in British Labor History, pp.115-116
  15. ^ a b Frank Bealey and Henry Pelling, Labour and Politics, 1900-1906, pp.290-292
  16. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x Fowler, Alan; Wyke (1987). The Barefoot Aristocrats: A History of the Amalgamated Association of Operative Cotton Spinners. Littleborough: George Kelsall. ISBN 0-946571-10-4.
  17. ^ a b c d e f g h i 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.
  18. ^ "Textile workers' campaign". Manchester Guardian. 19 November 1923.
  19. ^ a b c d e f g "Textile Workers' Group". Manchester Guardian. 20 November 1923.
  20. ^ a b c d e f g "Seven textile workers' candidates". Manchester Guardian. 15 October 1924.
  21. ^ Labour Party, Report of the Annual Labour Party Conference (1925), pp.25–27
  22. ^ a b c d e f "Cotton operatives' candidates". Manchester Guardian. 7 March 1929.
  23. ^ a b c d e f g h Annual Report of the Labour Party: 11–27. 1931. {{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  24. ^ a b c d e "Factory Workers & A Manifesto". Manchester Guardian. 15 October 1931.
  25. ^ a b c d e f "List of Endorsed Labour Candidates and Election Results, November 14, 1935". Annual Report of the Labour Party: 8–23. 1935.
  26. ^ a b c d e "Textile Workers: Effort to Secure More Seats in Parliament". Manchester Guardian. 3 May 1935.
  27. ^ "Parliamentary by-elections". Report of the Annual Labour Party Conference: 57–63. 1939.
  28. ^ a b c Labour Party, Report of the Forty-Fifth Annual Conference of the Labour Party, pp.232-248
  29. ^ a b c "List of Parliamentary Labour candidates and election results, February 23rd, 1950". Report of the Forty-Ninth Annual Conference of the Labour Party: 179–198. 1950.
  30. ^ a b c Labour Party, Report of the Fiftieth Annual Conference of the Labour Party, pp.184-203
  31. ^ a b Labour Party, Report of the Fifty-Fourth Annual Conference of the Labour Party, pp.255-275
  32. ^ a b Labour Party, Report of the Fifty-Eighth Annual Conference of the Labour Party, pp.179-201
  33. ^ Labour Party, Report of the Sixty-Third Annual Conference of the Labour Party, pp.158-180
  34. ^ Labour Party, Report of the Sixty-Fifth Annual Conference of the Labour Party, pp.308-330
  35. ^ Labour Party, Report of the Sixty-Ninth Annual Conference of the Labour Party, pp.289-312

Further reading

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  • Griffiths, Trevor. The Lancashire Working Classes: C. 1880-1930 (Oxford University Press on Demand, 2001).
  • Procter, Stephen, and J. S. Toms. "Industrial Relations and Technical Change: Profits, Wages and Costs in the Lancashire Cotton Industry, 1880-1914." Journal of Industrial History 3#1 (2000): 54-72. online
  • Singleton, J. Lancashire on the scrapheap: The cotton industry, 1945–70 (Oxford UP, 1991).
  • Tippett, L.H.C. A portrait of the Lancashire cotton industry (Oxford UP, 1969).
  • White, Joseph L. "Lancashire Cotton Textiles," in Chris Wrigley, A History of British industrial relations, 1875-1914 (Univ of Massachusetts Press, 1982) pp 209–229.
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