Colne and District Weavers', Winders' and Beamers' Association
The Colne and District Weavers', Winders' and Beamers' Association was a trade union representing cotton weavers in the Colne area of Lancashire in England.
| Full name | Colne and District Weavers', Winders' and Beamers' Association |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1882 |
| Date dissolved | 1975 |
| Merged into | Colne and Craven Textile Workers' Association |
| Members | 6,258 (1907) |
| Head union | Amalgamated Weavers' Association |
| Office location | Tower Buildings, Colne |
| Country | England |
The union was founded by 1882, although some writers have suggested that it was already in existence by the late 1870s. In its early years, it repeatedly tried to increase the area which it covered, trying and failing to create branches in Earby, Foulridge and Trawden. Despite this, its membership gradually grew, reaching 1,000 members by 1892, 2,917 by 1897, and 6,258 in 1907.[1][2][3]
The union was a founder member of the Amalgamated Weavers' Association, in 1884.[1]
Membership of the union fell through much of the 20th-century, in line with declining employment in the Lancashire cotton industry. By 1960, membership was down to 2,243. In 1975, it merged with the Barnoldswick and District Weavers', Winders' Beamers' and Textile Workers' Association and the Skipton and District Weavers' Association, forming the Colne and Craven Textile Workers' Association.[1]
General secretaries
- G. Berry
- 1905: Tom Shaw
- 1923: William H. Boocock
- 1936: E. S. Kay
- 1937: F. Walne
- 1940s: H. Hope
References
- Marsh, Arthur; Ryan, Victoria; Smethurst, John B. (1994). Historical Directory of Trade Unions. 4. Farnham: Ashgate. pp. 105-106. ISBN 9780859679008.
- Report on Trade Unions in 1905-1907. London: Board of Trade. 1909. p. 30-35.
- Arthur Marsh, Victoria Ryan and John B. Smethurst, Historical Directory of Trade Unions, vol.5, pp.91-124
