Building Workers Organise in Harrow 1893

A public meeting of men employed in the building trade took place in the lecture Theatre at the Harrow Liberal Club 15th April 1893. The meeting called by the Management Committee of the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters & Joiners of London District was well attended. The speakers called upon the "Harrow men to organise, and try to secure the same benefits as their fellow workers enjoyed in London".

It was stated that Harrow being within the 12 mile radius , the rules of London would apply to them. Members of the Amalgamated Society of House Decorators and Painters also spoke and urged the men to combine and form a branch of the Society at Harrow,

One of the speakers referred with great satisfaction to the fact that Mr Short, one of their members of the School Board, had given notice to propose "That in all contracts a clause should be inserted binding the contractors in paying trade union rates of wages" and he hoped all workers would support the member.

Mr Short replied that that he could not at present propose that resolution, as only one of the trades in the building trade was yet organised at Harrow.

Buckinghamshire Advertiser Harrow Journal 22 April 1893



The Manchester Alliance of Operative House Painters was formed in 1856 following a conference of small local societies in the Manchester area. It remained merely an alliance, that is the local societies retained their independence of rules, names and finances. In 1870 the alliance's name was changed to the General Union of Operative House Painters, in 1872 to the General Alliance of Operative House Painters and in 1880 to the General Alliance of Operative House and Ship Painters. In 1886 the alliance was dissolved and an amalgamated union was formed, the National Amalgamated Society of Operative House Painters and Decorators. In 1904 it merged with the Amalgamated Society of House Decorators and Painters and several smaller societies to form the National Amalgamated Society of Operative House and Ship Painters and Decorators.

In 1904 the National Amalgamated Society of Operative House Painters and Decorators merged with the Amalgamated Society of House Decorators and Painters and several smaller societies to form the National Amalgamated Society of Operative House and Ship Painters and Decorators. The society absorbed a number of local unions throughout its existence. In 1935 the society adopted the short title of the National Society of Painters. In 1961 it became the Amalgamated Society of Painters and Decorators after amalgamation with the Scottish Painters' Society and the Southport and Birkdale Operative House Painters' Association. In 1970 the society amalgamated with the Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers to form the Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers and Decorators.

see also Robert Tressell


The London leadership of the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters & Joiners (picture above) won reduced working hours after a bitter 26 week dispute in 1891. The Average working week being cut from 52 and a half hours a week to 50 hours and an increase in overtime rates.

Amalgamated Society of Carpenters & Joiners 1914

A new agreement has been reached between the Uxbridge Master Builders Association and the Uxbridge branch of the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters & Joiners

The new agreements covers carpenters employed within a 4 mile radius of Uxbridge Market House

From January 1914 the carpenters rate will be 10d per hour, an increase of half a penny.



NOTE:

The Uxbridge branch (which included Hayes) was established around (1880 or 1883) and is therefore one of the oldest unions in the area
The Union in 1888 was meeting at the Grapes Public House, Hayes

The Southall branch of the Bricklayes Union dates from at least 1888 and was also meeting at the Grapes Public House, Hayes

Councillor Horace Lucia involved in the establishment of the union at Southall


The Southall branch of the Operative Plasters Union was established in Southall in 1905

Samuel Philip Viant

Sam Viant was born in Plymouth in on 5th January 1882,

His mother was Phoebe Viant a shop grocer, his sister was Phoebe jnr,and brothers Daniel, Albert.

Educated at Devonport higher grade school, Plymouth

As a young man Sam Viant started an apprenticeship as a carpenter, but because of family financial difficulties had to withdraw.

In 1901 Samuel Viant was according to the Census, a carpenter living with his family at 22 Exeter Street, Plymouth. Later in that year he moved to London to work as a carpenter.

On his arrival in London Sam a committed " abstainer" became involved in Dr Clifford's Brotherhood movement meetings in Westbourne Park,

He becomes heavily involved in trade union issues and attended Paddington School for Social Science and undertook a Ruskin College, Oxford correspondence courses.

Sam is elected Vice Chairman of Paddington Trades Council Member and joins the Independent Labour Party (ILP), standing unsuccessfully in 1908 for Paddington Council (with the support of his hero Kier Hardie).

Viant was also active in the Co-operative movement during this period.

He moves to Willesden and in 1918 unsuccessfully contests a seat on Willesden Council and the newly created parliamentary seat of Willesden West, at the 1918 General Election.
In 1919, his hard work is rewarded and he is elected to Willesden Council and becomes the pioneering Chairman of the Works Committee, Justice of the Peace (1928-1949).

Finally, Sam Viant is elected as Member of Parliament for Willesden West on 6th December 1923. Accordingly he became a member of the first Labour Government and the first Labour MP in West Middlesex. (James Patrick Gardner elected at same election for Hammersmith North)

In 1929 Sam Viant as appointed Assistant Post Master General, until the Labour Government fell in 1931 due to the Ramsay MacDonald debacle and Viant lost his parliamentary seat at the subsequent election.

He won back the Seat in 1935 and held it until he retired at the 1959 General Election.

In later life, Sam Vian took to wearing a white and blue striped waistcoat, with buttons each bearing a tiny coloured portrait of Kier Hardie.
Sam Viant was a National Executive member (General councilman) of the Carpenters & Joiners Union Executive Committee.

He was Member of Parliament for Willesden until 1959 when Laurence "Larry" Pavitt becomes Labour MP for Willesden.

In 1960 Sam Viant was elected Mayor of Willesden

Sam Viant died on the 19th May 1964, aged 81

Len Snow former Mayor of Brent recalls " He was a pleasant, quiet man, with a bristly moustache, who persuaded us rather than bludgeoned us with his political views"

Sam Viant's Election Agent was Alfie Nunn (1881-1955) they were described as the "perfect team" born in Paddington, but aged four moved with his family to Kilburn. he joined the Labour Party in 1902. Local Willesden Councillor and Mayor 1945-1946

NOTE

Hamilton Hall, Willesden High Street became headquarters of the Willesden Labour Party in 1922 run by the Harlesden Labour Club which affiliated to the Independent Labour Party in 1911.

Dave Barrett

In 1904 the first acknowledged Labour Councillor, Dave Barrett was elected for Church End ward,

Dave Barrett was born in Kensington on 1st March 1855, he worked as a labourer, and then became the "registration agent" for the Irish Parliamentary Party and as such was said to have been known in every constituency in England.

In 1890 he helped get the unknown Lloyd George elected by getting Irish voters to support him. He was also an official of the General Labourers Amalgamated Society and a member of the Bricklayers Union

He came to Willesden in 1901/02 and founded the National Democratic League

Barrett did some excellent pioneering work on the Willesden Council and Board of Guardians, including extension of the Workhouse (Central Middlesex Hospital) pay of staff and the Independent Labour Party's Socialist Sunday School at Leopold School

Dave Barrett died in obscurity in 1926 and is buried in the Roman Catholic cometary at Kensal Green

Information on Dave Barrett from Len Snow's excellent history of the Labour Party in Brent

 November 1940 Young Socialist
Socialist Sunday School

Hounslow branch
20 Heath Road Hounslow
3pm
Sec Mrs Tierney 39 St Stephens Rd Hounslow

West London Federation

Sec James M Hoyle  10 Walnut Tree Road, Heston

Southall Carpenters & Joiners Union

Councillor Horace Lucia - Farewell

Report Southall Gazette 21^st November 1913

Members of Southall General Union of Operative Carpenters and Joiners union assembled at the Northcote Arms, Southall on Wednesday evening last week, the occasion being a farewell dinner in honour of Mr Horace Lucia.

Mr. Lucia was practically the founder of the Southall Branch of the Carpenters & Joiners Union, and during the twelve years of it existence- he held the offices of Secretary, Treasurer, and President at various periods, until about sixteen moths ago he secured a Government appointment on the West Coast of Africa (Ghana).

He has now been home on holiday for four months, and returned to resume his duties in West Africa on Wednesday.

Mr. F.Hann presided, and was supported by Mr H. Lucia, A. Bond (secretary), and Mr J. Rundle (walking delegate of the union), with Mr. William Matkin (general secretary) of the union) in the vice-chair.

An excellent dinner was provided by Host J. H. Gerard following; which the Chairman read a letter from Mr. A. W. Rayner (Carpenters & Joiners Union District Secretary), who regretted his inability to attend, and expressed ins good wishes to Bro.Lucia whom he knew to be a good worker for trade unionism, j

After the loyal toast had been duly honoured the Chairman expressed his pleasure at being in the chair at what was the first social evening hold by the Sonthall Branch.

He hoped that it would not be the last, as in his opinion more good was done at' one social evening than at all the Branch meetings that could be crammed into a twelve months

The object of the meeting that night was to honour one whom they were proud to call "one of us," Brother Horace Lucia. It was quite unnecessary for him to give even a brief history of his career: it was well known to all of them. Brother Lucia had been a member of the General Union for the last twenty years, and had always taken an active interest in trade unionism and all that it meant. He thought they could do with a great deal more members of thee same mettle as Bro Lucia, for wherever there was any work to be done there ho was to be found, always in the front rank.

Those "stars" in the human firmament seemed to be few and far between they rose up amongst them. cheered those who came into-contact with them and, after a time, dropped out and were lost sight of.

The " star " of Southall had dropped out quicker than expected.Like some stars that returned periodically, he was back with them that night, and he hoped that the time would come when they would have him back withthem permanently.

He would be returning to the West Coast of Africa next week, and he took that opportunity of assuring him, on behalf of the members of that branch, that they would never forget him. -

He (the speaker) was one of the representatives to the trades and labour council and at their meetings frequent reference was made to the name of Bro Lucia and the views he advocated.

That showed that his advice there was very much respected and spoke volumes for his uprightness and soundness of judgement.

It was their earnest wish that he might be permitted to return home once more to his wife and fanily and those tiesof friendship he valued so much

He asked them to drink to the health and prosperity of their friend and brother Brother Horace Lucia.

Mr Horace Lucia responded and expressed his deep appreciation for the flaterring manner in which the toast had been peroposed and the cordial manner in which it had been recievied. He had know nearly half the members present for quite twenty years – the length of his membership in the society and at times had the pleasure of disagreeing with most of them but at the same time he would like to say that whether they agreed or agreed to differ with their colleagues and friends in an organisation like that if their principles were good and their actions straight forward they would be able to say as he could that after that number of years they were the best of friends and hoped to remain so for many years to come

Mr William Matkin said he was very pleased to have the opportunity of meeing their friend Bro Lucia he knew the struggle br lucia had in the formation of that lodge and the manner he had stuck to since its inceptionand was sure that he was pleased to see the members present that evening and the altered conditions of things woith regard to the feeling towards trade unionism that was spreading throughout the country and especially in London

he also refered to Horace Lucia being practically the father of the Southall trades and labour movement.

NOTE
Horace Lucia active in Southall Clarion Fellowship
Horace Lucia Elected as first Labour Councillor in Southall
This report would have the Southall Carpenters & Joiners Union established in 1901

William Matkin, 1883-1920
WiIliam Matkin was born at Gaythorpe, Lincolnshire , in 1845, and as was customary in those parts served his apprenticeship as a joiner in residence with the master with whom he was indentured. When he became a journeyman he migrated to Sheffield, where he joined the G.U. in 1864; and from there to London . In the Metropolis he attached himself to Wandsworth Town Lodge and later to the London Progressive Lodge. Always active in trade union affairs, for some years he acted as the London District Secretary for the, G.U. lodges until his appointment as General Secretary in the latter ­part of 1883. This post he held continuously until his death in 1920. In 1890 he was president of the Liverpool Trades Union Congress and was elected to the Parliamentary Committee of that body

The clock

The clock belonged to a Mrs Horace Lucia, 22 Butter market, Bury St Edmunds circa 1880s

Photo London Committee 1891

Uxbridge branch of the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners was meeting in 1888 and working closely with the Operative Bricklayers Society

West Middlesex Elections 1919

Labour Success in

West Middlesex 1919

On the 17th of April 1919 representatives of Uxbridge Divisional Labour Party
(which included Hayes) meet at the Assembly hall Yiewsley, to celebrate recent Labour election successes and make a presentation to William Henry Knowles of a “very handsome silver tea service with inscribed silver tray” for his work as Divisional agent to Harry Gosling in the recent (December 1918) General Election.

Councillor Robert W Hudson of Uxbridge was Chairman, also present Mr & Mrs Harry Gosling, County Councillor William Henry Knowles (West Drayton), Councillor Mrs B.A. Chard (Southall), Mr Groundsell (Southall), Councillor Robert William Gunton (Hayes) Councillor H. Ashby (Yiewsley), J. Worsell (Yiewsley). Councillor W. Tulett (Uxbridge and the Uxbridge Labour Party Divisional Secretary, Percy Osbourn Langton (Hayes).

While it had been a shock to the local Labour Party machine(and no doubt, Harry Gosling a high profile candidate) that they had not won the Parliamentary seat in 1918, they had built up an effective electoral machine which paid of in the Middlesex County Council and Urban District Council elections of 1919.

Percy Langton, Labour Party Divisional Secretary stated

“If they made progress at the present rate the Labour party would soon be in complete control of every municipal body within the area.

On Harefield Parish Council they now had three direct representatives of Labour, and two others pledged to support the policy of the party.

At Hayes they had one County Councillor (Ben Smith), two Labour Guardians, and seven Labour councilors out of nine on the Hayes Urban District Council.

At Southall they had a Labour County Councillor in Mr James Culley, two on the Guardians and held their own on Southall Urban District Council.

At Uxbridge Urban District Council they had five Labour Councillors.

At West Drayton three and at Yiewsley in addition to Mr W. H. Knowles as Middlesex County Councillor for Hillingdon district, they had a Labour Guardian and two Labour Councillors on the Urban district Council.

In all they now had thirty five Labour representatives on local and county bodies, as against seventeen last year, an increase of over one hundred per cent”.

Mr W.H. Knowles stated

“That if they were to win (the Constituency) they had got to understand one thing – that it was a composite constituency. They had a residential area, a rural area and an industrial area, and it was most necessary that they had assistance of the people in the residential areas – and all pull together”.

Other speakers included R.W. Gunton, Hayes Labour Party Honorary Organiser, as well as Mr Groundsell, Mr Tulett, Mr H. Ashby and Mrs B. A Chard

NOTE:

HAYES LABOUR COUNCILLORS 1919
J. W Davies; Lancelot Fowler ; Robert W Gunton ; G Manley ; William Rawlings, F Woodard ; Fredrick V Mason

UXBRIDGE LABOUR COUNCILLORS 1919
R.W. Hudson, H.W. Carlo, J C Barnes, W.E. Black, W. Tullett,

YIEWSLEY LABOUR COUNCILLORS 1919
W. Roberts and H. Ashby

HAREFIELD LABOUR COUNCILLORS 1919
Dr Compton, G.M. Winwright, W. Watkins, S.E. Bishop, J. Bryant, and E. T Gregory,

 (Harefield Progressive Councillors) - Field, Jeffrey and Turner)

SOUTHALL LABOUR COUNCILLORS 1919
(to be completed)………

CHESHAM, BUCKS
Labour secure two seats, first ever

WOMEN CANDIDATES AND VOTERS 1919

1919 was the first year women (albeit over 30) could vote in local elections and the first Labour Women candidate to be elected as a Councillor was Mrs B. A Chard at Southall in 1919

Mrs B.A. Chard (Southall) and Mrs L. Groundsell (Southall) were elected to Uxbridge Board of Guardians in 1919

The other women to be elected in 1919 were Mrs E. F. Darlow (topped the poll) and Mrs St Clair Townsend at Rusilip-Northwood UDC

The only other Labour woman candidate was Mrs H.C. Allen who finished bottom of the Uxbridge UDC poll.

The talented Uxbridge Suffragette Society organiser Katherine Ann Raleigh had stood for Uxbridge in 1909 making her one of the first women council candidates in Britain.

Mrs B.A. CHARD

Councillor Mrs B. A Chard came to Southall in 1898, helped found the Women’s Co-Operative Guild and the Women’s Railway (Union) Guild. During the World War 1 she helped women munitions workers, in groups of up to eighty to find accommodation in Hayes and Southall area.

Elected as Southall Labour Councillor in 1919 and onto the Board of Guardians, became Chairman of Southall Urban District Council in 1926