How far do you agree that Trade Unionism was a failure 1785-1834?

Question 1

In spite of the 1799 and 1800 combinations acts, there were still two successful notable strikes. When were they and where were they?

Answer 1

1810 Spinner in Lancashire

1818 supported by weavers too, that ultimately spread to collieries and machines makers

Question 2

What did the 1818 strike threaten

Answer 2

national stoppage

Question 3

How was the 1818 strike resolved?

Answer 3

Only when five leaders were arrested by government

Question 4

Assess the strikes of 1818?

Answer 4

Whilst on one level these strikes did not complete their goals, they had to be defeated by government backed-employers, so great was their impact.

Question 5

What made unions legal?

Answer 5

Repeal of the combination acts 1824

Question 6

Who was the prime minister when the combination act were repealed?

Answer 6

Lord Liverpool

Question 7

Why, in spite of the combination acts, did unions grow anyway?

Answer 7

Advancements in communication such as with the postal services

Question 8

What did the 1824 repeal of the corn laws confirm?

Answer 8

Confirmed the extent to which government had accepted that the corn laws had failed to stop union growth

Question 9

Give an example of a success of an early trade society

Answer 9

The London Printers in 1793 petitioned their masters for an increase in their fees given the rising cost of living

Question 10

The London Printers in 1793 petitioned their masters for an increase in their fees given the rising cost of living. How many signatures did they gain in support of their demands?

Answer 10

539

Question 11

The London Printers in 1793 petitioned their masters for an increase in their fees given the rising cost of living. What was the outcome?

Answer 11

This degree of unity was able to generate sufficient concern and pressure to give a positive outcome for the workers.

Question 12

Give a second example of a successful early trades society

Answer 12

1799 weavers in Wigan had organised themselves into an association to strengthen their hand when seeking an end to wage reductions.

Question 13

By May 1799, how many branches did the Association of Weavers have across Lancashire?

Answer 13

14

Question 14

Why were the weavers in Lancashire successful?

Answer 14

This was a well-regarded workforce, but one who simply wanted increased wages because of the inevitable financial pressures of the war.

Question 15

Give two examples of early attempts at large, more general unions and the person who tried to establish them

Answer 15

John Doherty 1829 established the Grand general Union of the Operative Spinner of Great Britain and Ireland. He also established the National Association for the Protection of Labour.

Question 16

Assess John Doherty’s 1829 Grand General Union of the Operative Spinner and the National Association of the Protection of Labour

Answer 16

Although neither lasted for more than two years, they evidenced a growing determination to organise trade unionism along broader lines than before.

Question 17

What did the 1834 Grand National Consolidate Trades Union give the impression of?

Answer 17

Gave the impression of a single untied organisation bringing together workers and representing their interests.

Question 18

By forming a network of affiliated trade unions into one larger one, the grand national gained how many members within its first week and how many members at its peak?

Answer 18

half a million within its first week and a million at its peak

Question 19

What is a limitation of an early trade society due to its membership composition?

Answer 19

Trade Societies were primarily formed by skilled tradesmen such as Printers, Cobblers and Mechanics who sought to protect both their trade and their bargaining hand from being weakened by industrialisation and unskilled labour.

Question 20

What is a limitation of an early trade society due to its geographical composition?

Answer 20

They remained small, local organisations with little interest outside their own districts.

Question 21

What were early trade societies particularly interested in?

Answer 21

Particularly interested with securing their skilled status within their own profession and ensuring that entry to it with carefully monitored, often utilising a ‘closed shop’ practice.

Question 22

How did employers fill the void during a strike?

Answer 22

Employers often took advantage of the growing population to draft in new workers to fill a void during turnout, particularly with Irish immigrants, desperate for work.

Question 23

What fact shows the growth of the british population and thus the extent of the supply of labour that employers could use to undermine a strike?

Answer 23

1750 - 1850 population rose form 6 million to 17 million people

Question 24

Other than fill the void left by strike, what did the rapidly increasing population allow employers to do?

Answer 24

set whatever condition they wanted on the grounds that if workers weren’t happy then they could very easily be replaced

Question 25

‘knob-sticks’ were people who undermined strikes, what were they made by the strikers?

Answer 25

Social pariahs

Question 26

Strikes could not be effective when what happened?

Answer 26

when they were either not unanimously supported or the employer was able to cover the gap in productivity that was made by them

Question 27

What were the first ever attempts at a general trades union and what was their fate?

Answer 27

The first attempts at a general union were the 1818 ‘Philanthropic Hercules’ in London and the ‘Philanthropic Society’ in Lancashire, yet both of these came to an end before the end of that year following the arrest of 5 of their leaders following strike action that year.

Question 28

What did the Master and Servant Act 1823 do?

Answer 28

Made the breaking of a work contract an offence punishable by imprisonment

Question 29

How many were involved in the tolpuddle martyrs?

Answer 29

6

Question 30

what did the 6 farm labourers do to create the tolpuddle martyrs controversy?

Answer 30

6 farm labourers had formed a union, the ‘Friendly Society of Agricultural Labourers’ to protest at their reduced wages of 6 shillings a week

Question 31

the tolpuddle martyrs refused to work for less than how much a week?

Answer 31

10 shillings

Question 32

In what year and who wrote to the home secretary to complain about ‘Friendly Society of Agricultural Labourers’?

Answer 32

James Frampton 1834

Question 33

What act was invoked and what was the sentence for the tolpuddle martyrs?

Answer 33

1797 Unlawful Oaths Act was invoked which carried a 7 year transportation sentence for the men

Question 34

Despite their own failure, what did the Tolpuddle martyrs achieve?

Answer 34

they nevertheless drew huge public attention to the cause of unionism, attracting over 800 000 people to sign a petition in protest of their punishment and 30 000 to march on Whitehall

Question 35

What was the two big downfalls of the grand national?

Answer 35

Size
With meagre funds available it was ill prepared to support its running coast let alone cover the costs of its workers striking

Question 36

What shows how much the grand national struggled for funds?

Answer 36

Of its 1 million members, only 16 000 paid fees

Question 37

How was the predicament of the low funds exposed?

Answer 37

This predicament was exposed in its first year when 1500 striking mill workers in Derby were locked out of their work for failing to leave their union. Despite last for four months without pay, they returned to work as they weren’t supported sufficiently by the Grand National.

Question 38

What was the document?

Answer 38

it was a piece of paper that employers expected workers to sign to renounce their commitment to any union.

Question 39

Why was the document used?

Answer 39

The middle classes were often distinctly alarmed by the growth of unions and sought to defend secure their workplaces in this way against the threat of unionism.

Question 40

When did the grand national collapse?

Answer 40

1835