Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1860-1973 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
1.93 linear metres (29 volumes and 4 boxes).
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
The first meeting of the London Trades Council was on 18 May 1860 in Shaftesbury Hall, Aldersgate Street. The Council had been established as a result of a campaign for a nine hour day in the building trade, and was intended "to cheer, instruct and advise in any trade difficulty", (Short History of the London Trades Council, 1935, Acc/3287/02/007), but became increasingly involved in political activity, particularly under two of its Secretaries - George Odger (1862-1872), and George Shipton (1872-1896).
There were trade councils in many industrial areas in the country at this time, but it was the London council which through its links with them and their equivalents abroad was considered to be the leader of British trade unionism. By the early 1870's the Trades Union Congress had been formed and it gradually took over many of the trade councils' functions and political impetus, although the latter remained in existence within the Congress framework. In 1945 Julius Jacobs became Secretary, and for the next seven years the Council became a voice for the Communist Party, distanced from the rest of the trade union movement. The result was expulsion from and deregistration by the Trades Union Congress in 1952; followed by the drawing up of a new constitution, election by the Trades Union Congress of a new committee, and a move into new offices in Rosebery Avenue. The Council is no longer in existence.
Repository
Archival history
GB 0074 ACC/3287 1860-1973 Collection 1.93 linear metres (29 volumes and 4 boxes). London Trades Council
The first meeting of the London Trades Council was on 18 May 1860 in Shaftesbury Hall, Aldersgate Street. The Council had been established as a result of a campaign for a nine hour day in the building trade, and was intended "to cheer, instruct and advise in any trade difficulty", (Short History of the London Trades Council, 1935, Acc/3287/02/007), but became increasingly involved in political activity, particularly under two of its Secretaries - George Odger (1862-1872), and George Shipton (1872-1896).
There were trade councils in many industrial areas in the country at this time, but it was the London council which through its links with them and their equivalents abroad was considered to be the leader of British trade unionism. By the early 1870's the Trades Union Congress had been formed and it gradually took over many of the trade councils' functions and political impetus, although the latter remained in existence within the Congress framework. In 1945 Julius Jacobs became Secretary, and for the next seven years the Council became a voice for the Communist Party, distanced from the rest of the trade union movement. The result was expulsion from and deregistration by the Trades Union Congress in 1952; followed by the drawing up of a new constitution, election by the Trades Union Congress of a new committee, and a move into new offices in Rosebery Avenue. The Council is no longer in existence.
Deposited in November 1993.
Records of the London Trades Council. Both the minutes 1915-1943 (Acc/3287/01/001-029), and the annual reports 1922-1952 (Acc/3287/01/029-053) cover not only the routine administration of the Council, but also mention individual company disputes, and larger trade and social issues. Material dealing with the early years of the Council can be found on a set of microfilms within the collection (Acc/3287/01/66-76). The archive contains pamphlets and publications on various issues, produced not only by the Council but by other associated orgainisations (Acc/3287/02).
The records have been sorted into the following groups: Administration Acc/3287/01; Publications Acc/3287/02.
These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.
Copyright to these records rests with the depositor.
English
Fit
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
The Trades Union Congress library holds minutes (1860-1971), annual reports (1873-1952), and press cuttings (1885-1957) of the London Trades Council.
There is a printed history of the Council in the London Metropolitan Archives library.
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
June to August 2010. Trades (occupations) Building trade Trade unions Labour relations Trade (practice) Trade disputes Political activists Political doctrines Collectivism Communism Groups Campaign groups London Trades Council London England UK Western Europe Europe
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Deposited in November 1993.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Records of the London Trades Council. Both the minutes 1915-1943 (Acc/3287/01/001-029), and the annual reports 1922-1952 (Acc/3287/01/029-053) cover not only the routine administration of the Council, but also mention individual company disputes, and larger trade and social issues. Material dealing with the early years of the Council can be found on a set of microfilms within the collection (Acc/3287/01/66-76). The archive contains pamphlets and publications on various issues, produced not only by the Council but by other associated orgainisations (Acc/3287/02).
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
The records have been sorted into the following groups: Administration Acc/3287/01; Publications Acc/3287/02.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.
Conditions governing reproduction
Copyright to these records rests with the depositor.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
The Trades Union Congress library holds minutes (1860-1971), annual reports (1873-1952), and press cuttings (1885-1957) of the London Trades Council.
Finding aids
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English