GB 1924 WEA - Workers' Educational Association Collection

Identity area

Reference code

GB 1924 WEA

Title

Workers' Educational Association Collection

Date(s)

  • 1903-1995 (Creation)

Level of description

Extent and medium

40 m (approx)

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

The Workers' Educational Association (WEA) was founded in 1903 under the title Association to Promote the Higher Education of Working Men following a scheme proposed by Albert Mansbridge (1876-1952). He became its general secretary in 1905 when the name was changed to The Workers' Educational Association and the first constitution was established in the following year. After a conference on the WEA and Oxford University in 1907, the WEA Central Joint Advisory Committee was established and three year university tutorial classes were started with the close involvement of R H Tawney (1880-1962). The WEA was also linked to the trade union movement and formed the Workers' Education Trade Union Committee in 1919 to strengthen and give cohesion to the educational work with trade unions. The WEA was closely involved in campaigns for better state education and in particular the campaign preceding the 1944 Education Act. The WEA is now a national voluntary organisation existing primarily to provide adults with access to organised learning. It is a registered charity and is non-party in politics and non-sectarian in religion. The WEA is one national organisation in England and Scotland, organised into 13 districts in England and a Scottish Association. It has over 650 local branches and 28 local organisations including 23 national trade unions are affiliated at national level.

Archival history

GB 1924 WEA 1903-1995 Collection (fonds) 40 m (approx) Association to Promote the Higher Education of Working Men , Workers' Educational Association
The Workers' Educational Association (WEA) was founded in 1903 under the title Association to Promote the Higher Education of Working Men following a scheme proposed by Albert Mansbridge (1876-1952). He became its general secretary in 1905 when the name was changed to The Workers' Educational Association and the first constitution was established in the following year. After a conference on the WEA and Oxford University in 1907, the WEA Central Joint Advisory Committee was established and three year university tutorial classes were started with the close involvement of R H Tawney (1880-1962). The WEA was also linked to the trade union movement and formed the Workers' Education Trade Union Committee in 1919 to strengthen and give cohesion to the educational work with trade unions. The WEA was closely involved in campaigns for better state education and in particular the campaign preceding the 1944 Education Act. The WEA is now a national voluntary organisation existing primarily to provide adults with access to organised learning. It is a registered charity and is non-party in politics and non-sectarian in religion. The WEA is one national organisation in England and Scotland, organised into 13 districts in England and a Scottish Association. It has over 650 local branches and 28 local organisations including 23 national trade unions are affiliated at national level.

The collection was transferred from the WEA headquarters in Bethnal Green to the custody of the TUC Library Collections at the University of North London in August 1998.

Archives of the Workers' Educational Association, 1906-1995, comprising central organisation records, 1906-1995; records of the WEA Central Joint Advisory Committee, 1910-1958; records of WEA districts, 1914-1992; and records of the Workers' Education TUC Committee, 1919-1964. Central Labour College archives, 1909-1918; and archives of the International Federation of Workers' Educational Associations, 1945-1986. Papers and pamphlets of R H Tawney, President of WEA, 1896-1962; papers and publications of Ernest Green, General Secretary of WEA, 1920s-1960s.

There may be further deposits in the future

As indicated in Scope and Content.

Open to bona fide researchers at the discretion of the TUC Librarian.

At the discretion of the TUC Librarian and subject to copyright conditions
English

List, 1998, copy in NRA (NRA 41853)

University of North London TUC Collections, Ethical Movement collection.

Compiled by Janet Foster as part of the RSLP AIM25 Project 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. . December, 2000 Adult education Educational systems Green , Ernest , 1885-1977 , General Secretary of the Workers' Education Association (WEA) Tawney , Richard Henry , 1880-1962 , historian WEA , Workers' Educational Association x Workers' Educational Association Workers education

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

The collection was transferred from the WEA headquarters in Bethnal Green to the custody of the TUC Library Collections at the University of North London in August 1998.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Archives of the Workers' Educational Association, 1906-1995, comprising central organisation records, 1906-1995; records of the WEA Central Joint Advisory Committee, 1910-1958; records of WEA districts, 1914-1992; and records of the Workers' Education TUC Committee, 1919-1964. Central Labour College archives, 1909-1918; and archives of the International Federation of Workers' Educational Associations, 1945-1986. Papers and pamphlets of R H Tawney, President of WEA, 1896-1962; papers and publications of Ernest Green, General Secretary of WEA, 1920s-1960s.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

There may be further deposits in the future

System of arrangement

As indicated in Scope and Content.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Open to bona fide researchers at the discretion of the TUC Librarian.

Conditions governing reproduction

At the discretion of the TUC Librarian and subject to copyright conditions

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

University of North London TUC Collections, Ethical Movement collection.

Finding aids

List, 1998, copy in NRA (NRA 41853)

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Publication note

Notes area

Note

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Subject access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Trades Union Congress (TUC) Library Collections at London Metropolitan University

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

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area