Fawcett Association

The Fawcett Association was a trade union representing postal clerks in London.

Fawcett Association
Merged intoUnion of Post Office Workers
Founded1890
Dissolved1919
Headquarters55 Doughty Street, London
Location
  • England
Members
3,750 (1904)
Key people
Wallace Bligh Cheesman (Gen Sec)
AffiliationsTUC

History

The union was founded in 1890. It was named after Henry Fawcett, who it considered had been sympathetic to workers when he was Postmaster General.[1]

For most of its existence, the union's general secretary was Wallace Bligh Cheesman, and its chairman was William E. Clery. They were sacked from the Post Office after they circulated information about candidates in the 1892 general election, and attempted to get them to express support for the union. However, Cheesman remained the union's secretary throughout its existence.[2][3]

Cheesman decided to work closely with other unions, and in 1893, the Fawcett Association became the first clerical union to affiliate to the Trades Union Congress. It also joined the United Government Workers' Federation, and formed the National Joint Committee of Postal and Telegraph Associations in 1897, with the Postmen's Federation, Postal and Telegraph Clerks' Association and United Kingdom Postal Clerks' Association.[1]

The union was represented at the founding meeting of the Labour Representation Committee (LRC). Clery was adopted as an LRC candidate in 1901, but was also adopted as a Liberal-Labour candidate for Deptford. This proved controversial, and he did not ultimately stand under either label.[1]

Membership of the union grew steadily, reaching 3,750 by 1904. The Postal Bagmen's Association and the Women Sorters' Association affiliated to the Fawcett Association in 1906. In 1919, it merged with the Postmen's Federation and the Postal and Telegraph Clerks' Association, forming the Union of Post Office Workers.[1]

Election results

The union co-sponsored a Labour Party candidate at the 1918 UK general election:[4]

ConstituencyCandidateVotesPercentagePosition
Camberwell NorthCharles Ammon2,17521.03

Leadership

General Secretaries
1889: L. Leader[5]
1890: William E. Clery[5]
1890: H. Hall[5]
1890: William E. Clery[5]
1891: J. Guest[5]
1892: Wallace Bligh Cheesman[5]

Chairs
1889: J. H. Williams[5]
1893: William E. Clery[5]
1903: G. W. Gains[5]
1905: A. J. Mosedale[5]
1908: E. J. Nevill[5]
1911: Charles Ammon[5]

Treasurer
1889: H. Groves[5]
1899: W. E. Smith[5]
1902: J. Fitzgerald[5]
1917: C. P. Randall[5]

References
  1. Marsh, Arthur; Ryan, Victoria (1980). Historical Directory of Trade Unions. Vol. 1. Farnborough: Gower. p. 86. ISBN 0566021609.
  2. The Labour Who's Who 1927. London: The Labour Publishing Company. 1927. p. 39.
  3. Sumeray, Derek; Sheppard, John. London Plaques. Shire Publications.
  4. Clinton, Alan (1984). Post Office Workers: A Trade Union and Social History. London: George Allen and Unwin. p. 643. ISBN 9780043310861.
  5. Clinton, Alan (1984). Post Office Workers. George Allen and Unwin. ISBN 0043310869.
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