Musicians' Union

The Musicians' Union Archive consists of the records of the Central and District offices of the union and over 70 Branches (covering Scotland, Wales, North West, North East England, the Midlands and London). The collection also includes material relating to the organisations that merged in 1921 to form the union (the Amalgamated Musicians' Union and the National Orchestral Union of Professional Musicians) dating back to 1879.

The material relating to the organisation, administration and activities of the union includes accounts (including cash books, wages books), annual and monthly reports, bulletins to branches, concert programmes, conference papers, correspondence files, directories, election papers, proceedings and findings of industrial court cases, membership material (including registers, cards, forms, rules, contribution books), minute books (Central, District and Branches), Organisers Reports, performers rates, photographs, press cuttings/books, scrapbooks, sheet music, strike material and papers relating to campaigns led/supported by the union. An extensive run of the union's journal, The Musician, is also present as are earlier union publications and reports.

This catalogue provides a detailed description of the contents of the collection, divided into eight sections:

MU/1 Reports and publications

MU/2 Executive Committee and central organisation

MU/3 Districts

MU/4 Branches

MU/5 Photographs

MU/6 Sections

MU/7 Memorabilia and objects

MU/8 Personal papers

Additional support for opening up the collection to researchers has been made possible through the Musicians' Union Archive Trainee programme which has supported a programme of digitisation. The digitised material can be freely accessed via the online catalogue.

Characterised today by its 'Keep Music Live' slogan (which was first coined in the 1960s) the Musicians' Union represents over 30,000 musicians working in all sectors of the music business. The records of the Union and its predecessors provide a detailed account of the various challenges (both political and technological) which have faced performing musicians over the last century.

Dating back to 1879 the collection provides over a century of social, cultural, economic, technological and political history captured in many forms ranging from Victorian minute books to photographs from the 1980s. The significance of the collection goes well beyond its original function as the records of a trade union, documenting a whole history of cultural and technological change.

The Musicians Union Archive provides a unique perspective on the cultural history of Britain over the last 130 years through the experiences and struggles of the musicians and performers who entertained a nation. A wide range of cultural developments, political campaigns and historical events are reflected in the Archive including; the sinking of the Titanic; the impact of the 'talkies' on cinema orchestras; the struggle of women musicians for recognition; the 'dance hall' craze of the 1930s; disputes with the BBC; the arrival of 'rock and roll'; and the 'Keep Music Live' and 'Rock Against Racism' campaigns.

Reflects the original administrative functions of the union

Open

Please contact the University Archivist